Meet Our Wonderful Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers are known for tapping on tree trunks in order to find insects living in crevices in the bark and to excavate nest cavities. Being a redhead who hangs out in the woods, I can easily relate to this percussional Picidae (the bird family that woodpeckers belong to). Everyone recognizes you; woodworking tools are an essential accessory; and berries, nuts, fruit, and bugs are the highlight of the day. Personally, I like my fruit, berries and nuts over ice cream. We’ll leave the bugs outside. So how much do you know about the wonderful woodpeckers?

Are you Aesop's Ant or Grasshopper - the Prepper or Lounger?

I’ve been blessed to live all across the country. One thing I’ve noticed is that wherever I go, people are ill prepared for many conditions they encounter. Sometimes it is a simple fix…like me forgetting Chap Stick on my way to a hockey game. Other times preparation mistakes can be more costly. Hypothermia and dehydration are the most dangerous killers for people outdoors and are usually preventable if one plans ahead.

Behind the Scenes with Our Raptors



At John James Audubon State Park we are fortunate to have education raptors who help us reinforce important wildlife concepts. We do quite a few raptor programs during the course of a year to people of all ages. As a result, we usually can predict the types of questions that visitors are curious about. I thought our reading visitors would like a glimpse into working with one of our top-level predators…our birds of prey.