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April: NOT a Butterfly

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April is butterfly counting month. I could have shown you a slew of butterflies for this edition of #YearInReview. Instead, let me perhaps introduce you to a fascinating critter that is equally photogenic in its own way! Indeed, I encountered this “fella” (boy or girl? no idea!) while counting butterflies at Allen Acres in Vernon Parish. But as always, I rarely am able to focus on just ‘one thing’ when I am out in the natural world with my camera. This is not the first robber fly I have encountered. Indeed, over time I have become increasingly interested in robber…

March: In the Pawpaw Patch

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The Zebra Swallowtail is what is known in the butterfly world as a “specialist.” The adults nectar on a variety of white, open-throated blossoms, like the wild plum (Prunus species) in the photo above. But the caterpillars will eat only Pawpaw, thus the adults deposit eggs only on Pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba). Poverty Point World Heritage Site has an abundance of Pawpaw trees. In fact, it has a trail named after the Pawpaw trees, and if you walk that trail the right time of year, you can go home with your pockets and your field pack–and even your bandana turned…

February: Timberdoodle Time

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February 2025 brought me a brand new fun and educational experience. One of my Master Naturalist friends, Suzaanne Laird, gave our chapter a presentation on Woodcocks, then took us out to find some with the help of Quill, the Wonder Dog. Suzanne leads hunts, but hunting season was over. We were strictly out to experience a well-trained bird dog and to get a glimpse of a Woodcock. The day was a huge success on both accounts. Quill pointed a half dozen birds for us, but try as I might, I never saw one on the ground. On one occasion, I…

January: Birds & Beaches

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It’s really late to be starting my #YearInReview series, but I’m going with “better late than never”! Winter is birding season and January 2025 I participated in the Lake Claiborne (State Park) Christmas Bird Count for the first time. Claiborne is in the northwest corner of the state, so two birding and butterfly counting friends and I met at a nearby hotel the night before so we could begin counting early the designated day. I’m sorry to say, I did not save documentation of the count totals to my computer, but I do recall that the three of us identified…

Local!

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It is always special fun to announce achievements on the local level. I get to invite friends to come see our thriving local art scene, right here in Northeast Louisiana! Réveillon is a fundraiser for our Northeast Louisiana Arts Council. It’s happening this Saturday, January 10, at 7 p.m. at the Bayou Pointe event center on the ULM campus. (Tickets here.) Large artworks will be auctioned live, and small artworks will be available for bid in a silent auction. My piece in the silent auction, Boudoir for a Beast, is a 12×9 limited edition archival print in a re-purposed vintage…