Double-crested Cormorants at Woodlake Pond in Carrollton, Texas.
| County | - | Denton | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | Mar 10, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Midmorning | |
| Temperature | - | Cold (less than 50°F/10°C) | |
| Weather | - | Light Rain | |
| Habitat | - | Recreation-Park | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Various | |
| Gender | - | Uncertain | |
| Maturity | - | Adult | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | Double-crested Cormorant | Observation Location |
This observation began with three juvenile European Starlings peeking out of their birdhouse. The young starlings were eagerly anticipating their mother’s return because her return meant it was dinnertime!
The adult starling would approach the birdhouse cautiously, usually landing nearby first, to check that their was no danger. The excitement of the young birds rose steadily as the mother bird worked her way closer to the nest.
It would become quite raucous when the when the adult starling delivered a meal. Each delivery usually consisted of just one insect, and the juveniles would jockey for access. Only one chick can be fed per visit.
On one stop, the adult bird actually entered the birdhouse briefly, presumably to remove waste materials (fecal sacs) from the nest.
| County | - | Denton | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | Apr 25, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Afternoon | |
| Temperature | - | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | - | Clear | |
| Habitat | - | Residential-Single Family | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Care of Young | |
| Gender | - | Mixed | |
| Maturity | - | Mixed | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | European Starling | Observation Location |
This observation documents a pair of Northern Mockingbirds caring for their fledgling young. The juvenile birds are fully feathered and and too big for their nest. Their plumage and coloration varies just slightly from the adults. Tail and flight feathers are shorter. The juvenile’s breast is covered with dark spots, and their beak is yellow rather than the dark gray of the adult birds.
The juvenile mockingbirds still respond to their parents by begging for food, and the adults readily feed their young. The immature birds spend much of their time on the ground, but can fly short distances.
This observation also documents the Northern Mockingbirds affinity for apples. They will pick little beak-shaped plugs of meat from an apple until there is nothing left but the apple peel. It is not clear whether they feed apples to their young, but it is possible. The adults were recorded feeding their young in the vicinity of an apple cache.
| County | - | Denton | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | April 25, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Afternoon | |
| Temperature | - | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | - | Clear | |
| Habitat | - | Residential-Single Family | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Care of Young | |
| Gender | - | Mixed | |
| Maturity | - | Mixed | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | Northern Mockingbird | Observation Location |
I discovered these geese early one morning as I walked through Carrollton’s Greenbelt Park at Nob Hill.
The mated pair was swimming in one of the ponds near the north end of the park. They seemed accustomed people and were generally unconcerned by my presence. In fact, as I walked by, they seemed to try and follow me as if they were hoping to be fed. They seemed a bit disappointed as I continued down the path and away from the pond.
About twenty minutes later, just as I reached the opposite end of the park, I heard the distinctive honking sounds of approaching Canada Geese. I turned in time to take a series of pictures of the geese as they flew from one horizon to the the other.
The change in color of the early morning sky—from a warm orange to a velvety blue-gray—as they flew by was striking, and created beautiful silhouettes.
| County | - | Dallas | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | Mar 29, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Morning | |
| Temperature | - | Cool (50-69°F/10-21°C) | |
| Weather | - | Clear | |
| Habitat | - | Recreation-Park | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Flying | |
| Gender | - | Mixed | |
| Maturity | - | Adult | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | Canada Goose | Observation Location |
This Nutria was observed early one morning swimming in what once was a Beaver Pond. The pond is located under the Standridge Drive bridge in Carrollton, Texas. It was created when a Beavers dammed the small creek the bridge was built to span.
The Beaver quickly wore out his welcome when he cut down a number of ornamental trees planted in a nearby park. It seems that the local Home Owner’s Association took some actions to solve the Beaver problem, and one day the Beaver simply disappeared.
Now, several years later, the Beaver is gone, but the pond it built continues on. It also continues to provide excellent habitat for a wide variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife, this Nutria included.
| County | - | Dallas | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | Mar 15, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Morning | |
| Temperature | - | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | - | Overcast | |
| Habitat | - | Water-Creek | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Roaming | |
| Gender | - | Uncertain | |
| Maturity | - | Adult | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | Nutrias | Observation Location |
Four male Great-tailed Grackles posturing early in the breeding season.
| County | - | Denton | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | Mar 1, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Morning | |
| Temperature | - | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | - | Clear | |
| Habitat | - | Residential-Single Family | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Vocalizing | |
| Gender | - | Male | |
| Maturity | - | Adult | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | Great-tailed Grackle | Observation Location |
I discovered this unusual looking Spiny Oak Slug Moth on my truck window. I landed there while I was inside a business establishment. I didn’t recognize the species of this moth, so I captured it in an acrylic case that I carry for just such an occasion.
At home, I put the moth in the refrigerator to induce torpor so that she wouldn’t injure herself trying to escape . Soon the moth was immobile.
The next day I took the moth out and witnessed the warming up process. I had read about insect warming their bodies by shivering. Insects vibrate their extremities (wings, antennae, and legs) rapidly as part of the shivering behavior. The repeated expansion and contraction of muscle tissue generates heat that helps the insect warm itself.
This is the first time I had witnessed this behavior in an insect. After 30 minutes at room temperature the moth was active and ready to be released.
| County | - | Tarrant | |
| City | - | Carrollton | |
| Date | - | Apr 14, 2012 | |
| Time of Day | - | Afternoon | |
| Temperature | - | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | - | Overcast | |
| Habitat | - | Commercial-Retail | |
| Type of Behavior | - | Stationary | |
| Gender | - | Female | |
| Maturity | - | Larva | |
| Observer | - | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | - | Spiny Oak Slug Moth | Observation Location |