The Magnifying Glass

Frogs & Toads and an idea...

 

This summer we spent lots of time at the pond and saw frogs in all stages of life. As the summer passed we also came across a fair number of toads.

The question arose... How do you tell a frog from a toad?

Is it a frog...

Or a toad?

Here is what we learned in our research... which included the reading of Frogs by Gail Gibbons which Annie shared in a great review here.

Frogs                                              Toads

~ Narrow body                                 ~ Rounder plump body

~ Large ear membranes                    ~ Small ear membranes

~ Moist, smooth soft skin                  ~ Dry, thick bumpy skin

~ Ridges down the back                    ~ Ridges on the head

~ Take long leaps                             ~ Take short leaps, crawls

~ Long hind legs                               ~ Short legs

~ Lay eggs in clumps in the water      ~ Lay eggs in long strings in the water

~ Live in or near water                      ~ Live on land (water to lay eggs) 

As we wander around the pond and trails this fall we are still spotting frogs and toads before they hunker down in the mud for their long winter sleep. Have you been seeing any hopping friends in your neck of the woods this fall?

 

Now for the idea:

The ladies of The Magnifying Glass have been kicking around the idea of a Nature Exchange among readers. With the abundance of fall and the cleaning up of summer nature goodness we thought it would be a wonderful time to share what we have been collecting. We would love to get a pulse on interest before we launch the exchange. Are any of you interested in participating in a nature exchange?

More details coming next week...

~Dawn

Dike Walk

Whenever we visit my parents, we spend our days outside hiking the countryside. They live near Puget Sound, and the landscape varies here to an astonishing degree.

 

 

The other day, it was just three of us, my dad, my son, and me. We chose a trail atop a dike in the flat muddy land near Padilla Bay. The dikes are earthen walls intended to keep the water from constantly flooding the surrounding farmland as the tide goes in and out. Although the land was picturesque in its own way, I held out little hope for spotting interesting wildlife. But of course I brought the camera--you never know.

 

 

The trail was winding (my favorite kind) and around a bend we spotted our first of several Great Blue Herons. This one actually flew in a little closer and we watched him quietly for a very long time.

 

 

 

We followed the ditch for nearly a mile, and we noticed that there were quite a few ducks in the water. From a distance, they appeared to be common mallards, and rather drab, but on closer inspection they turned out to be Green-winged Teals (male and female). A second pair of ducks proved to be Gadwalls.

   
Male Green-winged Teal                            Female Green-winged Teal
 
 
 
Male and Female Gadwall Ducks

The more time we spent walking, the more we became aware of various kinds of tiny birds sitting in the hedges and poking about in the mud. We believe these birds are Western Sandpipers, although there are several species of sandpipers that are almost indistinguishable.

 

 

We also spotted a number of White-crowned Sparrows. My father found them unremarkable but I had never seen them before.

 

The wind picked up and my son's little legs started to give out, so we turned back to the car. Just before we departed, we spotted a bit of a row in the sky as a bird (no doubt guarding a nest) determinedly charged a large bird of prey until the intruder wheeled off. We thought it might be a hawk, but using binoculars we discovered it was none other than a bald eagle.

"Bird chases off bald eagle"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

 

We don't see such fascinating sights every day, but as time goes by I start to think that we make our own luck. If you get out as often as possible, you just never know what you might see. And bring your binoculars!

 

 

I must share that I was fortunate enough to identify these birds using a fabulous book my father owns--National Audobon Society's The Sibley Guide to Birds. Even more fascinating (a book we may have to own ourselves some day) is National Audobon Society's The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. From the latter book I was reminded, for example, that water birds hatch with feathers and the ability to feed themselves right away; nesting birds are born without wings and rely exclusively on their parents for food until they learn how to fly.

 

If you are out and about, be sure to share your experiences in the comments of a post, link to your own nature walks you blog about, and post your photographs on the TMG flickr pool.

~Nancy

Pale Male: Revisited.

 

    I had originally planned to share a new book with you this week, but I got a little sidetracked by a delightful discovery.

     I don't know how many of you remember my review of Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City from last spring, but suffice it to say, it is a big favorite around our house.  So, of course, we were more than excited to discover that the Urban Hawks blog has been closely following the movements and activities of the Pale Male as he goes about his springtime business in New York.  

    The blog is also following a number of other hawks in the area, and there are some really great pictures of all of them.  It's especially fun to see real pictures of the bird that has become such a mythical character in our house; Mariam has been very interested in the fate of Pale Male since first hearing his story and was pretty much beside herself at the idea that she could see things like recent pictures and video.  So, a few links:

- The New York Times has a live-stream camera set up where you can view the nesting (and now egg-sitting) activities of a pair of hawks who have taken up residence atop the library at NYU.

- The Urban Hawks blog is here.  A word of caution for those of you with younger children: many of the activities photographed in recent days have been very, um, spring-like.  Depending on what your little people know about how animals make other animals, you might want to specifically pick the eating and flying posts to share. 

- Speaking of eating, here is a post showing Pale Male having a meal.  There is a video as well as some good close-up shots that show what the bird really looks like. 

 

--- Annie

 

A (Very Surprising) Backyard Bird

The Great Backyard Bird Count has started—and we hope you’re participating! It only takes 15 minutes. Join in, keep your tally handy and come back Tuesday through Thursday and tell us the birds you saw. You'll get a chance to win a lovely Charley Harper poster in our giveaway. International families welcome to join, no need to have a blog. Read more about the giveaway here.

Our backyard birds are very beautiful. On a typical spring day, we see glorious red cardinals and charming chickadees. A pair of blue jays give fierce chase as another bird flies too close. From the tree tops, mockingbirds sing exquisitely.

Most birds that we see near our home, while fascinating in their own right, are hardly ‘rare.’ So we were very, very surprised—as were all our friends—to discover a pair of bald eagles nesting just half a mile from here.

Although we live minutes from downtown Washington, D.C., I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. A powerful river, the Potomac, rolls past this city, and in recent years the river has made a bit of a comeback (cleaner, more full of fish). Here the river is quite wide, with steep banks lined with tall trees (tulip poplars and sycamores) perfect for a large bird of prey thinking about starting a family.

And so they have. This nest isn't new—it's likely several years old—and for the past few weeks, a pair of bald eagles have been spotted adding to it. We heard about the nest from a dear friend and fellow nature-lover. Since that day, we’ve taken several family walks to see these impressive birds.

Typical of bald eagles, the mama and papa take turns at the nest. We can’t be sure, but it seems likely there are eggs they’re guarding and keeping warm. Other times, both birds leave the nest for extended periods, sitting on large branches nearby, staring out over the water.

Perhaps the most remarkable part is that their stand of trees is in the median of a very busy highway. Thousands of cars roar past daily as commuters travel to and fro. Overhead, commercial jets fly past about every 10 minutes. Peaceful and bucolic, this is not.

There is more than a bit or irony, sharing our bald eagle sightings in honor of the return of backyard birds.  But this nest lies next to a neighborhood—people pass by, walking their dogs or taking their morning jog, day after day.  When I stop and ask someone on the trail if they’ve been watching the eagles, as often as not, they say they’ve never seen the massive nest nor spied the pair of huge birds.

I’ve pondered what we’ve learned from our visits to the nest. If someone asked, I’d say, nature isn’t always this showy. Much of its beauty is far more obscure. The very best place for families to start appreciating the outdoors is with the tiny ant, the glimmering web, or the flitting of the backyard wren.

Our eyes are first opened by the small, quiet bits of everday nature. Only then can most of us see the ostentatious when we happen upon it.

For a closer view of other nesting bald eagles, visit these eagle cams:

Norfolk Botanical Gardens Eagle Cam; see also their FAQ page (Thanks to Eren!)

Blackwater Refuge (Cambridge, Maryland) (this one shows the nest both day and night)

~ Nancy

On Backyard Birding.

Before we moved to Vermont, I always thought of backyard birding as a fairly humble enterprise.  My daughter, I think, had similar feelings.  As much as we love a fat little chickadee or a busy sparrow, both of us have always had a fondness for particularly large birds, or those with a little extra flair.  Storks, herons, eagles.  Not your typical backyard feeders.

But, we have both also been long-time followers of the ongoing hunt for the Ivorybill Woodpecker in the Southern United States.  I've read most of the books that have been written on the subject, and Mariam and I have listened to a number of interviews and podcasts about the search.  The result has been a growing love for woodpeckers, both large and small.  However, considering our predilection for the big and fancy birds, the pileated woodpecker (the largest woodpecker after the Ivorybill) quickly became a household favorite and the bird that we most wanted to see in our own yard.  

So of course, the day that he showed up outside the living room window was an exciting one.  Mariam was at school, so I quickly snapped this photo to share with her.  And the experience made me realize that backyard birding can be a completely different experience when you approach it with patience and a watchful eye.  I wasn't out in the yard with binoculars when our woodpecker came to call; I was sitting at the dining room table eating some toast.  But I've become so accustomed to glancing around at the trees in the yard, just in case, that I made a pretty good find.  And that is exactly what I've been trying to teach my girl.  Be observant, take the time to look up.  This has served us well.  We add this pileated woodpecker sighting to a list that includes cardinals, yellow bellied sapsuckers and even a turkey vulture.

All spotted right outside our door.  

--- Annie

Bird Week at TMG + Giveaway

 

It's Bird Week here at TMG, in honor of The Great Backyard Bird Count coming up at the end of this week, from Friday, February 18, through Monday, February 21.

Join us as our contributors talk about the birds in their own backyards and beyond.

We're also featuring a giveaway of this lovely Charley Harper poster:

The poster is 16-1/2 inches wide x 23-1/4 inches high and would look great hanging on the wall of a bedroom or playroom!

To participate in the giveaway, simply join in The Great Backyard Bird Count. Follow the guidelines for the Count. (Here's a PDF version of these instructions.)  Plan to count birds for at least 15 minutes on at least one day of the count (or more if you choose).

You don't need a blog to participate.  International families outside of North America, you may also participate in the giveaway; follow the guidelines for the Bird Count, but skip the step of entering your tally on the Bird Count website. 

Then, come back here next Tuesday, February 22, through Thursday, February 24, and post your bird count totals in one of the posts for those days. The winner will be drawn via a random number generator, and the winning entry will be posted on Friday, February 25.

If you take photos, be sure and share links to pictures on your blog or to flickr, and post photos to the TMG flickr pool.  Grab a Bird Week blog button if you'd like.

We hope you'll join us for Bird Week here at TMG and have fun watching birds wherever you may be!

~ Nancy

Winter Bird Spotting

If you have followed TMG long, you know how much we all love bird watching!

Most of us think about looking for the birds in the Spring, when they all return from their vacations in the South.

And believe me, here in Virginia we are patiently awaiting the return of our beloved Ospreys.  

But Winter can be a wonderful time for bird spotting as well.

Many birds stay close to home in the Winter.  Especially if there is a reliable food source and fresh water available.

With the bare branches of the trees and wide frosty skies, sometimes the birds are easier to see than in the Spring and Summer months.

This male cardinal (and his wife) have been frequenting our bird feeder all winter, along with sparrows and a house finch or two.

Mark your calendars!

The annual Great Backyard Bird Count begins February 15th and runs through the 18th!  We have participated every year and it is always fun to see what birds others in your area are spotting.

What birds are you spotting this season in your area?

----------------

:: Conduct a backyard bird count

:: Make a gift for birds in your neighborhood

:: Read a book about birds

 

Night glider

What flies at night?

Well, bats do. And moths. And owls.

But what else flies--or in reality, glides--at night?

A flying squirrel!

Southern flying squirrel, eating peanut butter.

Where we live, there are lots of diurnal squirrels (meaning they're awake only during the day). We couldn't possibly go for a walk without spotting one (or ten) Eastern Gray Squirrels, even though we have our share of foxes, hawks, cats and dogs.  But, as soon as the sun goes down, gray squirrels find their tree top nests and go to sleep.

About an hour after sundown, it's showtime:  that's when all species of flying squirrels come out. As amazing as it seems, in densely populated Washington, D.C., our local naturalists calculate that there are as many flying squirrels here as there are gray squirrels. 

 Peekaboo!

The vast majority of our neighbors have never seen a flying squirrel, and most would be astonished to learn that they are so common here. Partly that's because these animals are active only at night; but they are also very small, and they prefer to spend nearly all their time up high in tall trees.

Our local species is the Southern Flying Squirrel, which ranges from the very southeastern edge of Canada, down the eastern half of the U.S. (as far west as central Texas), and south to the highlands of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

To attract flying squirrels, our town's nature center has several roosting boxes on trees about ten feet above the ground. Although flying squirrels are solitary for much of the year while the mothers raise their young, in the winter they like nothing better than to sleep their days away with as many as 25 of their buddies all snuggled in one roosting box! This man-made box has two holes, so the snoozers always have an escape route if by some chance a rat snake should pay them a visit.

            

Of course, the most amazing thing about flying squirrels is their ability to glide.  Their bodies have a flap of skin known as a patagium (that's what a bat wing is called as well).  These flaps allow flying squirrels to glide as far as 200 ft (up to 70 m).  Their tails act as rudders and our naturalist told us that they can turn 90 degrees in mid-flight! Their tails also easily break away, allowing them to escape if a predator grabs them only by the tail.

When they first land on a tree, they quickly scurry to the other side in case an owl has been following them, which explains the inordinate number of photos I took of these trees...minus the squirrels.

Flying squirrels will "eat almost anything" according to the naturalist our family met, and that includes nuts and seeds, insects, fruit, fungi, bird eggs, tree sap, and meat if they are desperate.  These squirrels were enjoying nuts and peanut butter.

 

Other flying squirrels around the world.

The Northern Flying Squirrel prefers the most northern part of the U.S. and Canada.  Many species of true flying squirrels (which are rodents) can be found in Asia, and a lone species, the Siberian Flying Squirrel, can be found from Finland to Japan.

There are other animals around the world that are gliders resembling flying squirrels. In Australia, you can find the sugar baby, which is not a rodent but rather a marsupial (meaning the mamas have pouches to care for their young just like kangaroos and koalas). Sugar babies are sometimes cared for as pets, but their nocturnal habits aren't for everyone, which is how this particular Australian native ended up as a rescue animal at a nature center in Virginia.

So, if you happen to live in a region with flying squirrels, take a look up into a stand of tall trees one night--you just might see these little acrobats gliding through the air.

Here's a link for instructions for building a flying squirrel (winter) roosting box; as I mentioned, you might have over 20 flying squirrels snoozing the day away all winter in such a box.  (Note that the recommended dimensions are different for southern vs. northern flying squirrels.)

~Nancy

Owl Pellets

We spend a lot of time looking out for birds. We also look for signs of birds like nests, feathers and even scat. One thing we have not spotted is a pellet, an owl pellet to be specific. We have yet to spot an owl or it’s roost so finding owl pellets has been difficult.

Many birds regurgitate pellets. From our research we have learned the formation of pellets is most common in birds that eat prey whole. These pellets consist of indigestible parts of insects and animals such as wing cases, exoskeletons, bones, fur and feathers. These parts are formed into a pellet in the gizzard and expelled through the mouth.

You might be asking why we would want to find a pellet. Sounds a little gross right?

There are a few very neat things you can learn about birds by studying their pellets. Ornithologists dissect pellets to learn about a bird’s health and diet without causing any harm to the bird. Since prey is swallowed whole the contents of the pellet can be identified and tell researchers what types and variety of prey the bird has been dining on, which can give an overall picture of health. This gives scientists important information about the bird as an individual and about the ecosystem it inhabits. Pretty neat stuff.

While we have not had luck finding pellets in the wild we did get lucky on a recent field trip. We had the opportunity to visit an animal rescue center here in Nova Scotia and it just so happens that they were in the care of a few owls. It was very exciting to see the little Saw-whet owl they brought out to share and just as much fun to check out the pellets. After the presentation we approached one of the volunteers to ask if they had any owl pellets they would be willing to give us for dissection. She was happy to pass on a few for our little science project.

When we got home we baked our pellets to kill any bacteria that might be present. Then we set up a lab area away from where we prepare our food and set off on our dissection. We knew that the owls at the center were only fed mice so we already had a good idea of what we would find but it was still very interesting to come across such complete bones and study all of the hair that was in each pellet. The jaw bones with teeth still in place were by far the most exciting find for the kids.

 

It was a great project for the kids to learn about birds eating habits, the relationship between predator and prey and also the idea that everything is used in nature. After our dissection we learned that pellets support a whole network of insects that survive on the hair, bone and feathers found in the pellets. So fascinating.

If you would like to learn more this is a very interesting video showing a dissection with multiple types of prey in one pellet. 

You can also order pellets for dissection from the following companies (We have not ordered from these companies but in our research we found that these ones came up often as offering safe sterilized pellets):

Carolina Biological Supply Company (they also have interesting information under their teacher resources tab)

Ward’s Natural Science

Nature Watch

We have plans to use the bones we found to reconstruct a mouse skeleton this winter. That should be a good project for a cold snowy day.

Have you ever seen an owl or dissected an owl pellet? We would love to hear your story.

~Dawn

Newt

A few weeks back we were walking along the trail and found this little guy crossing our path.

We speculated about what it could be. It looked like a lizard. It looked like a salamander. I could not recall if newts lived on land but offered up newt a possibility. We took some pictures and headed home to investigate. 

My daughter went straight to her reptile and amphibian guide and discovered that it was an eastern newt in the eft stage.

We learned that newts start off in water as clear eggs much like frog eggs. Some newts lay eggs in masses, others on plants and still other wrap their eggs up in leaves to keep them safe.

They then hatch out into larva called tadpoles with gills and spend about 3-4 months in water. Most then develop lungs, exit the water and spend a few years on land as efts. The one pictured above is appropriately named a red eft.

As adults they return to the water where they mate and start the cycle again.

We read that newts live for approximately 12-20 years depending on the type of newt. Most will still venture on land but stay near water to keep their skin moist and mate.

 
We also found out that our thoughts about it being a salamander were not far off. Newts are actually salamanders, a group of amphibians who have tails as adults. This group also includes "true salamanders" and sirens.

 

This was a wonderful introduction to the world of the newt. It was a slow mellow little creature and we were delighted to meet it and watch as it gently moved off the path into the forest.

• If you would like to see neat photos of each stage in the newt life cycle check out this site.
• Want to know more about the differences between newts and "true salamanders?" The San Diego Zoo has a great site about salamanders.
• If you have a back yard pond (or want one) there are some good tips at the Wildlife Gardener for attracting newts to your garden pond.

And on top of all that... I think it is a beautiful fall color that red eft!

Have you seen any members of the salamander family in your neck of the woods?

~ Dawn