TOTAL Nature Photography

04/24/2026

Red-tailed Hawk

04/20/2026

🌿 Black Nightshade vs Deadly Nightshade ⚠️

1️⃣ Edibility
Black nightshade can be edible when fully ripe
Deadly nightshade is highly poisonous at all stages

2️⃣ Fruit appearance
Black nightshade has small, clustered berries on one stem
Deadly nightshade produces larger, single berries per stem

3️⃣ Calyx structure
Black nightshade has a smaller calyx with points close to the fruit
Deadly nightshade has a wider calyx with points spreading outward

4️⃣ Flowers
Black nightshade shows white petals with a yellow center in clusters
Deadly nightshade has purple, bell-shaped flowers that grow singly

5️⃣ Leaves
Black nightshade leaves are oval with smooth edges
Deadly nightshade leaves are more elongated with slightly wavy edges

6️⃣ Growth pattern
Black nightshade is more branched with many berries at once
Deadly nightshade is less branched with separate berries

7️⃣ Safety rule
Avoid consumption unless identification is certain
When uncertain, do not eat any wild berries

04/15/2026

We thought it would be cool to highlight the six broad-winged hawks we are tracking that summer in Canada!

Wintering locations for these individuals include Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.

Hugger and Amelia are in the lead, but who will make it back to their breeding territory first? 🧐

04/11/2026

03/24/2026

Back for another season - Skatutakee!

Skatutakee is one of our longest tracked broadwings in our study. She was trapped and banded in June 2022 and has continued to amaze us with her migratory movements.

Each year Skatutakee leaves her breeding territory (in July-early August) and heads north to Québec, Canada. She spends a few weeks in the region before departing for autumn migration.

The map shows the last four autumn migrations including Skatutakee's movements from her nest site in New Hampshire, USA to her post-breeding grounds in Québec, Canada and down into her wintering area in Bolivia and Peru.

➡️ In 2022, she initiated autumn migration on 14 September and arrived in Tujuhahuíra, Bolivia on 12 November.

➡️ In 2023, she left on 13 September and settled farther north in Inca, Peru by 19 November.

➡️ In 2024, she flew south on 11 September and arrived in Cascajo, Bolivia (a little later than usual) on 8 December.

➡️ In 2025, she started her migration from Québec on 12 September and by 12 November she settled in a new wintering site in Suapi, Bolivia.