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Nature: Full of Surprises One of the wonderful gifts that the natural world presents us with is the surprises we find right under our feet, up in the air, or in front of our nose. With each hike I take, the beauty and diversity of life in our preserves continues to amaze me. This month, we’re sharing a few surprises with you, including some fascinating finds during our recent participation in Audubon Connecticut’s American Kestrel Nest Box Program. In addition, Daniel Sherman, one of our preserve birdwatchers, recently sent us photos of a “blue” green frog (above). Hmmm? The “blue” is caused by a rare genetic mutation which prevents the yellow pigment from forming (think blue plus yellow makes green). Without the yellow pigment, we see a “blue” green frog! This is called axanthism and is definitely rare (occurs in about 1 in every 30,000 frogs). A few years ago, we also documented a leucistic (white) bluebird. See something interesting? Whether you're strolling through our preserves, camping at Steep Rock, volunteering at Judea Garden or helping us build trails, let us know what surprises you find while visiting our preserves. See you our trails! | |
Brian Hagenbuch, Ph.D.
Executive Director | |
