Monday Mystery Littorally
December 16, 2024
An acquaintance keeps seeing these birds by the thousands this time of year in Manasquan.
I know the pic isn't great, but what birds fly in such large numbers there this time of year?
Best Mystery Ever: The Answer
December 12, 2024
We had a lot of great answers for this week's mystery, in which my Screech Owl Companion co-author Scott Weston asked: What is this a picture of?
Answers included owl pellet, praying mantis egg casing, and kingfisher pellet.
The correct answer, from Mia Rose White and Jack Duhig: kingfisher pellet. (Congrats, Mia Rose and Jack.)
More on kingfisher pellets here:
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2016/12/05/belted-kingfisher-throwing-a-pellet/
I love this illustration, from an antique ckidren's book in the fascinating Ridgewood Schoolhouse Museum.
https://ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org/about-us/the-schoolhouse-museum-ridgewood-nj/
The Old Christmas Bird Count Map
December 11, 2024
Reposting form two years ago...
Above is a scan of John Brotherton's Christmas Bird Count map of the Ramsey circle.
The map, though musty, is a glimpse of our region before it got developed to a fare-thee-well. The map includes a ZIPcode for Hagstrom, so it can't be older than 1963.
Fyke got the map scanned, and it's now on view on the Fyke website.
You can download it here, and see how undeveloped this area was 50 years ago. You can enlarge the map and see amazing details.
Does anyone know how old it is, and who drew the circle, etc., and who did the lettering?
Classic Celery Farm Book On Sale
December 11, 2024
Best Monday Mystery Ever?
December 09, 2024
My friend and "Screech Owl Companion" co-author Scott Weston writes:
What is this?