They may seem ultra-exotic and tropical, however fruit-eating birds do live in North America along the East Coast. In fact, while kayaking along the Delaware River in Philadelphia the other week, I had the incredible opportunity to watch a Baltimore Oriole creating a nest! Not all fruit-eaters are mango or papaya-loving tropical birds. Some are …
Category: Backyard Habitats, DIY Creations, The Art of Ecology Tags: bird feeders, bird feeding, bird habitat, fruit eating birds, gardening for wildlife, native plants, pennsylvania, The Art of Ecology, wildlife habitat, zone 6a, zone 6b, zone 7
During Invasive Species Awareness Week, we ask the question, “What does it mean to be an invasive species?”, and “What can we do about them?” Fortunately, both questions are relatively easy to answer. What is an Invasive Species? First we need to define Native Species. These are plants and animals that are indigenous to a …
Tags: Animals, conservation, ecology, Gardening, gardening for wildlife, invasive animals, invasive plants, invasive species awareness week, native plants, pennsylvania, Plants, sustainability, The Art of Ecology, wildlife, wildlife habitat
As part of the Wild Art 2021 August Challenge, put on by Zoe Keller, I illustrated two pieces focusing on the theme, “HOME”. Each month, I am going to focus on two pieces – one highlighting flora, the other highlighting fauna. This month, I focused on how different species create their homes and shelters. One …
Category: Illustrations Tags: Adaptations, Animals, bird habitat, birds, botanical illustration, bowerbird, clownfish, drawing challenge, fish, habitats, home, oceans, Plants, scientific illustration, symbiosis, The Art of Ecology, water, Wild Art 2021, wildlife, Wildlife Behavior, wildlife habitat
It may be a little chilly out still, but it’s finally the time of year to start planning out your garden! As the winter fades into spring, we can think about seed starting, and drawing up plans to ready your home/garden for new plants. How do we start the planning process though? Ultimately, think about …
Category: Backyard Habitats Tags: Flowers, garden, Gardening, gardening for wildlife, gardening idea, native plants, Plants, pollinator garden, Seasons, seed starting, spring, The Art of Ecology, wildlife habitat
The Summer Solstice also marks a special day to me – World Giraffe Day! This day was created by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) to raise awareness about and celebrate this vulnerable and endangered species. Did you know that Giraffes are considered a Keystone Species? This means that giraffes are an animal that impact the …
Category: Special Conservation Designated Events Tags: advocacy, africa, Animals, Climate Change, conservation, education, Endangered Species, forests, giraffe, habitat destruction, kenya, keystone species, nature, sustainability, sustainable agriculture, The Art of Ecology, Travel, wildlife, Wildlife Behavior, wildlife habitat, world giraffe day
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) seem like such an iconic woodland creature. I can just picture them perfectly frolicking through the forest, catching mice, and sniffing at berries. Over time, this iconic picture shifted. Instead of a beautiful forest scene, more and more fox are found in Urban environments; wandering busy streets and dodging cars as …
Category: Backyard Habitats Tags: Adaptations, Animals, ecotone, fox, fragmentation, human-wildlife interaction, predators, The Art of Ecology, urbanization, wildlife, Wildlife Behavior, wildlife habitat
If you’re here on my site or have participated in any of my events before, my guess is that you love the plants and animals of the world! Today, we celebrate the amazing flora & fauna of the world as well as raise awareness of the importance that maintaining biodiversity has. Helping a wide variety …
Category: Animals, Climate Change, conservation, Endangered Species, Special Conservation Designated Events, The Art of Ecology Tags: Animals, biodiversity, Climate Change, conservation, ecology, Endangered Species, flora & fauna, food chain, habitats, interconnection, international day of biodiversity, nature, Plants, The Art of Ecology, wildlife, wildlife habitat
Are you going stir-crazy and desparate to find something to do? Below is a list of some of my favorite DIY ideas to inspire you! These are all projects that in some way benefit the environment, either by creating valuable habitat for wildlife or by reducing your own Carbon Footprint! DIY Projects to Benefit Backyard …
Category: Backyard Habitats, DIY Creations Tags: art, backyard habitat, creation, diy, eco-friendly, education, Gardening, nature, projects, quarantine, recycle, social distancing, sustainability, The Art of Ecology, upcycle, wildlife habitat
October is Squirrel Awareness Month, so let’s celebrate by learning more about them. Many people see Eastern Grey Squirrels as pests – critters that eat all of their birdseed, hang out around urban trash cans searching for pizza crusts, critters that make homes in walls of houses, or garden pests – but squirrels are so …
Category: Backyard Habitats Tags: Animals, eastern grey squirrel, gardening for wildlife, populations, prey, squirrel, squirrel awareness month, squirrel photos, The Art of Ecology, wildlife, Wildlife Behavior, wildlife habitat
For my most recent course with National Geographic, I was learned all about Teaching Climate Change and Scientific Modeling – which was absolutely fascinating! Despite having a degree in Wildlife Conservation and therefore taking so many classes that talked about the implications of human-caused climate change, there was still plenty to learn! The goal of …
Tags: action, Animals, birds, carbon cycle, citizen science, Climate Change, conservation, data visualization, ecology, Endangered Species, glacial melt, goldfinch, interconnection, national geographic, populations, scientific model, sustainability, The Art of Ecology, wildlife habitat