Little Hermit Thrush wins Grand Prize in Betterphoto.com Contest!!!

Woot! Woot!

Beaver Attack!!

This is a true story.  Yesterday Tom and I went to visit his son's family who live near the Wissahickon Creek in Chestnut Hill.  Tom's daughter-in-law and three kids and I waded into the creek where there was a big swing attached to a tree over the creek.  Piper, the middle child, climbed onto the swing, stood up and started swinging back and forth.  All of a sudden we heard her screaming.  A large probably momma beaver was leaping out of the water trying to bite her.  This went on for at least a minute or two with the beaver continually hurling itself out of the water trying to reach poor Piper who was terrified while standing on the swing.  The rest of us were paralyzed.  Finally we began to throw rocks at the beaver (we didn't hit her) but she stopped jumping at Piper and came swimming towards the rest of us.  We all scrambled to the bank and out of the water.  Piper finally climbed down from the swing and scrambled across the creek to the opposite side.  I stayed with the beaver and took his picture with my cell phone while everybody else climbed up to the bridge over the creek and down the other side to get Piper.  All ended well, but everybody was a little shook up.  The beaver must have been protecting a nest.  Never ever have I seen a wild animal attack a human before.  Pretty darn scary!

The Baby Praying Mantis!!

I found a wild baby praying mantis in the bog at Charlestown Meadows!!!  That means he must have lots of brothers and sisters.  How good is that!!!

The Nymph Katydid with Curvature of the Spine