This Week At Nixon Park 2025
Sadly it appears that a predator of some description has snatched the eggs out of the Green heron nest (last week's look at the nest and eggs). I checked on the nest a number of times this week and did not see the Heron sitting, nor the eggs.
This Week At Nixon Park 2025
After a long bleak winter of waiting, traversing vast migrations, and surviving daunting probabilities, the late May parade of life carries on despite unseasonable cold and wet. This week it's fledglings, nests full of eggs, the quiet work of incubation, feeding the nestlings, tiny turtles, fox kits, and
Nature
This is the fifth and final species profile in the turtle series, here's the first entry that discusses things common to all the turtles at the park with links to the other profiles. I've only seen one eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) at Nixon Park,
Turtles
The Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) basks in the sun less than other turtle species. While occasionally seen with other basking turtles, they are more typically found basking alone. This solitary basking behavior can make them somewhat difficult to spot within the park. Oddly enough they are very good climbers
This Week At Nixon Park 2025
Some rainy days this week, difficult conditions for getting decent pictures, but a few interesting takes none-the-less.
Turtles
This is the third species profile in the turtle series, here's the first entry that discusses things common to all the turtles at the park with links to the other profiles. Eastern Painted turtles (Chrysemys picta, picta), and Pond sliders and Red-eared sliders (both of the genus Trachemys)
Nature
This is the second species profile in the turtle series, here's the first entry that discusses things common to all the turtles at the park with links to the other profiles. Pond sliders, Trachemys scripta, and subspecies the Red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans are frequently seen basking on
Nature
This is the first species profile in the turtle series, here's the first entry that discusses things common to all the turtles at the park with links to the other profiles. Most of the Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) I've spotted at the park were floating
Nature
Turtles? Beyond the tale of Yertle and the race with the hare I did not know all that much. Studying the turtles I've observed in the park opened a fascinating world. This introduction covering things common to all the turtles will be followed by individual entries about each
This Week At Nixon Park 2025
As of May 8th all of Chester County remained in a moderate drought, perhaps that will finally change with this week's rains. The rain cut into my time at the park this week a bit, but there's plenty to see this time of year.
Nature
Before long the soft filaments of back willow (Salix nigra) seeds will be drifting through the park. Black willows are so common we are likely to pass them by, but they are a vital part of the park ecosystem. They grow in floodplains, stream banks, swamps, marshes, sloughs, and ponds
Birds
Tyrant flycatchers are so called because they are, well, tyrannical, jealously guarding their territory from interlopers. Possessing keen eyesight for spotting insects and judging distances, flat, wide bills perfect for catching prey, and whisker-like bristles around their mouths likely aiding rapid course corrections, flycatchers are formidable hunters. Flycatchers have their