Gracie Latrelle

Tag: wildlife

  • Are Bald Eagles Actually “Bald”?

    Have you ever wondered if Bald Eagles are actually bald? Let’s find out!

    Bald Eagles get the name bald after an old English word “balde” which means white.

    The word bald pays tribute to these birds white feathered heads and white tail feathers which are one of the key factors that we all use to identify the species.

    So how do these guys and gals get their iconic white feathers? It’s a long but very amazing process!

    Bald Eagles are actually born with a fluffy white down but as they grow, their white down will change into a gray wooly down. This change normally happens around the first four weeks of the eaglets life.

    When the eaglet turns 5 weeks old, their black and brown feahered plumage will begin to grow out.

    Around 10 weeks old the eaglet will be fully covered in their adult dark black plumage. Some will mistaken the juvenile as a Golden Eagle.

    The “teenage” eagle will keep their dark colored feathers for the first 6 months of their life.

    After 6 months have gone by, the eagle will then begin transitioning from their dark head and tail feathers into a lighter creamish white feathers.

    The eagle will continue to molt year after year until it’s head and tail feathers are completely covered in white plumage. This normally occurs at around 5 years of age.

    So the “nest” time (oh excuse me!) The next time that ya’ll see a Bald Eagle try to remember how long of a process it is for these beautful birds to have their reigning feathers!

  • How Ducks Avoid Frostbite in Cold Waters

    Have you ever seen a Wild Pintail or Mallard Duck swimming and riding a river current and wondered just how do they swim in freezing cold and not get frostbite in their bare feet like us humans do? Let’s find out!

    Too much of the cold blood would bring their body temperature down which would then lead to hypothermia but ducks have another way of solving this!

    Ducks feet are not insulated through layers of fat nor feathers so with this being said, they instead rely on another source of warmth called “countercurrent”.

    As warm arterial blood rushes out of the duck’s heart and begins traveling its way to the duck’s feet, it is met closely by the rushing cold blood coming out of the duck’s feet. In birds the veins and arteries run close together therefore as they pass each other, the cold blood from the duck’s feet takes most of the heat from the artery causing the artery blood to be extremely cool before entering the duck’s leg, preventing any heat loose from the Duck’s body.

  • Georgia’s Wild Turkey Population Is in Serious Decline

    Here in the Appalachians where I am from turkeys are becoming less and less seen. I used to see and photograph dozens of turkeys around here each year but sadly I have not photographed the first turkey this year. This put me into research mode, and this is what I found out!

    According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resource, state agencies and researchers across the state of Georgia and the Southeast have been monitoring and watching closely turkey reproduction and the turkey harvest season each year and sadly they have seen alarming declines in the populations of wild turkeys.

    The poult or “baby turkey” hatching and growing rate is a fraction of what it was two decades ago. The poult count per each mother hen average has been on the decline since the late 1990’s. The poult count per each hen is around 1/3 of what it was at its peak. The average poult count is currently around 1.5 to 1.6 per hen.

    So what is causing these severe declines in the population?

    Coyotes and other predators are a major fact to this disruption of the poult or baby turkeys as they are nothing but a treat to them. A majority of nests and broods of poults are ravaged each year.

    Habitat changes like short timber rotations, hardwood removal and suburban development has caused these birds to lose their habitats or homes making it more difficult for these guys to reproduce and thrive.

    Last but not least is illegal hunting activity. Research has shown that gobbling, which is necessary for a male to win over a female during breeding season is being disrupted by hunters who are illegally taking male turkeys “toms” in their most vunerable times.

    By removing “toms” especially dominant toms, hunters could be impacting breeding activities and therefore disrupting the turkey population.

    The Wildlife Resources Division is currently working hard to help conserve and save the population from further decline.

  • Honeybees Are Not the Only Insects That Make Honey!

    Have you ever wondered after taking a bite of nature’s delicious gold if Honeybees are the animals that can produce this delicious treat?

    The answer really has two answers both yes and no so let’s dive right on into the hive and find out!

    The answer is no Honeybees are not the only insects that make honey!

    Bumblebees make honey but it cannot be collected and used for by humans. However, Bumblebees only make enough honey for the colony to be able to survive on bad weather days when they are not safe to leave the colony.

    Another group of insects that produces honey is wasps! There are over 17 species of Wasps that produce honey and one specific species that is known for its honey is the Mexican Honey Wasp or B. mellifica. This wasp’s honey is considered a delicacy in some cultures of Mexico. They also provide pest control and help to pollinate avocados.

    Hornets and Yellow Jackets do not produce honey.

    So, as you all can see Honeybees are not the only insects that produce honey, but it doesn’t make that honey taste any less sweeter!

  • Elk: The Loudest Deer in North America

    Did you know that Elk are the loudest species of deer?

    Elk, especially bull male elk, make one of the highest pitched and unique sounds that can be found on the planet.

    During the breeding season called the “rut” male bulls will make mating calls called “bugles” to help call in and win over his females.

    The high-pitched has been said by some to similar a mix between a scream and a whistle.

    Bugles from a bull elk are so loud sometimes they can be heard from miles away!

    Another call besides the bugle tht elk use to communicate is a sound called “clicking” but this communication doesn’t come from the voice!

    Clicking is the most commonly used call by elk when communicating.

    Elk make popping or clicking noises with their ankle joints. This lets other elk know that the elk behind them is part of their herd and is not a predator.

    Elk are very impressive animals and very smart as well. They know when danger is near and like I mentioned above they have several ways to help alert the rest of the herd of the nearby potential danger.

    However, this is another good reason why you should always be alert when visiting places that are populated with elk like the Great Smoky Mountains because if you are hiking and not paying attention and you come across an elk it may just mistaken you as a predator and nobody wants to make a 700lb bull elk or 500lb cow elk mad!

  • Natural Remedy for Bee and Wasp Stings

    Honeybees, Bumblebees and other insects are working tirelessly working to pollinate each and every flower bloom but while this is occurring, accidental stinging accidents are happening as well!

    Bee’s normally sting when they feel threatened or if their home is felt to be in great danger.

    So why does the sting of a bee hurt so bad? Bees have multiple chemical variations including acidic in their venom that they inject through their sting and for some people, the sting will be mild but to those that are allergic to these variations of chemicals, it can be deadly.

    Honeybee’s will normally only sting though if their hive is felt threatened. Worker bees are the only ones beside the queen that can sting. Male honeybees (drones) cannot sting. When a honeybee stings, it’s stinger has a barb and if the victim has thick skin the barb will sometimes get stuck in the victim.

    So how can you help the swelling and the pain from the sting?

    Apple cider vinegar is a great way to break down the venom, prevent infection from the sting and to reduce the swelling of the sight. Take a brown paper bag and soak diluted apple cider vinegar into the paper bag and wrap it around the sting if possible. This should help the sting affected area but if it doesn’t and causes irritation or a reaction stop immediately.

    Also, from someone that has a moderate reaction to bee stings and swells really badly, I recommend taking an antihistamine immediately after the sting happens.

  • Flowers That Will Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden!

    These are just a few of the many flowers that will attract hummingbirds to your backyard!

    1. Zinnias

    With their beautiful bright colors and tall stems, giant zinnias are a great add to any backyard flower garden when your trying to attract hummingbirds. Also dwarf zinnias are great as well and attract the hummingbirds just as much as the giant ones do!

    2. Red Salvia

    Salvia is one of my personal favorites to add to the pollinator garden as not only does their bright red appearances make your garden pop but the red color also helps attract the hummingbirds to your garden!

    3. Geraniums

    This one I call the “stinky plant” and I’ll explain why in the minute. Just like salvia their bright appearance truly causes your garden to glow with red flowers and with this attracts hummingbirds to your garden. The reason why I call it the “stinky plant” is because when the flower is disturbed it produces an odor that smells very similar to skunk spray.

    4. Petunias

    Petunias is another great add on to any garden who is trying to attract hummingbirds. The hummingbirds love the flowers due to their tubular-shaped appearance and their nectar!

    5. Sunflowers

    Now this one sounds like a weird choice, but hummingbirds truly love sunflowers. You can either purchase seeds in a prepackaged packet or you can just sow bird seed sunflower seeds.

    6. Tomatoes

    I know that this is again a weird choice but hummingbirds love to collect the nectar from the tomato blooms on the vine.

    7. Hummingbird Vine

    Just like its name these beautiful vines that produce trumpet shaped flowers attract hummingbirds very well to your garden.

    8. Butterfly Bush

    Butterfly bushes is a bush that produces a stem with dozens of small flowers attached to the end of each stem and these small flowers produces pollen for hummingbirds to eat!

    9. Hollyhocks

    With their cup shaped flowers, these are a great addition to anyone’s hummingbird garden.

    10. Lupines

    Last but not least is the Lupine. Lupines are flowering plants that have colorful spikes on top of the stem with tubular flowers making them a favorite among hummingbirds.

    I hope this helps all of you who are trying to attract our hummingbird friends!

  • Tennessee Is Named from This Underwater Town!

    Hidden underneath the Tellico River in Vonore, Tennessee lies the Cherokee Nation’s first capital city of Tanasi.

    The capital was in effect from 1721 to 1730, 46 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed.

    Tanasi attained political prominence in 1721 when its civil chief was elected the first “Emperor of the Cherokee Nation”. About the same time that this had occurred, the town name was also applied to the river on which it was located.

    During the mid-18th century, Tanasi became overshadowed and absorbed by the town of Chota which was located to the immediate north.

    So how did Tennessee get named from the town of Tanasi?

    The first recorded spelling of Tennessee as it is today occurred on Lt. Henry Timberlake’s map of 1762. In 1796, the name Tennessee was selected among several as most appropriate for the nation’s 16th state.

    The flooding to create the Tellico River in this area caused the town to become underwater. The flooding was caused for the Tellico Reservoir and to complete the construction of the dam on the Little Tennessee River.

    The site of the former town of Tanasi is now underwater and is located about 300 yards west of the Tanasi marker.

    Folks from all around can come to the Tanasi Memorial on the Tellico River to pay tribute to this underwater but never forgotten town!

    If ya’ll are interested in visiting here is the address to the marker

    Follow Hwy 360 to the junction of Hwy 360/Hwy 455 for about 5miles. Then turn left onto Country Road 461 where you will then turn right to the Tanasi Memorial.

  • What Causes a Wild Turkey’s Feathers to Shimmer?

    Wild Turkeys are one of the most beautiful birds of the Appalachian Mountains and one of the most unique! While on your annual trip to the Appalachians you will more than likely come across one of these majestic birds as their range is everywhere at every elevation.

    So, what makes these beautiful birds feathers shimmer in multiple colors? We are fixing to find out but first let’s learn a little bit more about their feathers!

    An adult Wild Turkey is covered with five to six thousand feathers. Their feathers come in eight different shapes and several colors and sizes. Each feather group has a pattern, and these are called “feather tracts”. Feather tracts can include the tail feathers all the way to their wing feathers!

    A Wild Turkey has on average eighteen tail feathers, but that number can be greater or lesser.

    Males use their wing feathers and tail feathers to promote mating. They will flare their tail feathers in a large fan and then walk across the field while expanding their wing feathers and dragging them on the ground. They will also flare their breast and back feathers and will change their head color from blue to red.

    So, what truly causes a turkey’s feathers to shimmer in multiple colors? Let’s find out!

    A Wild Turkey’s feathers while in the sunlight shimmer multiple colors ranging from red, copper, gold, orange, green, purple all the way to bronze.

    However, the head, neck and breastbone are mostly featherless making these amazing birds even more unique!

    The feathers that they have though serve multiple purposes including but not limited to protecting them from the elements, camouflage, flight, to attract a mate and etc.

    From a baby to an adult, a Wild Turkey goes through eight different feather molts.

    Needless to say, they are very colorful birds!

  • Bear Safety Tips!

    Black bears, a fierce creature but yet gentle until provoked! So how do we keep these beautiful creatures and our family safe without harming you or the bear while camping? Here are a few ways!

    1. Do Not Feed The Bear!

    Sure, Black bears look cute and cuddly from a distance but don’t let that get to you! Bears are extremely territorial especially with food as it is their natural instincts to compete with other animals for food in the wild.

    2. Leave the bear be!

    Bears are not meant for up-close and personal encounters as this might result in your last encounter! If you find yourself accidently too close, stop, back away from the bear and do not turn your eyes away on the bear as these are wild animals and are extremely unpredictable! If the bear still follows you, make loud noise and make yourself larger than the bear by raising your arms above your head!

    3. Bring Bear Spray!

    This is a last result option but if the bear begins to attack you, spray the bear and the bear more than likely will leave. It’s completely safe for the bear and only requires discomfort for a few minutes.

    4. Lock Your Food Inside Your Car or Camper!

    Food locked away is a bear’s best friend as a fed bear is truly a dead bear! Bears continue to come back to the campground of which they were fed and when you don’t feed the bear, the bear becomes severely angered and can result in an attack!

    5. Don’t Camp in Any Campsite with Leftover Food Left in It!

    It always a good rule of thumb as you don’t necessarily have to be the one who left the food behind but those before who did probably attracted in some kind of wildlife with it which would include bears! So, always be alert when pulling into a new campsite with some leftovers as it might come with a furry guest as well!

    I hope these tips were helpful! Happy Camping Everyone!