American Crow

American Crow

common name: American Crow
scientific name: Corvus brachyrhynchos

Biology & Ecology: American Crows are pretty much seen all over the US. You will see them in your yard, trees, city,  highway. They will feed on almost anything, but eat worms, insects, seeds, and sometimes garbage. They can adapt almost anywhere, and will sit on a perch to look or food. The nest is made largely of medium-sized twigs with an inner cup lined with pine needles, weeds, soft bark, or animal hair. Crows will hide their nests, and prefer evergreens. They are social birds. Their population has increase, but may decrease due to the West Nile Virus.

Time: 2:20 pm.
Location: My backyard.
What was it doing: Perched on a tree.

 

Dog Wood Tree

Dog Wood Tree

 

common name: Dog Wood Tree

scientific name: Cornus florida

 

Biology & Ecology: The flowering dogwood is native to much of the eastern half of the United States. It will usually grow when temps. do not drop to -15 F. It is an ornamental tree, and is adaptable to many soils. It grows best in a moist, fertile loam that is slightly acid. Dogwoods can reach anywhere between 12-15 feet. It will not flower as much when crowded by other shading trees.

 

Location: My front yard.

Time: 5:00 pm.

What was it doing: photosynthesis.

 

 

 

 

Silver Maple Tree

Silver Maple Tree

common name: Silver Maple Tree
scientific name: Acer saccharinum

Biology & Ecology: The silver maple tree, or Acer saccharinum, is a maple tree found in eastern US and Canada. It is a fast growing tree, which a common height between 50-80 ft. Its an adaptable tree. It has higher sunlight requirement though. They will survive through a variety of soil conditions. The upright nature of the silver maple tree gives it an open oval shape. The leaves are three to six inches in width.  In areas with extreme weather storms, this tree will likely become damaged easily.

Location: My front yard.
Time: 3:45 pm.
What was it doing: photosynthesis.



Snowy Silver Maple I took from the Winter.

Blosseming Picture I took in the spring.

Crab Apple Tree

Crab Apple Tree

common name: Crab Apple Tree
scientific name: Malus species

Biology & Ecology: A Crab Apple Tree is a tree that varies in size, color, height, and shape.  The grow anywhere to 6 ft. or all the way up to 50 ft! The common size is 25 ft. Flowering of the crab apple tree varies, anything to weeping, columnar, spreading, pyramidal and vase-shaped, with white, pink and red blooms. They are a popular tree, and bring great visual to a yard. They are drought tolerant, and low maintance. Generally adapted to the colorado climate and soil, but they can adapt depending on the disease and elevations. Blossom April-May.
Location: Front Yard.
Time: 3:30 pm.
What was it doing: Photosynthesis.

 

 

My pictue of the tree in blossom.

* I could not find the entire scientific name, only the genus*

Common Starling

Common Starling

common name: common starling
specific name: Sturnus vulgaris

Biology & Ecology: The common starling, or Sturnus vulgaris, is a bird that lives in varied habitats, those of open woodlands, forest edges, gardens, towns, coastal cliffs, semi-desert and farmlands. They are found in northern Europe, but have been introduced to Western Asia, North America, South Africa, Southern Australia and New Zealand. They are seen in large flocks, except in breeding season. They are omnivorous, so they adapt to many food. After being introduced to North America, they have resulted in population declines in other species. Common Starling nests in cavities or nest-boxes. The nest is made with sticks, dried grasses and plant fibres, papers, feathers.

location: front yard.
time: 2:30 pm.
what was it doing: sitting there.

American Robin

American Robin

common name: American Robin
scientific name: Turdus migratorius

Biology & Ecology: The American Robin, or Turdus migratorius, is a migrotory song bird that is found widely in north america. Its most active during the day and assembles together at night.  They are commonly found on lawns, and feast on earthworms. They live in forests, city parks, mountains, and even the tundra. They'll eat fruit, insects, and earthworms. They'll build their nests from the inside out using dead leaves and twigs into a cup shape with their wing. Then they'll use mud to reinforce it. American robins can produce up to three times a year and can live up to 14 years.

time: 5:00 p.m.
locaction. front yard.
what was it doing: eating

 

 

 

Eastern Gray Squirrel

 

Eatern Gray Squirrel

specific name: Sciurus carolinensis
common name: Eastern Gray Squirrel

Biology & Ecology: The eastern gray squirrel, or Sciurus carolinensis, is a tree squirrel found in the eastern and midwestern United States. This squirrel has gray fur, but it can also have some brown in it. They grow to 17 to 20 inches long. They live in forests but are found where there are large deciduous trees since they spend their lifes mostly in trees. They create nests or cavaties in the trees high up in the tree. The trees most commonly used are White Oak, American Beech, American Elm, Red Maple, and Sweetgum. They have two litters each year, and live for aout 5 years, Theyll burry their food and then retrieve it in the winter when its scarce.

Location: My Backyard.
Time: 4:00 pm.
What was it doing: Running around the yard.

Ruby Ball Cactus

 

 

Ruby Ball Cactus

 

 

scientific name:Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

common name: Ruby Ball Cactus

 

Bioloy & Ecology: The ruby ball cactus, or Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, is a cactus that is either bright red, orange, or yellow. This cactus is a mutation of a regular cactus because it is missing a green pigmentation that allows it to absorb light engery. It survives because it is grafted to a green cactus, which will abosrob the light for it. It is short-lived and produces pink blossoms under the best conditions.

 

Facts:

Light Requirement; Full Sun to Bright Light
Water Requirement: Drench, Let Dry
Humidity: Average Home
Fertilizer: High Phosphorus
Propagation: Grafting

 

time taken: 4:30 pm.

Location: outside,but i keep it in my room on my window shelf.

what was it doing: photosynthesis.

 

Ruby Ball Cactus.

Ruby Ball Cactus.

Branded Wolly Bear

Banded Wolly Bear

 

 

common name: Banded Wolly Bear

 

Scientific name: Pyrrharctia isabella 

 

Biology & Ecology: The Banded Wolly Bear, or Pyrrharctia isabella, is a moth. This moth has two life stages, a larva and a moth which is named the Isabella tiger moth. This species starts off as an egg, then emerges during the fall/  beginning of winter as a caterpillar. Then it freezes solid!! Its heart stops beating, and then its gut, and its blood. It can survive by using a cryoprotectant. This a subtance that the animal uses to protect biological tissue from freezing. Then it thaws out in the spring time to pupate. Once the moth comes from its pupa as a moth, it dies in a few days. In the artic, where the summer food is shortened, the caterpillar feeds for many summers, freezing itself every winter.  Some can live up to 14 winters.

Location: On the foundation of my house, then we put it on our rockwall.
Time: 1:20 pm
What was it doing: Crawling around, then curled up in a ball when it put it on the rock wall.



 

crawling on the foundation.

 

It curled up in a ball when we moved it, probally as a defense move.

While i was taking pictures, it oozed this yellow stuff. So either it
went to bathroom or something else happened, but i dont know

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

                     
                                               Eastern Cottontail Rabbit



- common name: Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

- scientific name:  Sylvilagus floridanus


Biology & Ecology- The eastern cottontail rabbit, or Syvilagus floridanus is one of the most common species of the cottontail rabbit.  The eastern cottontail rabbit is around 15.5 - 18.75 inches and weighs 28 - 58 oz. Their average life span is about/less than 3 years. The color of their coat can be brown or gray, and get their name from their "cottonball" tail. The eastern cottontail rabbit a herbivore. In the winter time, they eat tree bark and twigs.  Females will give birth to their youngs in shallow ground nests. Rabbits will produce and breed up to three or eight times a year.  Eastern Cottontails are also very popular game animals.They live mostly in North America. Their habitat includes meadows, fields, farms, woods, and can adapt to human environments. They stay hidden in thick vegatation and schubery during the day. They hide under small pine trees, schrubs, and tall grasses.
Location- Front yard.
Time- 1:30 pm.
What was it doing- Eating grass.

Eastern Cottontail

 

Eastern Cottontail