Category Archives: General

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Jeremy Sell

Of the seven species of living sea turtles found around the world, the most critically-endangered is the Kemp’s ridley (Testudines: Cheloniidae: Lepidochelys kempii). Although these turtles can be found all the way from Nova Scotia down through the Gulf of Mexico, … Continue reading →

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Stretching for dinner

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Jeremy Sell

Last week I was out at Chiricahua National Monument in southeast Arizona.  One thing that caught my eye was this Arizona white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla: Cervidae: Odocoileus virginianus couesi).  After spotting me at some distance it seemed bashful and hid for a minute. Once … Continue reading →

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Things I always want to know before taking a trip:

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Jeremy Sell

1) Sunrise/sunset times I like to get up before dawn to hike because some of my best wildlife encounters have been just before or just after the sun comes up.  Sunset provides similar opportunities. 2) Moonrise/moonset times When I’m in … Continue reading →

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Happy Sixth Anniversary

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

6 years 11.7 GB of photos 745 posts 0.34 posts per day 182,610 views 95 mammals 86 birds 18 reptiles 10 amphibians 12 fish 288 insects 18 arachnids 3 gastropods 1 cephalopod 362 plants 106 trees 48 of 50 US states 8 countries 47 of 59 national parks in … Continue reading →

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Seeking Solitude at Great Basin National Park

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Great Basin National Park is located in east-central Nevada and is one of our country’s least-known and least-visited parks. Back in 2013 my wife, her friend and I drove a few hours north of Las Vegas to get a taste of what this remote … Continue reading →

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Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Of all the caves administered by the National Park Service, a visit to Timpanogos Cave National Monument requires a bit more effort than most. Located in American Fork Canyon southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah, this particular cave happens to be … Continue reading →

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The Great Salt Lake, Utah

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Beyond the Great Lakes that surround my native Michigan, the next largest lake in the United States is the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. Although the lakes of both states share similarly impressive surface areas they are incredibly different in … Continue reading →

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Elk of the Cataloochee Valley

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

When most people think of elk (Artiodactyla: Cervidae: Cervus canadensis) they probably think of them as residents of the American west. From Colorado to Washington they live in large numbers, especially in protected areas like Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National … Continue reading →

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Squirrels Protesting My Campsite Location

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Earlier this month I spent a couple of nights camping in the Cataloochee Valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Upon my arrival I started setting up my tent and almost immediately received a very vocal protest from a resident American … Continue reading →

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Mute Swan

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

The other day I came across a lone Mute Swan (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Cygnus olor) in a small lake in southeast Michigan. Unlike Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, and other large white waterfowl that are native to North America, these birds are … Continue reading →

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Duck, Duck, Goose

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Female and male Mallard ducks (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Anas platyrhynchos) along with a Canada Goose (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Branta canadensis). Photographed 03/25/2016 in an ephemeral pond near Clayton, Michigan.

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Stopping by Ponds on a Sunny Evening

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

The other day on my way home from work I stopped at a nearby pond to find a number of Ring-necked Ducks (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Aythya collaris), Canada Geese (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Branta canadensis), and Red-winged Blackbirds (Passeriformes: Icteridae: Agelaius phoeniceus) hanging out around the water. The … Continue reading →

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That’s a Lot of Ducks

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Today I stopped by a USFWS site near my home in southeast Michigan and found hundreds of ducks in the lake. This group appeared to be made up almost entirely of Ring-necked Ducks (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Aythya collaris), Redheads (Aythya americana), Lesser Scaups … Continue reading →

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Late Winter Wetland Walk

Posted on March 19, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Back in January I took a stroll through the USFWS Schoonover Waterfowl Production Area near my home in southeast Michigan. Even in the midst of this relatively mild winter there was little to see aside from some persistent plants from last … Continue reading →

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Obligatory St. Patrick’s Day Post

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

I’m not remotely Irish (mostly French and German) but I can always get behind a little cultural festivity. In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, here are a few nature photos for the holiday courtesy of recent visits to Olympic National Park and Yellowstone … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 4

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Earlier on day three our trip up to Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido was kind of a bust, but we did see some cool things along the way. With half a day left we set out to find some more cool … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 3

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Re-energized from our day of relaxation in the peaceful Pyrenees, my wife and I spent day three further exploring the mountainous countryside of northern Spain. From our hotel near Janovas we drove west and north on N-260 toward Parque Nacional de Ordesa … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 2

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

After a long first day getting to our destination in the Pyrenees Mountains of northern Spain, my wife and I were ready spend the second day relaxing. Thirteen hours of flying and then four hours of driving, while exciting at … Continue reading →

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Three Days in the Pyrenees of Spain: Part 1

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Late last summer my wife and I headed to Spain for a few days. She had previously visited France and Italy and knew a thing or two about Europe, but this was my first trip to the continent. At my urging … Continue reading →

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Stuff I’m Reading: “A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir” by Donald Worster

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”  — The Yosemite by John Muir (1912) Widely regarded as one of the first … Continue reading →

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