Its hard for me to get enough of these beautiful and fascinating insects. This cooperative male was posing at the fabulous gardens at Michigan State University. They are pretty “hard-wired” and will return to a favorite perch repeatedly to hunt. I could sit … Continued
These might be common dragonflies, but they are exceptionally cool!
Every summer we are blessed with a ton of rose-breasted grosbeaks at the feeder. The loud cracking of the white-striped sunflowers and safflower seeds announce their presence. Having had lovebirds and cockatiels for years, I’m always struck by how much … Continued
A pencil sketch of an eastern pondhawk dragonfly on timothy grass.
Ibis aren’t the rarest birds in the world, but to a Michigander they are fascinating. Here is a sketch from a trip to Florida sponsored by my brother Ted.
Our viburnum hedge always attracts tons of cedar waxwings.They have to be one of the sleekest looking birds around.
Jays are beautiful birds. They are incredibly intelligent and can mimic other birds quite well. Unfortunately, Jays also create plenty of mischief. They can bully the other birds at a feeder, and empty it in a New York minute. The jays … Continued
We won the lottery when we got Archie from the local pound. I can’t imagine a better dog. He isn’t a snuggly guy, but he is very loving. He knows some fun tricks, including jumping through hoops and going down … Continued
Any day that you get to see a gray treefrog is a good day. I hear these guys all the time, but see them only occasionally. Currently we have a green one living in a big set of wind chimes … Continued
House sparrows are a real problem. They are said to be the most abundant wild bird species in the world. Visually, the males have some appeal. One can’t help but admiring their tenacity. At the same time they outcompete many … Continued