A Blog of Birds & Nature with Kate St. John
16 August 2026 Answer: It s more than just the word rock. Pigeons are known for their ability to fly home even when dropped off in an unfamiliar location, a feat they are able to accomplish, in part, because they have an internal compass that can see Earth s magnetic field. Where is the compass inside a Continue reading What Do Rock Pigeons and Rock Lobsters Have in Common?
photos by Mary DeVaughn 15 August 2026 Seen this week were Butterflies: On Friday morning, 14 August, I got a message from Mary DeVaughn: Just caught some nice camouflage here! A “dead leaf” landed on my windowsill but then it opened its wings! It s a question mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis). Charity Kheshgi and Continue reading Seen This Week: Butterflies and Fruits
14 August 2026 Going to the beach? You re certain to see shorebirds but who are they? They may be difficult to identify if they re not in breeding plumage. To give you some practice, check out this video by Get to Know Nature. Filmed at the New Jersey shore, it highlights six species. You might not Continue reading Shorebirds at the Beach
13 August 2026 Late July through September is the best time of year to see funnel webs in Pittsburgh. The spiders that build these webs have been present since spring but they were so small I overlooked their webs. Late summer webs show nicely, especially in dew. Here s my selection of photos from 2016 to Continue reading Funnel Webs!
12 August 2026 Is it real or is it artificial intelligence (AI)? A decade ago only dedicated photographers and videographers had good editing tools because the software cost money and it took time to learn. But in the past two years AI became embedded in my cellphone photo editor. The tools are so easy to Continue reading AI s Threat to Science Media Archives
11 August 2026 On a walk last week on Joncaire Street near Schenley Park I was struck by the size and diversity of the weeds by the sidewalk, especially the grasses. Why look at weeds? Peter Del Tredici explains in Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast that cities have become novel ( new ) ecosystems. We have Continue reading Foxtail Grass
10 August 2026 In August in southwestern PA you may notice a tiny white ball floating above the trail, maybe at eye level. If you walk into it you discover the ball is on a thread. It moves horizontally in a light breeze and can raise and lower itself. On closer inspection you can see Continue reading This Tiny White Ball on a Thread is a Carnivore
9 August 2026 A year ago, on 10 August 2025, a mega tsunami flooded the Tracy Arm fjord south of Juneau, Alaska. It began at the foot of the South Sawyer Glacier. embedded Google map of showing South Sawyer Glacier at the head of Tracy Arm. Note Juneau near top of the map at Sitka Continue reading MegaTsunami was Triggered by Glacial Retreat
8 August 2026 Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) became more abundant this week but are still just a handful compared to 2023. In fact I had to go looking for them. At the Herrs Island back channel on 3 August my experience was: I found you, spotted lanternfly! instead of three years ago: Ewwwww! Yuk! So Continue reading Seen This Week: Insects and the Scarlet Pimpernel
7 August 2026 Candice Burke posts wonderful bird photographs at @candiburke on X. In the past two weeks her yard in Hyrum in Utah s Cache Valley has been a Little Bit of Hummingbird Heaven. Three species are possible at this time of year: black-chinned, broad-tailed, and rufous. Can you identify these? On 6 August 2026. Continue reading A Little Bit of Hummingbird Heaven