National Great Outdoors Month is celebrated in June and serves as a reminder to enjoy and appreciate our state parks and wildlife refuges. This observation, begun in 1998, encourages us to explore our parks and enjoy the beauty that awaits us in our natural world.
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The upper surface of the terrapin's shell, called the carapace, is formed of 13 plates, or scutes. Each scute is roughly circular and grooved with rings. Since one ring is formed each year, the age of...
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The great egret is a large white wading bird. Unlike the snowy egret, the great egret has a yellow bill and black legs and feet. This bird is the symbol of the National Audubon Society. Their long...
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The mud snail is black, with a very strong shell, and is about 1/2 inch in length. It is an effective scavenger and hundreds of snails will collect around a dead fish or shrimp bait until they...
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The salt marsh is home to many animals, including some that people like to eat. Blue crabs are often caught in wire boxes called crab pots. Shrimp grow from tiny larvae to big adults while they live...
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This time-lapse clip shows the fiddler crabs emerging from their burrows as the tide goes out. After the movie has loaded and played, try dragging the "playhead" of the clip back and forth to simulate...
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Male fiddler crabs have one large claw, which can be either their left or right. They wave these large claws at other males to frighten them away from their territory. When they wave the claw, they...
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It ís a raccoon! Raccoons often feed near water and frequently visit the salt marsh during low tide. Raccoons are omnivorous and eat many different plants and animals. In the salt marsh, they often...
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Patrick McMillan visits the North Slope Region of Alaska, where he showcases two species of bird which reside in this freezing cold region: the Snow Bunting, and the Lapland Longspur. The Snow Bunting...
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Patrick McMillan visits Loveland Pass, Colorado, where he shows us Snow Buttercup flowers. These flowers take advantage of the insulation provided by layers of snow. The snow also protects these...
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Patrick McMillan visits Sabal Palm Sanctuary, in Brownsville, Texas. The Buff-Bellied Hummingbird, and the Red-Naped Sapsucker woodpecker are some species of bird which come to this sanctuary to spend...
