Tag: urban observation
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The Superpowers of Urban Rats: How urban life transforms rodents
Our typical urban rats, mainly brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), have undergone adaptations that enable them to thrive in urban environments. These adaptations distinguish urban…
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Reptiles in the city: Should we welcome our reptilian overlords?
Think about a classic urban species. The first ones that come to mind are usually rats, pigeons and cockroaches. I’d bet that less than…
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Dandelions by the Roadside
Do you remember when was the last time you blew dandelion seeds? Do you remember the last time you stopped your busy schedule and…
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Colletes hederae: The new bee in town
At first glance, a city is a hodgepodge of buildings, busy streets and public squares, people, traffic, and overall bustle. Yet, if you manage…
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(Sub) Urban Observations: Greylag geese nesting in trees & nest hijack by a leucistic duck?
Knotted willows characterise many Dutch landscapes, where they are often seen in a row along creeks that have existed for decades. These willows are…
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Urban Observations: Northern Cardinal eating a Spotted Lanternfly?
Spotted Lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) have become an unavoidable nuisance since their arrival in the Big Apple in 2020. These clumsy hemipterans have managed to…
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Urban Observation: Groundhogs in Central Park
Have you ever seen a groundhog in Central Park? Or any other urban park? According to @BirdCentralPark, these adorable rodents are not a common…
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Urban Observation: Asian Ladybeetle
The Asian Ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) is a common sight in many urban gardens, such as those on Governor’s Island in New York Harbor. They…
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Grey buildings, green birds
Native to the Indian subcontinent and the southern fringes of the Sahel, the ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) looks wonderfully out of place in the…
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(Sub)Urban Observation: Feral Muscovy Ducks
When I returned to my hometown suburb in Texas, I was greeted by the familiar sight of Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata) hanging out in…
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Urban Observation: Clash of the Titans
While huddled up in a nook on my apartment’s rooftop, camera set up and aimed at the skies above, I briefly witnessed a skirmish…
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Urban Observation: Go fetch!
Check out this fun-loving gull and its new toy! https://twitter.com/GarethUnwin85/status/1597610347212734464 This gull seen last week at Queen’s Park in Brighton, UK, seems to have…
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Urban Observation of the Week: Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Check out these dueling kangaroos in a park in Australia’s Gold Coast region! New Yorkers are used to seeing squirrels and rats roam around,…
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Urban Observation: “Cone” Spider
While I was out birding on Governor’s Island, My friends and I came across this old traffic cone. It stood out to me as…
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Urban Observation: Great Blue Heron
Check out this Great Blue Heron‘s fun new perch! Kate spotted a heron sitting very comfortably on a discarded deck chair in Surrey, BC.…