Tag Archives: identification

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! Biplane Edition

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Jots about the bird…

  • It’s not a bird, it’s a dragonfly, although you might think you saw or heard a hummingbird whizzing by.
  • I believe it is an Autumn Meadowlark and I love the graceful way it is perched on that stem.
  • Dragonflies can live five years but spend most of that time as larva.
  • The largest fossilized dragonfly found had a 2 1/2 feet wingspan.
  • They have two sets of wings just like biplanes!

Jots about the plane…

  • It’s a biplane, an airplane with 2 sets of wings.
  • Have 2 sets of wings allows them to be lighter and stronger although with modern materials these advantages are now obsolete and infact cause unwanted drag.
  • The Wright brothers who created and successfully flew the first airplane in 1903 used a biplane design.
  • Their father brought them home a rubber-band powered helicopter when they were kids which started their interest in flight.
  • Looking for an adventurous way to see the sights on Cape Cod?  How about a biplane ride!

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! Yellow and Gray

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Jots about the bird…

  • It’s a Yellow Warbler.
  • I thought it was an American Goldfinch at first.
  • If a Cowbird adds an egg, the Yellow Warbler will abandon any of its own along with it an build a new nest on top.
  • There are over 100 kinds of New World Warblers; they are migratory, tend to be colorful and small, eat insects, and are a favorite with birders.
  • This little birdie was hard to photograph; She would’t sit still!

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Family Friendly Summers on Cape Cod: Raptor Edition

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Feeding time for an Osprey family

Are you looking for a family friendly summer destination for you and your family?  Look no further than Cape Cod!  This beautiful beachy peninsula off the coast of Massachusetts has a rich tradition hosting summertime family fun!

Begin by choosing from the many welcoming waterfront places to stay!

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Bird and Book: Mourning Dove

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This bird stumped me at first.  It looked like a dove but smaller.  I did a little research and thought maybe a Common Ground Dove but apparently this type of dove doesn’t live as far north as Cape Cod.  With the help of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology community on Facebook I have determined it is a juvenile Mourning Dove.  I should have known it was a baby with the way it didn’t fly off right away.  Similar to human babies not having stranger anxiety when they are very young.

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It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! not-technically edition

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Jots about the bird…

    • It’s an Eastern Towhee.
    • I identified it at All About Birds using the “similar species” feature.
    • I thought it was a small robin when I first saw it.
    • It spends lots of time noisily foraging in thicket.
    • Cow birds often lay eggs in towhee nests; Towhees have trouble distinguishing there own eggs and will then raise the young Cow birds!

Jots about the plane…

    • It’s not a plane (planes have fixed wings)!
    • It appears to be a military helicopter and it was LOUD!
    • I like these classic wooden propeller toys.
    • You can make one from paper with these instructions.
    • I wonder what this helicopter was up to…

Tree Leaf Primer

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I need to preface this post by saying in my particular area we don’t exactly get the intense fall colors you typically find in New England plus hurricane Irene damaged the trees making it hard to collect pristine leaf samples.  I am NOT a tree expert!  I follow my children’s interests and enjoy learning with them about our amazing natural surroundings.

With this said here is my fall 2011 tree leaf collection.  I have tried to identity most of them at least by basic type with the help of a couple books:  The International Book of Trees by Hugh Johnson and The Audubon Society Field Guide to North America Trees (Eastern Region) by Elbert Little.  Enjoy and share!