Squeaker Calling
Animal of the Week: Squeaker the Red-shouldered Hawk
People using headphones beware!!
Red-shouldered hawks are birds of prey that are often heard before they are seen. While blue jays can almost perfectly imitate their call, it is hard to miss when Squeaker is communicating with other nearby hawks in the park.
To learn more and watch Squeaker eat a mouse, check out our raptor video on youtube (skip to 7:37)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtHBWRiNK6M&t=458s
Our very own NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist, Matt Felperin, was recently featured on the Virginia Outdoors Adventures Podcast!
This episode is available on:
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and wherever podcasts are available.
Please subscribe/follow and rate & review the VAOA podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts.
#AdventureOn #LetsGo #Virginia #birds #birding #CBC #christmasbirdcount #christmasbirdcount2020 #cbc2020 #vaoutdoors #virginiaoutdoors #nature #naturephotography #naturephoto #naturephotographer #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer #wildlifephotos #birdphotography #birdphotos #birdnerd #ilikebirds #communityscience #communityscientist #auduboncbc #novaparks #naturalist #rovingnaturalist
Animal of the Week: Shelby the Snapping Turtle
In order to help the eat their prey (in this case, mice), snapping turtles will create a suction with water in their mouths to help swallow their prey whole. In the wild you can find snapping turtles hunting for prey like fish, small mammals, birds and even other small turtles.
To learn more about Shelby the snapping turtle, you can watch our virtual lesson, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJXSyQdpLg
#novaparks #snappingturtle
Dude the Chameleon
Animal of the Week: Dude the Veiled Chameleon
Veiled chameleons have extremely elastic and powerful tongues that make them excellent predators. This combined with their prehensile tails (able to grasp and assist with climbing) and zygodactylous feet (two groupings of toes pointing in different directions) make them perfectly suited for their environment.
Learn about why chameleons actually change color by reading this article from National Geographic:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/08/chameleon-camouflage-color-change-myth-news/
#VeiledChameleon #novaparks
THIS JUST IN: Santaâs sleigh crashed and now he needs your help! From December 15th to 20th, go on a scavenger hunt and find Santaâs missing Helpers! Explore our park and locate the Helpers so they can get back to the North Pole in time! Appropriate for families and children of all ages. $5 per family. Check in at the nature center anytime between 11am and 3pm to pick up your scavenger hunt. NOVA Parks
Garden Rocks
"Planted" two more painted rocks today! #PORPROCKS! #kindnessrocks #carrot #strawberry #arlingtonmastergardeners
King Louis the Eastern Kingsnake
Animal of the Week: King Louis the Eastern Kingsnake
Eastern Kingsnakes are not only named for the yellow crown-shaped marking on the top of their heads - they are known for killing and eating other snakes, even venomous ones such as copperheads!
See if you can spot him in the video - or come meet him at the Nature Center!
#novaparks #PotomacOverlook #EasternKingsnake
Blue Bird Rock out in the park
The next painted rock has been hidden. Check out the clip to see if you know where it is hiding and then come on out and try to find it. #PORPROCKS! #kindnessrocks #bluebirdnest #paintedrocks
Stumpy on a Stump
Stumpy is counting the tree rings to see how old it is!
#novaparks #PotomacOverlook #BoxTurtle #Stumpy-on-a-Stump
Frog Rock
Painted Rock #2 is out for finding, check out this video for a hint to his location! #PORPROCKS! #kindnessrocks
Animal of the Week: Twiggy the Barred Owl
The diet of barred owls is primarily small mammals like squirrels, chipmunks, voles and mice, but they will also prey on birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish.
@potomacoverlook naturalist Sarah took this awesome video today of a daddy-long-legs (harvestman) attempting to feast on a dead wasp. Unlike most arachnids, which are strictly predatory, daddy-long-legs are omnivorous and even scavenge for food. Watch as this clumsy animal loses track of its prize and chases away a rival!
Box Turtle Racing!
On your mark, get set, go!! Todayâs Talkin Bout Turtles program saw our 3 eastern box turtles race each other for some tasty earthworms! Crunchy won this race here and Sunny made an epic comeback for the championship in the last race of the day, but Stumpy the seasoned veteran won 2 races and took home the title! Who says Box Turtles canât move? đą
Whatâs the newest buzz on the nature center? Weâre excited to announce that our bees have returned!! Come on out and see our observation hive, and learn about what makes our pollinating friends so important!
Check out the finale of our video series, "Explore Local", as we show you and your family fun ways to get out and experience what's around you! This week we are learning how to make and hide paper towel owls, with the help of a special feathered friend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cQzo4SOcrs&feature=youtu.be
Check out this entry in our newest video series, "Explore Local", as we show you and your family fun ways to get out and experience what's around you! This week we are introducing letterboxing, where we'll learn how to make our very own letterboxing stamp!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWyAku-WygU&feature=youtu.be
It's Meet the Critters Sunday and that means a chance to catch up with some of your favorite animals at Potomac Overlook! Each Sunday we'll post one of our hit videos from the âMeet the Critters seriesâ for anyone who missed them the first time or wants to see them again!
This week, soar on down and meet some of the resident raptors at Potomac Overlook! Watch them be fed, see how the staff care for them and learn why we have raptors in the first place in part 1 of our videos on birds of prey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtHBWRiNK6M&t=46s
It's Meet the Critters Sunday and that means a chance to catch up with some of your favorite animals at Potomac Overlook! Each Sunday we'll post one of our hit videos from the âMeet the Critters seriesâ for anyone who missed them the first time or wants to see them again!
This week, soar on down and meet some of the resident raptors at Potomac Overlook! Learn what features birds of prey all share and see two of the resident raptors up close in part 2 of our videos on birds of prey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmhdU0sYxh4
It's Meet the Critters Sunday and that means a chance to catch up with some of your favorite animals at Potomac Overlook! Each Sunday we'll post one of our hit videos from the âMeet the Critters seriesâ for anyone who missed them the first time or wants to see them again!
For this week, get an up close look at our amazing snakes as we feed them mice! Learn about what makes snakes such amazing creatures and why they are so important to the ecosystem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4cGJL5P4SI
Check out the first entry in our newest video series, "Explore Local", as we show you and your family fun ways to get out and experience what's around you! This week we'll learn about how to grow seeds and what species you can find locally.
https://youtu.be/LVAnOf6qCkg
Haunted Nature Center... the final installment... escaping the grim reaper and frankenstein! đđ§ââïž
Haunted Nature Center part three... the attack of the killer bees! đđ
Haunted Nature Center part deux! đ§đ»ââïžđŠ guts and cougar đ§