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PICTURE: A squirrel, his (or her) nose still dirty from digging, clutches a snack but wants to make sure that I'm not going to steal it. The Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford C,T April 2006

PICTURE: Master Gardeners checking for native plants, and invasives, in the woods along the Poorhouse Brook, Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford CT, early April 2006

PICTURE: Caring for the grass at the Mill River Park ("Cherry Park"). The starlings forge for seeds and small insects; the Canada geese keep the grass uniformly short. This time of year, after having 50 to 100 grass-eating geese in residence all winter, the park lawn looks like it has been cut, blade-by-blade, with manicure scissors. If only we had some form of goose-poop control! Stamford CT April 2006

PICTURE: Last October, we had a month of rain, after 2 months of drought. This was one of the many wood snakes temporarily driven from their homes along the Poorhouse Brook by the rising waters. Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford CT October 2005

PICTURE: This dog guards his yard near Southfield Park, south of the mouth of the Mill River.

PICTURE: Monk parakeets at Southfield Park. January 2006. These South Americans were involuntary immigrants but thrive here due to their urban-savvy ways. They don't seem to be disturbing other members of the environment except some humans. The monks are a legitimate issue for our Parks Department, because the birds like to nest in the park lights. The Department, laudably, I think, has mostly taken a "live and let live" attitude toward these lovely, resourceful (but somewhat noisy) birds.

PICTURE: A crawfish temporarily removed for study from the Bartlett Arboretum Pond by a UConn Biology Lab class on a field trip. Stamford CT April 2006

PICTURE: Little league baseball, Scalzi Park, Stamford CT April 2006

PICTURE: Immature gulls at Southfield Park. January 2006.

PICTURE: A beautiful (and delicious) golden sucker is caught at the Mill River Dam (at West Main) Stamford CT April 2006. Many kinds of fish inhabit the brackish water below the dam. I have also seen baby lobsters sheltering here.

PICTURE: Chipmunk near the Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford CT July 2004. The many chipmunks live in the upland woods along the Mill River and its feeder creeks. When upset, they make a loud chit-chit-chit sound that can be more persistent than a car alarm. This is especially true in the fall when, I guess, they are cranky due to the non-stop work load.

PICTURE: Fish nests north of the Broad Street Bridge, June 2006

PICTURE: A ghost moth sheltering under the eaves at Wright Tech next to Scalzi Park July 2005.

PICTURE: Heavy rains caused a big flood last weekend (April 22-23); 3 of 4 Canada goose nests between the Broad Street Bridge and the West Main Bridge (about 2 city blocks) were washed away. Days later, the bereft parents, two of whom are pictured here, were still plaintively calling for their lost egg-children. It is likely that the mallards, and some shore birds, suffered similar losses. Note: In May, 30-some baby geese were counted between Board Street and Pulaski; but sadly, as far as north as Scalzi, not a single baby mallard could be found.

PICTURE: Noon-time soccer at the Mill River Park ("Cherry Park"). The cherry trees at the river's edge are in the background. Stamford CT Late April 2006.

PICTURE: Mergansers and mallards in the winter snow along the Mill River at Scalzi Park, Stamford CT February 2006

PICTURE: White-tail deer "hiding" along the banks of the Mill River at Scalzi Park, yards from human visitors enjoying Sunday at the park. Stamford CT, June 2006

PICTURE: Mourning doves in a silver maple with bulging spring buds, overhanging the Mill River at Scalzi Park, Stamford CT February 2006

PICTURE: A master fisherman at work along Mill River at the Mill River Park ("Cherry Park"). Stamford CT Late April 2006. The river is still high from last week's flood.

PICTURE: Wasp tending the smooth sumac flowers along the Mill River at Scalzi Park, Stamford CT July 2005.

PICTURE: Gull in the winter sun, north of Southfield Park. , Stamford CT March 2006.

PICTURE: Swam sleeping in the West Branch of the Stamford Harbor, just below the Pulaski Street Bridge where the Mill River empties into the Long Island Sound. Stamford CT March 2006

PICTURE: Cormorant landing just below the Mill River Dam, Stamford CT April 2006

PICTURE: Young squirrel, trying to blend into the tree branch, the Mill Riverwalk at Scalzi Park, Stamford CT February 2006

PICTURE: Before the mid-April flood, this snapping turtle makes his way across the accumulated leaves then covering the bottom of the Mill Dam pond, on his way to lunch in the channel near the Bridge Street Bridge. Today, he's having the fingerling fish. The Mill River at the Mill River Park ("Cherry Park"). Stamford CT April 2006.

PICTURE: One of the many, glorious grackles that live along the Mill River. This one is in a red maple about to burst into bloom along the Mill River walk at Scalzi Park, Stamford CT early April 2006

PICTURE: Last summer's severe drought greatly reduced the water levels in the Bartlett Arboretum wet lands that drain into the Poorhouse Brook. some critter, probably a raccoon or a muskrat, took advantage of the newly shallow water to dredge up some of the impressively large fresh water clams that had been growing under the swamp, undistributed for many years. The Red Maple Wetland Walk at the Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford CT summer 2005.

PICTURE: A dragonfly pauses briefly to rest in the summer sun. The Red Maple Wetland Walk at the Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford CT July 2004

PICTURE: A leopard frog at the Bartlett Arboretum pond, Stamford CT April 2006

PICTURE: Killdeer in the MIll Pond below the Broad Street Bridge, May 2006. They also might have lost their children in the April flood. Sometmes, if you look closely near where the plovers are, you can also see a spotted sandpiper (below)

PICTURE: Spotted sandpiper in the MIll Pond below the Broad Street Bridge, May 2006, is "given away" by its reflection.