Category Archives: Sweetbriar Nature Center

Veiled Chameleon At Sweetbriar

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Monday, May 12, 2014,

And now for something completely different. Kudos to any of you Monty Python fans that actually understand that reference. As for the rest of you, it’s okay. We can still be friends. On that note, I invite everyone to click on these individual pics. In many cases here at Joe Kayaker clicking on a pic brings up a  larger (and hopefully) better shot for you to observe and enjoy. These two pics are prime examples of exactly that. This is one good looking lizard and you should see him in all his glory.

This handsome beast is a Veiled Chameleon. These guys hail from Yemen, which is just below Saudi Arabia. (I had to look that up). This is obviously a personal failing but whenever I think of the Middle East, my brain conjures up desert sands and oil. However, Yemen’s borders include just about as much waterline as it does dry land. Not to mention some mondo good looking reptiles.    

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I came across this guy at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown, NY. He’s a pet that was ‘donated’ to Sweetbriar after its former owner decided he was more trouble than was expected. This happens all too often in the pet trade. Folks see a sexy, exotic animal and start thinking how cool it might be to have that particular piece of eye candy around. Thoughts concerning the care and requirements of said animal are often secondary. And so it goes. Word is that this particular lizard, as handsome as he is, has a very nasty disposition. That may be why he was discarded. I mean donated. At any rate, he makes for another wonderful critter to see at Sweetbriar. Go check him out if you’re in town. JK   

Meet Copper

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Saturday, December 29, 2012,

This is Copper, the resident fox at Sweetbriar Nature Center. He came to Sweetbriar as a young kit about four years ago. He’d been hit by a car and while the docs were examining him they discovered that besides his injuries, Copper had apparently been born with some birth defects. This little guy – all foxes are little – is blind in one eye and very nearly so in the other. He’s also missing one of his rear paws, although he gets around so well that it almost goes unnoticed.

   

Copper recovered from his injuries but his birth defects made him an unsuitable candidate for reintroduction to the wild. A blind fox cannot hunt. Or avoid cars for that matter. So instead, Copper spends his days in an enclosure built specifically for him. That’s not only great for Copper but it allows visitors at Sweetbriar to have a good look at these very secretive critters. These guys are as shy as they are beautiful. I’ve been playing in the woods for over 45 years and I could count up all of my fox sightings without even starting on my toes. Now I can visit with Copper anytime.

Copper can be seen every day at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown. Go check him out. Admission is free and there’s plenty more to see and do once you’re there. JK

A Red-tail At The Spring Festival

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Thursday, April 12, 2012,

More Sweetbriar goodness here. Last Saturday, Sweetbriar Nature Center had their annual Spring Festival. I came by to take some pics. The place was hopping. And I’m not talking about just the Easter Bunny. We drew a huge crowd this year. 

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. It was the day before Easter and Sweetbriar had a jam-packed schedule of fun for everyone. There were games, stories, wildlife programs, face painting, and egg hunts. The egg hunts were the big favorite. For more pics of the festivities, check out Sweetbriar’s Facebook page. I posted some pics there as well.

My favorite part, as always, was the wildlife presentations. It was a beautiful day with lots of sun, perfect for taking pics. This Red-tailed Hawk was just one of the day’s attractions. Such majestic birds, don’t you think? JK