Natural History Journal

As those of us in the northern hemisphere enter into the season marked by the longest nights and shortest days of the year, I can't help but reflect on the pervasiveness of light in our lives, despite the seasonal rhythms of darkness in the natural world.   In spite of these short winter days, or perhaps because of the long hours of darkness, Christmas is the best season in which to celebrate light.  For, it is at Christmas that we celebrate that: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in a land of deep darkness a light has dawned.  Isaiah 9:2 Ironically, it is during the depths of the northern winter that nature treats us to some of its most conspicuous and glorious displays of light.   In the winter, we enjoy late morning sunrises and early evening sunsets.  Though our nights are long and cold, in clear weather they are filled with the brilliance of starshine and moonlight.  For those in the far north, this is t...

Can anyone really argue that there is a more iconic bird of Christmas in North America than the strikingly scarlet Northern Cardinal?  With brilliant crimson plumage that both matches red holly berries and contrasts beautifully with evergreen foliage and white snow, the cardinal seems to embody everything in the natural world that is beautiful in wintertime - and by extension, Christmastime.  (Check out this article for more reasons why the Northern Cardinal is the ideal emblem of Christmas.)  But, there may be more than one iconic winter bird out there that deserves to grace wintery Christmas cards and the December page of the calendar.   Join me in a little festive bird-related fun as I muse over a few additional species that I wouldn't mind seeing crafted into Christmas tree ornaments, shaped into sugar cookies, and emblazoned on Christmas sweaters! A somewhat wintery Northern Cardinal... in Texas.  Hands down, the most iconic bird of Christmas in North...

Situated along the western edge of the Gulf of Mexico, 113-mile-long Padre Island holds the distinction of being the world's longest barrier island.  South Padre Island, as the southern portion of the barrier island is known, is a renowned beach vacation destination, spring break hot spot, and (most importantly) the location of extraordinarily good birding, particularly during spring migration.   From late March through mid-May, birds migrating north from their wintering grounds in Central and South America to their breeding habitat in North America follow invisible yet ancient migratory pathways along the Central Flyway.  For birds making the 600+ mile non-stop flight across the Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula, the first land at which these tired migrants arrive is South Padre Island.  And for many weary avian travelers, this narrow spit of land and the lush, insect-rich habitat thereon, is a literal lifesaver. Male Baltimore Oriole, enjoying an orang...

Herons and egrets are some of Eric's favorite birds, and for many years, he and I have both been eager to see two species in particular that are not at all common in California: Reddish Egret and Roseate Spoonbill.   Happily, the Gulf Coast of Texas is an excellent place to find both of these species (and many more), so it was with great excitement that we made our way out to South Padre Island, to spend the day birding the boardwalks and mudflats along the Laguna Madre.    In case you missed it, check out the birds that we saw in the woodlands along the Rio Grande , and out on the coastal prairie on our April birding trip to South Texas! White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill and Snowy Egret, living life along the edges of the Laguna Madre Tucked amongst the dune buggy rental shops, tacky tourist traps and high-rises that thickly cover most of the southern end of South Padre Island, the aptly-named South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center is a hidden gem for birders....