By Rob
Piranga olivacea, the formal name for the scarlet tanager, has such bright plumage it should be hard to miss. With a brilliant red body and head, which is even more highlighted by its black wings and tail, it reminds me of some royal guard’s parade uniform. Yeah, but still I had a hard time finding one… Continue reading
by Rob
When Maria got to my car for me to pick her up after work this evening, she mentioned hearing a different sound that she didn’t recognize. Continue reading
by Maria
It’s no secret: I feel very strongly that scientists should be regularly involved in outreach. From a community standpoint, I would love to see scientists be recognizable individuals that local school children can reference. From a funding perspective, when scientists receive either private or federal funding, outreach should be a significant way to give back to those who have supported your work. On top of it all, science communication shouldn’t be limited to academic journals and conferences—exciting findings should be shared, and preferably by the scientists themselves! Continue reading
By Maria and Rob
Early spring is a wonderfully unique time of year to go for a walk in the woods. The landscape is still mostly draped in browns and grays, but here and then, little blushes of green glow from thickets and undergrowth while fat little buds tentatively wait to burst from the ends of tree branches. Last weekend, we went on such a walk at a nearby park, just to see the magic in progress, and we were not disappointed!
It may be a brown hillside now, but soon it will be a bright, vibrant green.
By Rob
If you can’t handle the cuteness of little bear cubs – look out! The Pennsylvania Game Commission has a live-stream camera on a female black bear (called a sow) denning for the winter. This sow picked a spot under a house deck in Monroe County, PA as it’s cozy den to hibernate for the winter. We’ve been able to watch her and her new cub napping, nursing, and the mom just trying to keep the little one out of trouble. Continue reading
By Rob and Maria
We’ve been volunteering twice a month at the National Aviary since October. In our busy, modern world, sometimes even those alternating weekends feel tough to schedule, but once we’re there, it’s such a joy. It just does not get old to talk with kids and families to spark excitement for conservation and wildlife. Plus, there is just something about the sheer beauty and mysteriousness of nature that can coax a smile from even someone having the worst day. We get to watch some of those smiles appear. Continue reading
By Rob and Maria
Love is in the air! Or at least, a holiday meant to produce showy displays of love is in the air.
We can’t sound too cynical, though. We’re probably that annoying mushy couple who makes you gag on Facebook (Maria: mainly because you’re adorable. Rob: ugh). On the flipside, just because it’s Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you have to break the bank or go wild with buying more stuff just to fit in with the modern trend. Instead, you can go green for Valentine’s Day! We thought up a few fun suggestions if you would like to show someone you care in a novel and more Earth-friendly way. Many of these suggestions are specific to Pittsburgh, but no matter where you live, I bet you can find something comparable. Continue reading
By Rob and Maria
Our trash never goes away. It just goes somewhere else.
That mantra is important to keep in mind for this post. We’re all very good at generating trash, and then we bundle it up and place it bins for either trash or recycling…and it rolls away. Theoretically, the trash goes to a landfill and the recycling goes to be made into something else—another generation of plastic or aluminum. Continue reading
By Rob and Maria
We woke up to pouring rain outside. It was still dark. The sun wouldn’t rise for another 90 minutes or so, but we probably wouldn’t notice right away through the heavy clouds anyway. Ah well, the rain might dampen the ground, but not our spirits! Today was our Christmas Bird Count, and science stops for no rain! We just pulled on layers of leggings, wool socks, thermal shirts, and flannel, topped with rain jackets and rain pants. It was time to count some birds! Continue reading
Real talk time, folks. This post is highly personal since it’s something I struggle with. If my writing occasionally sounds gritty or harsh, a lot of it is frustration with my own failure and how that failure has contributed to the Angry Christian label we all carry to some extent. I’m human, of course, so I know I will never be perfect. At the same time, though, I know I can be better. Continue reading
Linnaeus and the Lamppost 