Woody Outdoors

22/03/2025

The Chase!
It's mating season, and she's playing hard to get! Enjoy!

20/03/2025

The Woods In Your Backyard
I had the privilege of hosting Adam Downing from Virginia Cooperative Extension to our home property a couple months ago to film a short video higlighting the outdoor improvements we've been doing since moving here nearly 8 years ago. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐵𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑦𝑎𝑟𝑑 is actually an online course for small woodlot owners you can take (I took it in 2018) sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension, Maryland Cooperative Extension and Penn State Cooperative Extension. The course helps homeowners plan/organize outdoor improvements they can make around their properties-for aesthetics, recreation, wildlife and maybe even a little income (timber sales).
Adam did a really good job putting this together with just his cell phone, a tripod and his editing program back in his office. He didn't have a "film crew," it was just him. I think he did a terrific job!
PLEASE NOTE-the video is 12:47 minutes long. Enjoy!

15/03/2025

New Out & About Blog - Cruising Through The Caribbean! Enjoy!

Cruising Through The Caribbean March 15, 2025Discovering Nature and the Great Outdoorswoodyo6_wp The Caribbean is one of the special places, that once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”                                            ...

08/03/2025

Breakfast of Champions!...and just like that, the woodland pond has one less Spotted Salamander thanks to one of our resident Red-shouldered Hawks. A delicious breakfast.

05/03/2025

𝗪𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱!
What do you get when you have small, woodland pond on a warm, rainy night in March? One of nature's most magical migrations-the return of Spotted Salamanders to their breeding pool! Enjoy!

03/03/2025

March-ing In

01/03/2025

Spring Thaw Activity
As the woodland pond thaws out from the past couple months of deep freeze, the critters begin to get more active. Enjoy!

23/01/2025

Where's the Liquid?
A Hermit Thrush and Gray Squirrel look for water in the meadow pond, on a cold day.

19/01/2025

Sweet As Can Be!
One of my favorite shrubs in our backyard is the Sweet Bay Magnolia (𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎). This native, evergreen shrub (or small tree) grows to about 15'-18', and fits perfectly next to our small water feature. Although it may not get as many blooms as the other magnolias, we love how it's grown so quickly, and provides shelter for several of our winter birds, like White-throated sparrows and Dark-eyed juncos.

12/01/2025

Where did it go?
Comparison photos of the woodland pond, about 16 hours apart, from last week's storm. Many birds continue to visit, but are probably wondering where it went!

06/01/2025

Winter Feeders
A few hungry birdies with the wet, snowfall.

01/01/2025

Holiday Bath Time-Night & Day
The meadow pond has been a popular bird bath over the holidays. At night for an Eastern Screech Owl, and during the day for American Robins (and a few more). Enjoy!

25/12/2024

Happy Holidays to everyone over the winter season!

14/12/2024

Late Season Action at the Woodland Pond
The woodland pond has been really busy with drop-in visitors, even though it's frozen. They can sometimes find a little open water along the edges, which tend to warm up and thaw out during the day. But I also think many of these may be young birds (hatched last spring) and have never seen ice! Enjoy!

09/12/2024

Ice Time
One of our resident Opossums checks out the frozen woodland pond. Watch how it catches scent of something at the end....that nose is really working! Enjoy!

04/12/2024

A Prickly Discovery
While hunting at my buddy's property back in NE PA, in 10° F temps, 10" of snow and 20 mph winds, I discovered a young Porcupine gnawing on a small Hemlock tree in my friend's front yard. Although the tree was fenced, the persistent critter found a break in the wire to get in. It had pretty much eaten all the bark off the top third of the tree. At one point it was perched right at the very top of the tree. It was the only four-legged animal I saw!

28/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and your families!

20/11/2024

Thirsty Visitor
A thirsty Opossum stops by the woodland pond for an early morning drink. Enjoy!