Ferns — Leading a Double Life!

Ferns and many other so-called lower vascular plants lead an interesting double life. The life form we see is the large, spore-producing one, the sporophyte. But there is a hidden form that is hard to find and seldom seen. This very tiny plant that produces both eggs and sperm is known as the gametophyte. When […]

The “Green Magic” of Spring!

2015 Spring Nature Notes: The “Green Magic” of Spring (PDF)

It’s spring — the sun feels stronger and the leaves are turning green. Magical things are happening.

You might not think first of “magic” when you look at green leaves. They are, after all, just common everyday parts of our environment — pretty to look at but […]

Wild Turkeys in Winter

Wild Turkeys in Winter (PDF)

Meleagris gallopavo sylvestris

To survive winter, their most critical time of year, wild turkeys need to find sufficient food during the day and protective roosts at night. As day breaks, each flock of wild turkeys glides down from its overnight roost, where it has been protected from predators and sheltered from wind […]