Author Archives: JK

This Is Not A House Wren

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Friday, November 23, 2012,

This is not a House Wren, despite appearances. I thought it was. I mean, look, it’s a wren and it’s inside the house. How could I be wrong? Rather easily, as it turns out. I sent this pic out to a few of my birder friends, mostly just to share this experience. Kinda lucky for me that I did so because Luci from Four Harbors Audubon Society corrected my misidentification. Here’s a direct quote, because I couldn’t say it any better:

“When is a wren in the house not a House Wren? In the winter, when it’s a Winter Wren!”

It turns out that House Wrens are rare this time of year but these guys, Winter Wrens, come down from up north to enjoy our balmy winters. Maybe this guy was looking for some extra warmth.  I don’t think he was counting on sharing the place with my cats, although neither of my two sleeping beauties noticed him. Top predators indeed.

If you click on the pic, you’ll get to view a slightly larger version. That one lets you see all the cobwebs this guy is wearing. I may have to fire the maid. Oh wait, I am the maid. Darn. JK

 

 


Monarch Caterpillar At Young’s Island

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Sunday, October 20, 2012,

This is the caterpillar of a Monarch Butterfly that my friend Sue of Four Harbors Audubon Society spotted while we were cleaning up Young’s Island. It’s on a milkweed plant and getting ready to make itself a nice cozy cocoon. These pics look a bit static compared to what was going on. The back end of this guy, which, by the way is the end with the longer prongs, nearer the leaf edge, was twitching and jerking spasmodically. None of us are experts but we figured that this was the start of a new chapter in its life cycle. Or maybe it was dying, who knows? But I was not, for one, was not about to offer any mouth to mouth. Call me conservative, if you must. “I yam what I yam and that’s all what I yam.” A little Popeye for you folks.

JK