Category: Animals

Killdeer Crossing

I was watching a pair of killdeer in the retention pond at the corner of Town Hall Drive and Harris Mill Road. At some point, one bird flew away while the other stayed in the pond. I finished taking my pictures of the bird in the pond, and started to walk to the other side… Continue reading Killdeer Crossing

Luna Moths

Be on the lookout for beautiful Luna moths in late May and early June. Luna moths spend just one week as an adult butterfly. They typically fly at night. I’ve had luck seeing them in the morning on cloudy days. Luna moths have three broods in North Carolina, each 8-10 weeks apart. They can be… Continue reading Luna Moths

Marbled Orb-Weaver

Here is a male marbled orb-weaver (Araneus marmoreus var. marmoreus) to get you in the Halloween spirit.

National Bird Day

January 5, 2025 is National Bird Day. Take some time today to notice the birds outside. What are they doing? Are they looking for food? Are they singing? How many different kinds of birds do you see or hear? How many can you identify?

Nice Catch!

I always enjoy watching the Great Blue Herons in the retention ponds. They are such beautiful birds! Yesterday, I stopped to watch a heron standing along the edge of one of the ponds. It was still for quite a while, and then it jumped! I thought it was about to fly away, but it stuck… Continue reading Nice Catch!

Quiet Nature- April 17, 2024

Enjoy a dose of quiet nature today. Eastern tailed-blue butterflies are 0.75-1 inch wide. They are low-flying butterflies commonly seen in fields and lawns. Their caterpillars feed on plants in the pea family (clover and vetch species). They have very thin, antenna-like tails on their wings. Underneath, the wings are light blue to gray. There… Continue reading Quiet Nature- April 17, 2024

Quiet Nature- August 14, 2025

Enjoy some quiet nature today with this double-banded scoliid wasp (Scolia bicincta) on common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare).