Category Archives: Vertebrate Zoology

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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Black Skimmer

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Jeremy Sell

Black Skimmers (Charadriiformes: Laridae: Rynchops niger) are relatively large and interesting birds that can be found from South America up through the Gulf of Mexico. These skimmers feed primarily on fish and are almost always found near bodies of water. … 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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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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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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Marmot Crossing

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Last week I spent a couple of nights camping at Great Basin National Park in east-central Nevada. One point of interest was a stretch of road near Baker Creek that was crawling with yellow-bellied marmots (Rodentia: Sciuridae: Marmota flaviventris). So many … Continue reading →

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Strut Your Stuff

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Wild Turkeys (Galliformes: Phasianidae: Meleagris gallopavo) are found throughout large areas of the United States and Mexico, especially in the east. They are particularly common in the Cataloochee Valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Males turkeys begin courtship 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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Great Blue Heron on the Hunt

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

The other day I made a break from our surprise eight inches (20 cm) of April snow here in southeast Michigan. In search of a warmer climate I drove nine hours south down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park along the border … Continue reading →

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Guarding the Nest

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Last week I happened upon this nesting Canada Goose (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Branta canadensis) keeping a watchful eye on a passing group of Ring-necked Ducks (Anseriformes: Anatidae: Aythya collaris). This particular goose chose to make her nest on top of a muskrat nest (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Ondatra zibethicus). … Continue reading →

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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

While many woodpecker species hammer their beaks against trees to get at the insects inside, some are after a different food source. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (Piciformes: Picidae: Sphyrapicus varius), like other sapsuckers, feed predominantly on the sugary juices of the trees themselves. Although known to … 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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Redwood National Park Revisited

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Back in 2013 a friend and I made a quick trip through Redwood National Park in northwest California. Our visit here was too short, so last summer when my wife and I were in the area we made a point to spend … 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 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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