Category Archives: Wildlife

The Ballad of Quercus flatus: A Tale of Spring

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Randy Tindall

The sap is rising in our backyard.  Spring has finally sprung (we think), after a couple of false alarms, and signs of life abound.  Our redbud is budding red, our wahoo is leafing out and preparing to flower (Wahooooooo!!), our … Continue reading →

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A Miracle of Monarchs

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Randy Tindall

We have seen very few Monarch butterflies in our backyard for the last two years, but that doesn’t mean they are not there.  Caterpillars are showing up on our milkweeds, so it seems that they must be making whoopee somewhere, … Continue reading →

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A Swallowtail Odyssey: Life among the Spicebushes

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Randy Tindall

It’s Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) time in our backyard, which is good for us curious yard-watchers, but a bit hard on our spicebushes (Lindera benzoin).  We’re watching the little ones grow up and they do it fast!  Now, I am … Continue reading →

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Unnatural Selection: Cardinals, Cowbirds and the Mob

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Randy Tindall

There seems to be something attractive about plant stands near our front and back doors.  So far, we have tried to assist in three attempts by Carolina Wrens to use them as nesting sites, which makes getting in and out … Continue reading →

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Pests and Parasites

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Randy Tindall

A very effective agent of biological pest control, this tiny wasp in our backyard is preparing to lay an egg on (or in) the little green aphid.. When the egg hatches, it will live inside the aphid, munching happily away, … Continue reading →

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Winter Rations

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Randy Tindall

I’ve often thought of our Sweet Gum tree as more of a Bitter-Sweet Gum tree, mainly when I rake up piles of the spiky little balls it sheds with great joy and abandon.  I think I am not alone in … Continue reading →

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Galls Galore

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Besides having some spectacular fall colors this year, another thing our drought didn’t seem to hurt was the prevalence of oak leaf galls.  I’m not sure why, but we seemed to have a bumper crop of them this year.

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Hitting the Trifecta

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Randy Tindall

It’s not often—or ever before, to be honest—that I’ve had the chance to photograph several stages in an insect’s life journey in just a week or so, but I think I nailed it recently. We’ve got some wild senna growing … Continue reading →

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Where have all the berries gone?

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Randy Tindall

This is what the fruiting head of Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) often looks like after the berries have matured.  What berries, you say?  Ask the birds that ate them all, especially the robins that love to gorge on them and leave … Continue reading →

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There Be Giants Here!

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Found this in our backyard today, so new that it’s wings weren’t even fully expanded.  A big surprise, considering the dearth of butterflies this season, at least here.  We’ve never seen this one before, but I think we’ve seen its … Continue reading →

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