Big “Yellow Phase” Timber Rattlesnake "Crotalus horridus" on the Art Loeb Hiking Trail passing through a rocky outcrop near the summit of Black Balsam Knob in the Shining Rock Wilderness in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina at nearly 6 thousand feet elevation. We were tipped off by a passing hiker that the snake was up ahead – that's good trail etiquette - and so were prepared. I can't say for sure if we would have seen the snake and not stumbled upon it – this is how most snake bites on the trail occur – but I think we would have seen it. Timber Rattlers do have some of the strongest venom of all the rattlers and their bites can be fatal! Note that I resisted the temptation to bother or otherwise molest the snake to get better video action – this video shows their normal behavior when encountering people – they are not aggressive or dangerous and would much rather run – or freeze - than fight!
Real cute "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or "Incy Wincy Spider" entertainment and education for babies and toddlers set to music. Let a real "Smiley-Face Spider" introduce very young children to the fascinating world of real spider web building - not a cartoon. This remix of my original: Spiny Orb Weaver Spider Spinning a Web" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwLn11KJS9Y was inspired by a visit to my grandnephew who at six months love to watch Youtube animal videos with music. "Itsy Bitsy Spider" vocals by the Green Orbs courtesy of the YouTube audio library.
Blue Jay with the bald head look of late summer molting - but still a very handsome fellow and loud and proud as most Jays are as you will hear! This is when you can clearly see the birds ears which are at the bottom back of the skull. Although this is a known seasonal phenomena the fact that sometimes only one or a few of a dozen Blue Jays displays this characteristic and it is usually only the head is interesting. Last year's bald Blue Jay can be seen here:
Mysterious wood block knocking sounds in the deep, high forest of the Great Smoky Mountains have returned - is it the call or song of a Chipmunk or the rare, ever elusive "Cluckmunk" that is louder than thunder? First documented in 2013:
the noises did not occur in 2014, but have returned with a vengeance in September 2015 - crank up the volume and even a growing thunderstorm can't drown out these incessant calls that echo through the forest canopy. These bizarre creatures seem to enjoy making this sound for hours on end - and when two or three get going at once it is as strange a sound as you ever want to hear in the deep dark forest. Amazingly, I only hear these sounds in the forest not around houses where there are plenty of Chipmunks making the typical "chipping" call that is their namesake. The elusive "Cluckmunks" are not to be seen in the dense forest and one of the reasons their sound is so loud and carries so far is that it sounds like they are calling high up in the trees rather than on the ground. The mystery continues - I must get video of these critters making this sound in the high forest to prove the theory below - it is clearly not a response to danger or predators but highly seasonal.
Feel the force of Niagara Falls. The "Cave of the Winds" Tour at Niagara Falls, NY is the quintessential tourist way to get as close as possible to these magnificent falls. The cave has long since collapsed so one stands at the base of the falls and experiences tropical storm like conditions. Quite impressive and at $14 a real deal. It is self-guided and you can stay as long as you like on the decks and there are many birds in the river. I recommend going in the morning as you can see the "Hurricane Deck" was empty and also bring a waterproof camera. I was able to put my Polaroid Action Camera directly into the Bridal Veil Falls water stream. Of course morning means the sun is behind the falls so photography is not as dynamic, but this is all about the power of the falls. You will of course get wet regardless of the poncho if you go right up to the big boulder as close as possible. The boulder shields you from the direct force of the falls which of course would knock everybody off of their feet.
Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the international border between Canada and the United States; more specifically, between the province of Ontario and the state of New York. They form the southern end of the Niagara Gorge.
From largest to smallest, the three waterfalls are the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. The Horseshoe Falls lie mostly on the Canadian side and the American Falls entirely on the American side, separated by Goat Island. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also located on the American side, separated from the other waterfalls by Luna Island. The international boundary line was originally drawn through Horseshoe Falls in 1819, but the boundary has long been in dispute due to natural erosion and construction.
Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the combined falls form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world, with a vertical drop of more than 165 feet (50 m). Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by vertical height and also by flow rate. The falls are located 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York and 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Toronto, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.
Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m3) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost four million cubic feet (110,000 m3) on average.
The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.
Amazing sounds of a mother Red Squirrel giving the alarm call followed by furious barking call when her nest is discovered. Crank up the volume and enjoy! - Clearly they are the boss of the forest. Squirrels and chipmunks (which are really squirrels) makes some of the most unusual sounds in northern forests.
