Scott Shalaway

Folklore is wrong: Woolly bears can’t tell future

The parade has begun. Yesterday I counted six as I walked from the house to the garage. This morning I spotted another handful crossing the road as I walked to the mail box. Woolly bears are on the move. Seasons changing Woolly bears are just one of many reliable signs of seasonal change that begin [...]

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The fall of the bison population in early America

When Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, the approximately 1 million Native Americans who occupied North America probably never realized they were lost, much less that they need to be discovered. By 1900, fewer than 250,000 Native Americans remained. There are many reasons for the collapse of the Indian population and culture, but it [...]

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Least among us: Weasel common, but seldom seen

Though most active between dusk and dawn, weasels hunt any time they’re hungry. Their small size and secretive nature, however, make them difficult to observe.

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The unseen migration of the mature American eels

“Fall migration” conjures up images of honking, south-bound geese and monarch butterflies on their way to Mexico. Each autumn we marvel at the long distance migrations made by many other birds and animals. Some dragonflies make long distance movements, and salmon make well known spawning runs from the ocean to freshwater spawning grounds. But there [...]

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The miracle of monarch migration

Changing day length bird migration triggers bird migration because photoperiod is the only absolutely reliable environmental cue that signals birds that keeps seasonal time. Ruby-throated hummingbirds have already begun to leave, and chimney swifts and nighthawks are gathering in evening skies as they prepare to head south. Monarch butterflies Even more remarkable than bird migration, [...]

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Daisy was a member of the family

When my daughter, Emma, turned 9 (she’s now 20), she asked for only one thing — a yellow Lab puppy. She had been reading about Labs in library books for weeks, and she knew this was the dog for her. I tried to talk her into a shelter dog, but it had to be a [...]

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The sounds of insects define late summer

Compared to spring and early summer, late summer mornings are quiet. Most birds are done nesting. The avian territorial imperative has given way to memories of fall migration. Other sounds, however, fill the void. More noisy than musical, the sounds of insects define late summer. In the heat of the day, dog day cicadas drone [...]

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Bird names aren’t always what they seem to be

Anyone who has ever perused a field guide to birds has no doubt wondered how some of the names originated. By convention, the person who first describes a species gets to name it. The stories behind the scientific names are complex and steeped in Latin and Greek. Accurate names Common names are another story. Some [...]

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Lost Ladybug Project is a chance for citizen science

For the last 10 years, many of us have been plagued by ladybugs invading our homes each fall. That’s why it may be hard to believe that some species of ladybugs (or lady bird beetles as they are more correctly called) are disappearing. Citizen science project But it’s true, and entomologists at Cornell University have [...]

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Bass: Fighting fish that are just plain fun to catch

Any ichthyologist knows that largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are not members of the bass family. The fish competitive anglers seek are actually large members of the sunfish family.

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If you love your cat, you’ll keep him indoors

Readers often ask if it’s possible to love both wild birds and cats. My answer is “yes.” But I always add that, “Cats make great indoor pets.” Our last cat lived the good life for 17 years. Outdoors, cats kill millions of song birds and small mammals annually, and their life expectancy shortens considerably. Here’s [...]

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This year’s waterfowl survey is all good news

The results of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s 2009 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey are in, and the news is good. The preliminary estimate of total ducks in North America was 42 million, up 13 percent from last year’s estimate and 25 percent greater than the 1955-2008 average. The survey samples more than [...]

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A very good year in my backyard

It’s been a banner year for wildlife in my backyard, and each evening my wife and I enjoy the show from the back porch. Pairs of bluebirds, robins, phoebes, chipping sparrows and Carolina wrens tend to their second nests of the season, while the young of their first broods search the backyard for insects and [...]

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Noodlers reach where sane men fear to trod

There are a few outdoor adventures I’ve never tried and never will. Skydiving, rock climbing, and bungee jumping come immediately to mind. Noodling is another. I try to avoid activities that put my life or body parts at risk. Noodling, also called hand-grabbing, is a form of extreme catfishing that’s popular and legal in some [...]

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Bullfrogs are the victims of ecological chaos

Visit a farm pond ringed with dense vegetation this month, and you’re sure to hear two distinctive sounds. A booming “Jug-o’-rummm!” signals the presence of bullfrogs. The sound of a loose banjo string comes from an amorous male green frog. Though similar in appearance, bullfrogs can reach a length of seven inches; green frogs top [...]

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Another citizen science opportunity — Firefly Watch

About a week ago while sitting on the back porch watching night fall, I saw the first golden flash of summer. Soon a dozen fireflies, or lightning bugs as they are often called, patrolled the backyard. Another handful flashed from perches in the tall grass on the edge of the yard. Flashing fireflies mean summer [...]

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Eastern wood-pewee sings its own name best

Of all the birds that sing their own name, the eastern wood-pewee does it best. Every morning as I lie in bed just before dawn, I hear the usual spring chorus dominated by robins, cardinals and Carolina wrens. In the background, from deeper in the woods, comes the pewee’s plaintive, two-part song — “pee-a-weee,” followed [...]

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Ruffed grouse, masters of disguise

Finding an ovenbird nest is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Unless you follow this drably colored warbler to its domed, oven-like nest on the ground, you’ve got to be lucky. As I pressed my luck a few days ago, I followed an ovenbird with binoculars as it moved along the forest floor. [...]

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Meet the thrushes: Their singing is impressive

The sight of four fledgling American robins on the lawn reminded me that robins are thrushes, a family of birds that has a handful of representatives likely to be seen in spring. Most familiar members Most have spotted breasts and most sing impressively. Robins and bluebirds, both plain breasted as adults, are probably the most [...]

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