Flora & Fauna

By: Delanie Bruce, Education Manager, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies & Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area and Chadron State Park saw a lot of birds this fall migration season. Over the seven-week period, Aug. 24-Oct. 15, 2022, staff banded nearly 700 song birds between the two stations: 165 birds at Chadron and 527 birds at Wildcat Hills. Bird banding is the process of capturing wild birds and placing a uniquely numbered band around one leg …

Explore Fall Bird Migration By Olivia DaRugna, Watchable Wildlife Biologist As summer vacations come to an end and a new season of Husker football begins, many birds have already begun their journeys from northern breeding territories to their southern wintering grounds. Songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl typically migrate at night, arriving to new locations to rest and refuel during the day. This is an exciting time for birders as our favorite locations can transform literally overnight from having almost no avian …

Someone once said: “Deer hunting is a lot about nothing.” “Nothing,” seriously? In my view, that statement is so far from the truth. It is the time of year for archery deer hunters and soon, firearm deer hunters, to be on their stands or in their blinds all day long, up to 12 hours … alone. During part of a day off, Nebraska Conservation Officer Rich Berggren of Waterloo allows a photo to be taken before he enters his firearm …

The deer harvested by a hunter prompted celebration but other hunters on social media certainly did not think so. You see, it was a smaller, younger white-tailed buck. It was a beautiful animal and a great photo of the proud hunter and his deer. I was one of the initial people to “like” the post on Facebook. However, it did not take long for the naysayers to chastise and ridicule the individual for shooting a basket-racked buck. Seriously? A trophy …

By Alie Mayes, Community Science Education Specialist Are you a bird nerd? Maybe you like to casually watch birds visit your backyard feeder. Or perhaps you visit local green spaces in hopes of spotting some of your favorite feathered friends. Or maybe you have only recently started noticing the birds that you see every day. Whether you are new to bird watching or have been enjoying it for years, community science is a great way to level up your hobby …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist Phenology is a word that you may not be familiar with, but I am pretty sure that you’ve experienced it. Think about what season it is. Spring? Summer? Fall? How do you know it is that season? Phenology, that’s how, which can be defined as the timing of events in the life cycles of plants and animals. For example, you know that winter is waning when you see robins begin building nests or when …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist October is a fascinating month for many. The leaves are starting to show their autumn hues, the crisp fall air lets us finally wear sweaters, and the spooky, holiday season has us celebrating all month long. Now, there is one more reason to celebrate one of the best months of the year: Although National Reptile Awareness Day is Oct. 21, by a proclamation from Gov. Pete Ricketts, the entire month has been designated to …

My Favorite Insect Gets Even Better Story and photos by Chris Helzer It’s hard to pick a favorite insect, but I have anyway. It’s the camouflaged looper, which is an inchworm that turns into the wavy-lined emerald moth. The moth is pretty enough and I’m sure is fascinating in its own right, but it’s the caterpillar I love. The camouflaged looper feeds on flowers of many kinds. What makes it incredible, though, is that it also selects pieces of the …

They have all sorts of names: Hedge Apples, Hedge Balls, Mock Oranges and others. You’ve probably seen them. But, what really are they? Spider/insect repellents? Hmmm … Dang, they are sure strange looking. What is this bright yellow to yellow-green, grapefruit-sized, brainy-looking fruit-like thing? Fruit? Well, this is actually fruit of the Osage orange tree, an inedible fruit to humans, I might add. Hedge apple, hedge ball or mock orange, in hand. Photo by Greg Wagner/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. …

By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist Mountain lions, wolves, sharks and eagles, they have long been regarded as a few of the most stunning animals on Earth. As predators, they have inspired people by their strength, grace and ferocity, yet despite this fascination, predators have also been some of the most historically persecuted animals on the planet. They have been deemed villainous when they kill or injure livestock, threaten human safety, or cause economic damages. The motivation to remove predators …