Local Ecologist

Image: The Wind Blew , by Pat Hutchins The winter, the weather has been surprisingly cold with lots of snow events and chilling winds.  On windy days we turn to The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins,  Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand, and Blue's Windy Day . In "our office" we've been asking some variation on the next book's title every day: Oh Say Can You Say What's The Weather Today? by Tish Rabe for The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library. Image: James and the Rain , by Karla Kuskin It has also rained this winter and when it does we read James and the Rain by Karla Kuskin.  (The illustrations in this book are fantastic and it makes counting fun.) Image: The owl chasing the hare in Here Is the Arctic Winter , by Madeleine Dunphy ( source ) We wrote about Here Is the Arctic Winter by Madeleine Dunphy in 10 Children's books about nature . This winter it has been fairly easy to make it snow in morning by reading Ezra Jack Keats's cla

Do you remember the discontinued series "Where in NYC? (Subway series)" ? When I traveled through the 42nd Street-Bryant Park/Fifth Avenue station and saw the Samm Kunce's Under Bryant Park , I thought it only fair to post, at least once more, about subway art. The series may be revived with a focus on artworks depicting nature. Here is a quote about the installation from the artist from the MTA Arts for Transit website: People travel the subway system, water and other utility services are delivered by pipes, and plants and trees that provide grace and softness against the city's sharper edges find their way to water and nutrients underground through a system of roots.

Wild About is a celebration of the flora and fauna commonly found in our cities. Instead of fact sheets, this space will showcase books, art, music, societies, and whimsical objects about urban-adaptable plants and animals. If you would like to see your favorite urban-oriented plant or animal featured, please email us at info(at)localecology.org. Image: Snowy owl infographic, produced by Kate Fulton/designed by Karen Brazell for PBS ( source ) Much of last week's snow has melted or was washed away by warm weather and rain yesterday. Yet, today's very cold temperature is in keeping with the Arctic-dwelling snowy owl ( Bubo scandiacus ). The snowy owl is not a typical urban-adapted bird but it irrupted spectacularly in the New York metro area last year.  The irruption received a lot of coverage.  A few of the pieces we read were: 1. The snowy owls are saved! via WNYC Radio 2. Snowy owl migration to the U.S. among biggest ever via Discovery News (H/T Wild New Jersey)