Gadwall
One of the most widespread of North American ducks, the Gadwall is often overlooked by casual observers who tend to focus in on its showier green-headed cousin, the mallard.  We will take a closer look at this dabbling specialist, discover why it is sometimes called the "pirate duck" and view a passing group of baby mallards as they explore their new world.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leavenworth Bird Fest 2021! May 13 through 16th...Join Me!!

Image
I am happy to announce that I am in Leavenworth this week as a featured speaker for the annual Bird Fest!  Icicle Creek and the Wenatchee River valley are host to a dazzling variety of spring migrants that favor the east side of the Cascade Range.  In addition to exploring a variety of habitats seeing out these colorful visitors, I am leading three Owl Prowls on the 13th, 14th, and 15 starting at 9:00 PM.  Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm I am presenting a virtual program on owls and their unique adaptations with some cool video footage.  Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm I am presenting a program on the woodpeckers of Washington showcasing their unique adaptations (such as why don't they need extra strength Exedrin after bashing their heads against trees  all day!).   To view these online presentations click on the following link to register:  https://wenatcheeriverinstitute.org/bird-fest/bird-fest-2021.html      If you decide to take advantage of this great spring weather and visit Leaven
Read more and watch the video »

Beguiling Beauty: the Death Cap

Image
  Autumn is when mushroom enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest are bent low to the ground sleuthing for fruiting bodies of fungi that are popping up everywhere.  Fortunately for foragers and harvesters there are few (three) mushrooms that are deadly poisonous.  Let's get acquainted with the enticing but toxic Death Cap (Amanita phalloides).  The Death Cap is found low to the ground and has elegant proportions with a bell shaped cap that is pale olive green with a luster that often looks metallic.  The gills are white as are the spores (observe the white spore print that I have included); spore color is an important feature in determining mushroom types.  Notice the sac-like volva at the base of this mushroom: not all mushrooms have this feature but all Death Caps have volvas!   The toxin in this Amanita is a potent cyclopeptide called amanitin.  Amanitin disrupts the function of protein enzymes that leads to liver and kidney failure.  The onset of symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting
Read more and watch the video »

Washington Trails Association Article

Image
I nterested in learning about the birds you see and hear on the trail? I recently did this collaborative with Washington Trails Association on birding and hiking, check it out! It will add a new dimension to your hiking enjoyment. WTA.ORG Bird Watching Hikes in Washington: Where to See Birds, Birbs and Borbs Bird  https://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal-hikes/fall-destinations/bird-watching-hikes-in-washington
Read more and watch the video »