Wildlife

What a wonderful sound, the Pine Warblers have returned! Dauphin County, Pa. 3-20-25 [Setophasa pinus]

When cleaning out Bluebird boxes you are surely going to run into these cuties. I have had as many as 12 in a box. If I find them in a box I cut the top off of a two liter soda bottle [the top 1/4] cut the side all the way to the top and wrap that around the pole and wrap wire around the top of the bottle to hold it in place to the pole, to act as guard. It really works well, some advice I got from the Bluebird society long ago. Deer Mice [Percmyscus]. Dauphin County, Pa. 2-28-25. Remember to wear gloves when cleaning these out as you will never get the smell off your hands!

There is no mistaking the beautiful nest of a Chickadee, made entirely of moss and lined with tiny hairs.

Interesting set of footprints on top of a moutain after a fresh snow [we were the first vehicle there]. A track of a dog [coyote?] together with a cat like track [bobcat?], they were traveling together or along the same trail for some distance before separating and going on their separate ways [seen in the video]. Dauphin, County, Pa. 2-21-25

A flock of turkeys letting two Bald Eagles know they are not appreciated in the area! Turn up the sound and not only can you hear the turkeys but the eagles as well. This is the second time that I have seen eagles harassing turkeys in this field. In my observation it seems the eagles [one adult and one immature] were working together trying to get one of the turkeys to fly and perhaps have a meal. But the turkeys did not oblige, as I am sure they have been in this situation many times before, the eagles eventually gave up and moved on. Schuylkill County, Pa. 1-30-25

Black Squirrel a Melanistic form of the Eastern Grey Squirrel [Sciurus carolinensis]. Tioga County, Pa. 12-12-24

Sandhill Cranes [Antigone canadensis]. Clearwater County, Mn. 7-12-24

Sandhill Cranes [Antigone canadensis]. Clay County, Mn. 7-12-24

Male Rose Breasted Grosbeak [Pheucticus Iudovicianus]. Clearwater County, Mn. 7-11-24

Male Rose Breasted Grosbeak [Pheucticus Iudovicianus] feeding young. Clearwater County, Mn. 7-11-24

In the company of the magnificent Yellow Rail [Coturnicops noveboracensis] on the prairie of western Minnesota. The clicking sound you hear is its call, perhaps in the middle of five individuals and at times right at out feet, it was never seen. This secretive and elusive bird, no bigger than a soft ball, is almost never seen. What a privilege to be in the company of this amazing creature. 7-12-24

Young Porcupine [Erethizon dorsatum]. Dauphin County, Pa. 6-16-24

Turn your sound up to hear the squeaking of a Southern Flying Squirrel [Glaucomys volans]. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-27-23

American Brant Geese [Branta bernicla hrota] seen in a open field [winter wheat] east of Millersburg in Dauphin County, Pa. 11-1-23

A beautiful Ring-Necked Snake [Diadophis punctatus]. Perry County, Pa. 10-21-23

A big bear track from yesterday. Pa. 9-19-23

Owl pellet, Schuylkill County, Pa. 5-1-23. Owls swallow prey whole such as mice and voles, and later regurgitate what is left after it has been digested. You can see the tiny bones and hair.

A very industrious Beaver! North Central, Pa. 4-3-23

Beaver dam and lodge along the bank, hence the phase "Bank Beaver!" North Central, Pa. 4-3-23. Notice the sticks in a pile under the water in front of his lodge, his food cash for the winter under the ice.

The amazing Beaver working on a Cherry Tree. North Central, Pa. 4-3-23

Beaver's at work. Northeastern, Pa. 1-2-23

Beaver at work. Northeast Pa. 1-2-23

Eastern Box Turtle [Terropene caroline carolina]. Notice the right hind foot is deformed from some old injury. But was moving just fine and looking great. Dauphin County, Pa. 5-31-22.

Beaver dam. North Central, Pa. 4-26-22

Porcupine. North Central , Pa. 4-26-22

Almost through, Beaver hard at work! North Central, Pa. 4-26-22

Bird tracks in the snow. Dauphin County, Pa. January, 2022

A Solitary Turkey track in the snow. Dauphin County, Pa. 1-22-22

Black Bear tracks and trail in snow [Ursus americanus].North Central Pa., 12-16-21

Black Bear tracks in the snow [Ursus americanus].North Central Pa., 12-16-21

Black Bear tracks and trail in the snow [Ursus americanus].North Central Pa., 12-16-21

Black Bear [Ursus americanus]. Tioga county,Pa.9-9-13

Brook Trout [Salvelinus fontinalis].Dauphin County,Pa.8-4-18

The tiniest fawn track that I have ever seen!That's a turkey track for comparison.Dauphin County,Pa.6-11-18

Appalachian Brook Crayfish with young [Cambarus bartonii].Perry County,Pa.3-19-18

Bear track in the snow [front left paw].Tioga County,12-08-16

Bear track in the snow Tioga county,12-08-16.Sometimes a bear's hind foot will step in the front paw print,making it appear that there are too many toes.

Large Bear tracks in the snow,Tioga County,12-08-16.I back tracked the bear to see where he came from.He came down mountain to the left of pond, walked across the valley at the far end of the pond and headed up the mountain to right,to the road.The bear walked the road for a short distance and backed tracked his trail and headed up the mountain to the right [last two pictures].Molly and Sam checking out the situation [their first bear tracks].Notice where the bear melted the snow where it crossed over a small log.I was so glad to see this bear survived the hunting season.I think this bear was a male,due to lateness of the year and the fact that the bear is not in a den as of yet hibernating,that and also not seeing any cub tracks along with the larger tracks.

Old beaver Dam [Castor canadensis].Coos County,N.H.,9-9-16

Moose sheds 2008.Coos county,N.H.,9-7-16

Two complete sets of moose sheds from the same moose [Alces alces].The sheds on the left are from 2008 and the ones right are from 2010.The right [moose right] antler from 2008 was the state of New Hampshire record for a moose antler for one year,scoring a 82 2/8".The left antler [moose left] from 2010 is the current state record for a moose antler,scoring a 92".Coos county,N.H.,9-7-16. Courtesy of Paul Piwarunas and Toby Owen

Moose sheds 2010.Coos county,N.H.,9-7-16

Eastern Chipmunk [Tamias striatus].Dauphin county,4-29-08

Three different habitats for the American woodcock [philohela minor].Areas the male selected for spring courtship display.Dauphin county,4-29-08 & 3-21-09

Porcupine [Erethizon dorsatum],damage to a camp.Tioga county,6-12-10

White-tailed Deer [Odocoileus virginanus],antler shed.Dauphin county,2-25-09

Moose [Alces alces],skull.Coos county,N.H.,9-8-10

Young Cow Moose [Alces alces].Coos county,N.H.,9-15-10

American woodcock [Philohela minor] tracks,drill holes [feeding] and splash [excrement].Coos county,N.H.,9-12-09

Black Bear [Ursus americanus],Cub track.Dauphin county,6-20-10

American woodcock [Philohela minor],"drill holes" [feeding] and "splash" [excrement].Dauphin county,6-6-10

Beaver [Castor candensis] dam.Cedar run,Toiga county,11-13-09

"Bank" Beaver [Castor candensis],lodge,dam & cuttings.Tioga county,11-13-09

Beaver [Castor canadensis],cuttings.Coos county,N.H.,9-15-09

Beaver [Castor canadensis] lodge.Coos county,N.H.,9-11-08

Black Bear [Ursus americanus]Tioga county,9-9-13

Beaver [Castor canadensis] dam.Coos county,N.H.9-12-12

Beaver [Castor canadensis].Coos county,N.H.7-11-15

Bull Moose [Alces alces].Coos county,N.H. 7-10-15

Beaver [Castor canadensis] and beaver dam on a road.Coos county,N.H. 7-4-15 [The water from dam was 1 to 2 feet above the road.Notice the rocks beaver used in the dam construction].