@barbritz.bsky.social
PA Master Naturalist, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary volunteer, birder, native plant gardener
The gluttonous doves have found my feeders. At one point 3 were sitting in the hanging feeder with 4 more waiting anxiously on the fence waiting for a spot to open up. Maybe I should tell them to get reservations from now on😆
December 3, 2025 at 8:10 PM
The gluttonous doves have found my feeders. At one point 3 were sitting in the hanging feeder with 4 more waiting anxiously on the fence waiting for a spot to open up. Maybe I should tell them to get reservations from now on😆
Spent some time last weekend touring Penguin Court and Kentuck Knob located in the Laurel Highlands
of PA
of PA
November 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Spent some time last weekend touring Penguin Court and Kentuck Knob located in the Laurel Highlands
of PA
of PA
It’s finally beginning to look like fall. It’s been very green even though we’re into October. Not sure what the Nor’easter will do to this area so I thought I would take a picture before it hits this weekend.
October 10, 2025 at 12:22 AM
It’s finally beginning to look like fall. It’s been very green even though we’re into October. Not sure what the Nor’easter will do to this area so I thought I would take a picture before it hits this weekend.
This monarch stopped by today to feast on my smooth blue asters
October 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
This monarch stopped by today to feast on my smooth blue asters
A quiet moment at Locust Lake State Park
October 1, 2025 at 8:35 PM
A quiet moment at Locust Lake State Park
We had a great day for the fall native plant sale at Hawk Mountain Ssnctuary
September 20, 2025 at 10:00 PM
We had a great day for the fall native plant sale at Hawk Mountain Ssnctuary
Photo of a bumblebee, complete with pollen saddlebag, on some Sneezeweed. Sneezeweed does not make you sneeze. Its pollen is too heavy to be carried by wind. It got its name because the dried leaves and flowers used to be ground up to make snuff, which does make you sneeze.
September 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Photo of a bumblebee, complete with pollen saddlebag, on some Sneezeweed. Sneezeweed does not make you sneeze. Its pollen is too heavy to be carried by wind. It got its name because the dried leaves and flowers used to be ground up to make snuff, which does make you sneeze.
Just a few of the things growing in the Hawk Mountain Habitat Garden at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. The berries are High Bush Cranberry which is a viburnum. The yellow flower is Woodland Sunflower, and the bright red flower is Cardinal Flower.
September 9, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Just a few of the things growing in the Hawk Mountain Habitat Garden at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. The berries are High Bush Cranberry which is a viburnum. The yellow flower is Woodland Sunflower, and the bright red flower is Cardinal Flower.
Found this Catalpa Sphinx moth clinging to my bike rack on my car
September 9, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Found this Catalpa Sphinx moth clinging to my bike rack on my car
This is a small patch of goldenrod in my yard. I can’t believe how much insect activity there is. Most visitors are bees but there are a lot of wasps, flies, butterflies, and beetles as well. It is non-stop buzzing.
September 2, 2025 at 8:33 PM
This is a small patch of goldenrod in my yard. I can’t believe how much insect activity there is. Most visitors are bees but there are a lot of wasps, flies, butterflies, and beetles as well. It is non-stop buzzing.
Check out these cool insects! #invertefest
August 25, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Check out these cool insects! #invertefest
Saw a number of monarch butterflies today. Have seen very few until today.
August 18, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Saw a number of monarch butterflies today. Have seen very few until today.
This Black-bellied Whistling-Duck had all her little ducks in a row
August 11, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This Black-bellied Whistling-Duck had all her little ducks in a row
Met a couple of critters in Florida who were kind enough to pose for me
August 11, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Met a couple of critters in Florida who were kind enough to pose for me
Found this juvenile red-bellied woodpecker trying to figure out the bird feeder at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
July 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Found this juvenile red-bellied woodpecker trying to figure out the bird feeder at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Senna blooming-it’s an unusual flower
that attracts lots of pollinators. It is a host plant for some of the cloud sulfurs and silver-spotted skippers.
that attracts lots of pollinators. It is a host plant for some of the cloud sulfurs and silver-spotted skippers.
July 24, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Senna blooming-it’s an unusual flower
that attracts lots of pollinators. It is a host plant for some of the cloud sulfurs and silver-spotted skippers.
that attracts lots of pollinators. It is a host plant for some of the cloud sulfurs and silver-spotted skippers.
Found this dog-day cicada in the Hawk Mt. Sanctuary Native Habitat Garden today
July 19, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Found this dog-day cicada in the Hawk Mt. Sanctuary Native Habitat Garden today
Apparently it’s #WorldSnakeDay so here’s a lovely little garter snake
July 16, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Apparently it’s #WorldSnakeDay so here’s a lovely little garter snake
Just a few of the insects that have shown up in my yard since I started planting natives. I didn’t even know some of them existed. It’s a very small yard but the biodiversity has increased tremendously. I also have birds visiting to eat the seeds from these plants in the winter time.
June 24, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Just a few of the insects that have shown up in my yard since I started planting natives. I didn’t even know some of them existed. It’s a very small yard but the biodiversity has increased tremendously. I also have birds visiting to eat the seeds from these plants in the winter time.
Saw this common spring moth sitting in the primrose. Great combination of black, white, and yellow surrounded by green.
June 13, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Saw this common spring moth sitting in the primrose. Great combination of black, white, and yellow surrounded by green.
The penstemon digitalis (foxglove beardtongue) is blooming
June 10, 2025 at 11:51 PM
The penstemon digitalis (foxglove beardtongue) is blooming
Found this Common Spring Moth in the Hawk Mountain Habitat Garden yesterday. Had to use iNaturalist to ID it. Never saw one before.
June 8, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Found this Common Spring Moth in the Hawk Mountain Habitat Garden yesterday. Had to use iNaturalist to ID it. Never saw one before.
I bought this replica at the Metropolitan Museum of Art many, many years ago. Something about it just caught my attention.
June 5, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I bought this replica at the Metropolitan Museum of Art many, many years ago. Something about it just caught my attention.
First really hot day here in central PA. The Mountain Laurel was blooming and lots of ovenbirds, red-eyed vireos, hooded warblers were singing
June 5, 2025 at 12:49 AM
First really hot day here in central PA. The Mountain Laurel was blooming and lots of ovenbirds, red-eyed vireos, hooded warblers were singing
Spent the day in the Native Habitat Garden at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary today. Turtles, frogs, birds, and plants-doesn’t get much better!
May 26, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Spent the day in the Native Habitat Garden at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary today. Turtles, frogs, birds, and plants-doesn’t get much better!