Why is this subspecies of the Northern Flicker referred to as the Red-shafted variety? Read this week’s post for our best guess and also to see a variety of Flicker Antics. On:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
A Beauty Bias
Do you find it hard to take your eyes off of a male Wood Duck? Do we tend to overlook the more nondescript gender as they wander in and out of the shadows? Could it be that our bias towards beauty has made us miss critical Wood Duck data? Find out more in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Hints of Spring
Do you know how this Spotted Towhee is indicating that Spring is coming? This week many birds in the Arboretum are behaving like Spring is on the way. Learn more in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
An Odd Duck
When is a duck not really a duck? Who is this bird’s closest living relative on Union Bay? Why is this bird so odd? Answers can be found in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Living Sunshine
I hope this bird, and the related photos, brightens your day as much as it did mine! See more at:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
The Hermit
Have you seen a hermit hiding in one of the Spindle Trees in the Arboretum? Learn what to look for in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Vegans
This photo was taken on Thursday along the new Loop Trail, in the Arboretum. Would you know this bird if you saw it in its breeding plumage? Learn more on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
A Complex Corvid
It turns out that crows are not the only interesting corvid to be found around Union Bay. I hope you enjoy this week’s post about the Steller’s Jay. See more at:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Neighbors
What caption would you put below this photo? Maybe ‘When I grow up I want to be Darth Vader!’ In any case, I never get tired of watching hooded mergansers. I hope you want to see more too. If so click this link:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where our wild neighbors live in the city!
Larry
Role Models
If you were to select a single bird specie as your role model, Which would you choose? Predators like hawks, eagles and falcons tend to be mascots for our sports teams, but do they really model the behavior we would like to see in ourselves and our offspring? We have chosen the raucous and slow Great Blue Heron as our Seattle City bird. Does that make it our local role model? How about the American Goldfinch, our state bird? This week’s post is about none of these. Read the story at:Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
