As children, we learned at school that deciduous trees grow new leaves each year, dropping their old leaves in autumn, bringing bright colors to our forests. The conifers or “evergreens” have needles that remain on the trees all year long. It turns out that there are conifers that are also deciduous, and the one closest… Read more
If there is one constant about the natural world around us, it is the opportunity to learn something new every day. No matter how long you have been a keen observer and participant in the outdoors, there is always a revelation just waiting to smack you in the forehead. It was my good luck to… Read more
If I had to nominate the toughest of all the animals in nature on a pound for pound basis, I probably would go with the hummingbird. These tiny birds weigh only three to four grams, but they have a migration path that may exceed 3,000 miles. The most amazing part of their migration is a… Read more
Lately I have been enjoying the appearance of water lilies in several large ponds along our local highways. It is easy to see why the French impressionist Claude Monet was inspired to create his famous series of “Water Lilies” canvases, with over 250 paintings of his water garden in the last 30 years of his… Read more
Several years ago I was introduced to springtime striped bass fishing by a friend with a boat in Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts. At first light on a bracing May morning, Dale motored slowly around the bay and used high-powered binoculars to scan the water on all sides. In a few minutes Dale spotted a flock of… Read more
Most people enjoy watching wildlife, but there is a limit to this hobby. Many species do their best to avoid humans, or they are most active at night. But there is a great solution to this problem and it can open a new world of viewing for your pleasure, in the comfort of your home…. Read more
In Shakespeare’s classic play, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet resists pressure to drop her lover from the hated Montegue family by arguing that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Her suggestion that names don’t matter would fall flat when we look at many edible marine species, including sea vegetables, since it… Read more
Curt Chipman photo This winter has been fairly mild, and that may mean you’ll see some of your favorite birds a bit earlier this spring. One of my favorites is the Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis), a member of the thrush family, known for their soft plumaged, plump figures and melodic calls. If you are lucky… Read more
“Ed, what are those? There are little black and white birds going crazy out there.” My daughter’s fiancée, Pete, binoculars in hand, was looking out the window at a becalmed Reed Cove, when he noticed some petite ducks repeatedly bobbing up and down in the water. “Ah,” said I, “You’ve spotted the Clown Prince of… Read more
Surely you remember that old Dean Martin song, “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime” (what, you’re too young to remember Dean Martin? Check him out on YouTube). This story is about a creature that is pretty hard to love unless you are into seriously ugly reptiles. Compared to this fellow, an iguana is the belle of the… Read more