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POTD 8/24/26
SIGN OF THE SEASON - A male American Goldfinch beginning his late-Summer molt. All birds molt, many molt once a year and simply replace their old feathers with a similar looking set. Other birds, like Goldfinches, molt twice a year and change their appearance dramatically with the seasons. The male Goldfinch's bright yellow Summer plumage will be replaced by drab winter plumage.
POTD 8/23/26
ANYTHING RED - An immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird shows interest in the red leaves of a smoke bush. I can tell it is an immature male by the five o'clock shadow developing on his neck. Female Hummers have clean, white necks. He figured out the leaves soon enough, and we saw him go from the leaves right to the sugar water feeder.
POTD 8/22/26
DON'T BUG ME - The Eastern Cottontail rabbit that lives in our yard gets bugged by pesky gnats while munching in the grass. Gnats and biting midges bite tender areas like the nose, eyelids and inner ears, causing redness and itchiness.
POTD 8/21/26
UNFLOWER WILDFLOWER - Indian-pipe, Monotropa uniflora, is in the Heath family. It is Saprophytic - meaning it gets it's nourishment from decayed organic matter. When all of the Spring wildflowers are gone, these interesting blooms show up on the trail to the beaver pond.
POTD 8/20/26
I HEAR YOU - A bird's ears are on the side of the head behind and below the eye. In most species the ear is hidden under specialized feathers, but on birds like the Wild Turkey, with an unfeathered head, the ear opening is clearly visible.
