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.
How fast can a Rabbit run – and how far can they leap? Well - pretty darn fast and far. Caught on a Bushnell Trail Camera - After a quick warm up lap this wild Appalachian Cottontail in the Great Smoky Mountains makes two amazingly fast passes and leaps in front of the camera including a classic “burnout”. Even slowed down to 1/8 normal speed at the end the rabbit is still a blur! Not sure what real or imagined threat the rabbit is running from. Gray foxes that live here are said to be as fast as the rabbits, reaching speeds of 40+ mph, but I might put my money on the Rabbit.
He is doing better and should fully recover with plenty of water and food - his activity level and overall appearance is good. A few other squirrels have two or three bot fly "warbles" and are also hanging in there. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orx-xLZrry0
Gray squirrels are often infested by one or a few larvae. The large, fluid-draining warbles are often surrounded by patches of bare skin, and appear rather gross. However, an otherwise healthy adult host with access to adequate food and water probably can tolerate at least four to five of these insects with little obvious effect on its behavior other than stimulating efforts to scratch the warbles. But, at higher infestation levels (squirrels with 10 or more larvae have been observed) and in situations where there is a scarcity of food or water, or if the host is an infant, pregnant or nursing infants, these parasites can be harmful. For example, a heavily infested squirrel may become weakened and more vulnerable to predation, a fatal bacterial infection may set in, or a mother squirrel may experience a diminished milk supply leading to the death of her nursing offspring. With gray squirrels, the larvae often are found in the upper torso, although they may occur on the head, limbs and most other areas of the body except the tail.
Ruby Throated Hummingbirds versus Yellow Jacket hornets at the nectar feeder. Besides fighting each other the hummingbirds have to contend with a few hornets who have claimed the nectar feeder and are vigorously - and quite successfully - defending it. When you watch the actions of the hornets it certainly gives the impression of intelligence and strategy. Sad to say the hummingbirds - which are birds with attitude after all - have been dominated by Bumblebees and Butterflies in the past so the hornets running them off is not too surprising. But despite all the battle they manage to get a drink of nectar in now and then. See also Hummingbird versus bee:
Flesh Flies (Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis) mating. Much larger and striking in appearance compared to the common housefly. Generally beneficial in nature the Red-tailed flesh flies are considered opportunistic feeders on carrion and human and animal waste. They are also a high protein food source for birds - especially the Great Crested Flycatchers. They play an important role in decomposition and are rarely a problem around humans if proper sanitation is practiced. They occur everywhere in the wild even in the remotest areas. Near wild areas like where this video was taken they usually occur in very low densities and are rarely seen and have little impact on humans and pets, but will find all animal carcasses and begin the process of decomposition. Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis is particularly important to forensic entomology as it can be the first, or one of the first, arthropods to arrive at a corpse. The species is a strong flyer and has the ability to fly in inclement weather when other arthropod species are unable to fly. Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis is most often associated with corpses found inside buildings, especially in the summer months in southeastern United States.
A new Backyard Squirrel has a nasty Bot Fly "warble" on the back of his neck. Many squirrels are suffering from this parasite in mid-summer - a little help from humans will improve their chances. Although painful to see them suffer they will all likely survive this seasonal malady. I discuss some ways to help them through this. See my previous mini-documentary on Squirrel Bot Flies at:
Fascinating, relaxing Nature Meditation. A Colony of Red Fire Ants is expanding - an army of ants is on the move. Contemplate over 30 minutes of approximately 40-50 thousand ants moving both ways across your screen in HD. Watch mathematical patterns and social roles unfold before your eyes, try and make sense of their complex society or just relax and watch their intricate interactions. Why do only a few out of thousands actually pick up and carry the poison bait? What are the ants up to - what are they talking about - will they take over the earth? Seriously though, they are fascinating - and dangerous to humans and animals. Red imported fire ants have been reported to reduce ground-nesting populations of rodents and birds. In certain instances, the RIFA may completely eliminate ground-nesting species from a given area. Because there is a 10 to 20 year lapse before reductions in bird populations are observed, it has been suggested that actual effects of the RIFA on animal populations may be underestimated.
