by Kieran Lindsey | Nov 27, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD I don’t know what American grade school kids are being taught these days—my days at Oakville Elementary ended a couple of decades ago (okay, fine—several decades ago) so I don’t have direct access to 21st century homework assignments. But I’ll...
by Kieran Lindsey | Nov 13, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD [FYI… Feathered Feature is switching to a winter schedule of every-other-week posts. There are still plenty of birds in the park during the colder months but with everyone (that includes me) extra busy over the holidays, it seems like a...
by Kieran Lindsey | Oct 30, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD [In honor of Halloween, a species dressed for the occasion!] Even though our cultural sings the praises of summer, it’s not my favorite season. I always welcome the crisp air, deeper blue (and, admittedly sometimes flat gray) skies, and...
by Kieran Lindsey | Oct 23, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD It seems to happen once each century. In 1775 the Redcoats showed up in Boston, the Beatles made a big splash about 200 years later in 1964, and in the sweet-spot in-between the House Sparrows (Passer domestics) arrived. It’s difficult to...
by Kieran Lindsey | Oct 16, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD Last Sunday morning I unexpectedly found myself sitting ringside for a brief but furious brawl. Two male red-bellied woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) were having a boundary dispute that started with an argument over some shrubbery, then...
by Kieran Lindsey | Oct 2, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD I was rather surprised to hear a soft, kittenish mewing as I walked through the park. Sure, I see free-roaming cats around the neighborhood from time to time but I can’t think of a single instance when I’ve spotted one in the park...
by Kieran Lindsey | Sep 25, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence, especially if your yard-care ethic is benign neglect, and your neighbor is a wannabe greenskeeper. Generally speaking, though, the sentiment behind that familiar grassy idiom...
by Kieran Lindsey | Sep 18, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD Rushing out the door, I went over the list in my head: Shorts and a breathable tee—check. Running shoes—check. Baseball cap, sunglasses, and sunblock—check. Keys and ID—check. Workout playlist queued up on the smartphone in my...
by Kieran Lindsey | Sep 11, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD Arrrggghhh! I can NOT get that song out of my head!! I don’t know where I heard it, maybe on the grocery store’s Music to Inspire Endcap Impulse Purchases station. It’s familiar but definitely not a favorite. I have eclectic...
by Kieran Lindsey | Sep 4, 2019 | Birds, Wildlife
BY KIERAN LINDSEY, PhD I was just trying to help, I swear. In fact, the primary directive in wildlife rehabilitation is: First, do no harm. But the indignant male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) I had just lifted out of a shoe box clearly...
