September 7 Nature Walk

The second of the annual Detroit Audubon field trips to Eliza Howell Park takes place on Saturday, September 7, 2019, starting at 8:00 a.m. The public is invited; there is no cost.

Timed to coincide with the early days of the Fall bird migration, this walk give special attention to birds, especially warblers headed from the North Woods to Central and South America. Depending upon the weather conditions, we are likely to see several warbler species, perhaps including these three. (Thank you to Margaret Weber for these three photos.)

Black and White Warbler

Nashville Warbler

American Redstart

The fall warbler migration begins at the end of August and continues into October, with individuals of some 20 different species making short stops at Eliza Howell. The find from one day to the next is almost always different.

If September 7 is a good day, the birds will keep us quite busy, but we will also stop for non-bird observations. This is about the best time of the year to note the variety and nature of spider webs among the wildflowers and the shrubs. They vary in sizes and shape; this is a small one on a thistle.

September is also the month when I most frequently see a Praying Mantis (or 2 or 3). They have reached maturity and may be seeking mates and/or laying eggs. (I wrote about “Praying Mantis Egg Laying” on September 13, 2018.)

Butterflies continue to be present. One of my favorite late-season butterflies is the Common Buckeye, which makes it appearance in Eliza Howell after the July butterfly peak.

I usually find several Bald-faced Hornet nests in the park each year, beginning about this time. We may want to stop for a look (through lenses) to watch the hornets enter and exit the hole near the bottom of these amazing constructions. (For more, see “Bald-faced Hornet Nests,” December 12, 2017.)

Blue Jays migrate in September and many spend days at Eliza Howell harvesting acorns, from the middle of September into October. (For more information, see “Blue Jays Harvesting Acorns,” August 27, 2018).

September 7 might be a little early to see them at work, but we will check (this photo also courtesy of Margaret Weber).

The seasons repeat themselves, so it is possible to predict what might be seen at any given time of the year. But it is also true that every day is different and almost every walk includes an element of the unexpected. Such is the nature of nature walks. September 7 should be fun.

Nature Discovery Day Is July 13

On Saturday, July 13,  there is a great opportunity for visitors to the park to become more familiar with the wildflowers, butterflies, birds, mammals, trees — and more – of Eliza Howell Park: 9:00 – noon. Free and open to everyone.

There will be exhibits, activities, and options of guided walks designed to point out some of the natural wealth of this Detroit park. The park entrance is on Fenkell east of Telegraph. The event also includes an opportunity to learn more about the U-M wildlife motion-activated camera project (which includes Eliza Howell Park).

Among the highlights of mid-July are the meadow/prairie wildflowers. Among those catching my attention recently are these.

Clockwise from top left: Foxglove Beardtongue, Black-eyed Susan, Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed

The event is organized by Eliza Howell Park Partnership (EHPP), a coalition of persons with different organizational affiliations and a common interest in highlighting Eliza Howell as a place for observing and enjoying nature in an urban environment.

Guides will be present to assist in identifying the varieties of flowers, as well as the specific species of butterflies they attract. These are among the common butterflies at this time of the year.

Clockwise from top left: Monarch, Common Ringlet, Red Admiral, Pearl Crescent.

While I am often unable to get a picture of a butterfly I see, it is never difficult to find flowers waiting to be photographed.

Clockwise from top left: Staghorn Sumac, Chicory, Wild Bergamot, St John’s Wort.

Eliza Howell is the kind of nature park it is, in significant part, because the Rouge River runs through it. For those who wish to take it on Saturday, a short walk to the footbridge provides a good view of the shaded river.

Back in the field, one flower not to be missed is Wild Bergamot, a mint family flower, sometimes called beebalm, that has only recently begun its summer blooming season. It is a magnet for a variety of insects. In this picture, the visitor is a Hummingbird Moth.

Many mammals are more active at night than during the day. The cameras used in the UM wildlife camera project have located and identified some of the mammals of the night, as will be reported on July 13.

Two that I have recently seen during the day are White-tailed Deer and Groundhog.

I thank EHPP for providing this opportunity to witness and enjoy the natural wealth of the park.

 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Nest: An Annual Quest

This is the eight consecutive year that I have found at least one Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nest in Eliza Howell Park. The nests are small, not easy to find, and I am fascinated by them, thrilled when I find one.

This 2019 nest (in the center of the picture) is in a maple tree, lower than many.

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a very small and very active bird with a longish white-edged tail. It winters in (or near) Central America and arrives in EHP in April each year.

     Photos 2, 3, and 5 are by Margaret Weber.

By the middle of May, pairs are making their nests, the female and male working cooperatively on a neat, 2-3 inch-wide (outside dimensions) open cup placed on a horizontal branch, often next to a vertical or side branch.

The nest is as tall as it is wide, flexible layers of material like grasses and strips of bark all held together and attached to the tree by spider webs or caterpillar silk. The outside is almost entirely covered with lichen and bark flakes, making it look more like part of the tree than like a bird nest. The camouflage is effective; even when I know where the nest is, I often have a hard time re-locating it.

This is one of my favorites among the nests I anticipate seeing annually. I am fascinated by the way in which the outside is “decorated,” and by the webbing used to attach it (some of which is visible in this picture).

The approximately 1.5 inch-wide inside is lined with soft plant down. It is tiny, but big enough for 3-5 eggs/nestlings. The eggs are only 1/2 inch long. Both sexes participate in incubation and in feeding the young, just as they do in nest building. They sometimes have a second brood (in a different nest) a little later and they will build a second nest if, for some reason, they abandon the first one.

One of my goals each year for the June Detroit Audubon-sponsored field trip to Eliza Howell Park is to be able to point out an active Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nest, even if I cannot expect others to be quite as enthusiastic as I am about this tiny bird and its fascinating nest.

Note: This year the field trip is on Saturday, June 8, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome.

 

Some Recent FOYs

“FOY,” meaning first-of-the-year observation, appears frequently in my notes about my visits to Eliza Howell Park at this time of the year. There is something new to be seen every day.

Here are a few selected FOYs from recent walks, each of which seems noteworthy in its own way.

1.FOY Wild Lupine.

Lupine tends to be the first to bloom each year among the flowers in native wildflower field at Eliza Howell. It is starting to bloom now and I always note it both because of its attractiveness and as a herald of all that is to come.

2.FOY Baltimore Oriole Nest

Photo by Kevin Murphy

The nesting Baltimore Orioles are one of the highlights of the Detroit Audubon-sponsored field trip to Eliza Howell each June. (This year it is Saturday, June 8, at 8:00 a.m. – free and open to all.)

These orioles typically arrive in the first week of May and begin building nests in the third week of the month. The picture here was taken on May 18; the female was weaving.

3.FOY Burrowing Crayfish Hole

Crayfish (also called crawfish and sometimes crawdads) are gilled and clawed crustaceans, related to lobsters. Some are terrestrial, spending most of their lives away from bodies of water. They burrow down to groundwater and come up at night to eat on land. They are nocturnal and I have no pictures from Eliza Howell, but this hole is evidence that they remain present in the park. This one will probably continue to remove mud as it digs deeper, piling it up near the entrance in the shape of a chimney (or volcano).

4.FOY Common Milkweed

The common milkweed is a wildflower made famous as a host plant for Monarch butterfly eggs and larvae. Right after I saw the FOY Monarch on May 15, I checked a spot where I have found early milkweeds in other years. They are up and growing and will be ready any time the Monarchs are ready to lay eggs.

5.FOY Fledgling Robins

The day after I took this picture of 4 young robins filling the nest, they left it. While I have been observing a number of different bird nests this spring, this is the first that I have watched successful fledging.

6.FOY Opossum Encounter

On a recent walk in the EHP woods, I met this opossum along the path. “Possums” are nocturnal mammals and this daytime encounter reminds me that they are sometimes visible during the day. Maybe someday I see a mother opossum with several young on her back. That would be a great lifetime first (designated in my notes by “L” for “lifer.”)

7.FOY Honeysuckle Blossoms

The redbuds and the crabapples have already been blooming for some time, but one of my favorite blossoms, honeysuckle, is just beginning. Most of the honeysuckle in the park have white blossoms, but a few, like this one, tend toward pink. The picture was taken on May 21.

—-

This list of recent FOYs could be considerably longer, but it is time to get away from the desk and back to the park to see what is new today!

Cutleaf Toothwort: A Spring Flower with an Unusual Name

Cutleaf Toothwort is one of my favorites among the early wildflowers in Eliza Howell Park, a delicate woodland flower with a not-so-delicate name. It is beginning to bloom this week and will be finished blooming already in a couple weeks.

Note: The first public Eliza Howell nature walk of 2019 will include a look at this and some other spring wildflowers: Saturday, April 27, at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome. We will meet near the nature trail, about ½ of the way around the road loop from the Fenkell entrance.  

Cutleaf Toothwort (or Cut-leaved Toothwort) is a perennial that grows in moist soil that is undisturbed and rich with organic matter, typically found in areas that have dappled sunlight before they become shaded when the trees overhead have leafed out.

It often grows in patches and is quite common in Eliza Howell along the path in the woods.

It gets to be several inches tall, with anywhere from 3 to 15 flowers bunched at the top of the stem. Each ½ inch flower has 4 white petals, sometimes tinged with pink. The flowers often hang down and may be only partially open on cloudy days.

The “cutleaf” part of the name is clearly understandable when one looks at the leaves. “Toothwort” is less evident. “Wort” is a word used for a number of plants, especially those considered to have some medicinal value; an example is “St. John’s Wort.” There are a couple possible explanations for the “tooth” part of the name. One is that it is based on the reported use of the roots by some Native Americans to treat toothache. The most widespread explanation for “tooth” in the name, and the explanation that I usually give, is that the underground tuber resembles a tooth.

I try not to disturb native wildflowers growing in the park, but we have a little patch of Cutleaf Toothwort in our yard and I dug up a plant there.

Cutleaf Toothwort is a true ephemeral perennial (short above-ground life cycle); about two months after the first growth appears, it has produced its seed, dies back, and does not show itself again until the next spring. It’s a plant to enjoy while I can.

Other early woodland wildflowers that appear in Eliza Howell near the end of April include Spring Beauty, Trout Lily (2 types), Violet (a variety), and Wild Geranium. After a long winter, they are all most welcome. Cutleaf Toothwort is just one, but somehow it gets my special attention.

Thinking April during Winter Walks

I enjoy nature walks in the winter in Eliza Howell Park, especially when there is snow on the ground, but for 2-3 months the seasonal changes are minimal. Plants and many animals are dormant and the number of birds present is the lowest of any time during the year. Nature’s year begins later in the calendar year in Detroit, in March rather than in January.

So, during my quiet winter walks, I sometimes find myself thinking ahead and anticipating some of the special times that will be coming later this year, some of the best times to visit the park to observe, and perhaps to photograph, annual natural phenomena.

The first “don’t miss” days marked on my calendar are late April. (There will be a public nature walk on Saturday, April 27, at 10 a.m.)

In late April, the earliest of the summer breeding birds will have returned from their winter grounds and, like this male Red-winged Blackbird, will be claiming their territories and proclaiming their interest in a mate.

     Photo by Margaret Weber

Sometime in the second half of April (the exact time is temperature dependent), American Toads will return to their breeding pond in EHP and spend a couple of days and nights in loud calling and in mating / egg-laying. In 2018, the weather was too warm in May and the pond dried up before the tadpoles were fully developed, so it will be especially interesting to see what happens this year.

     Photo by Margaret Weber

Late April is also the beginning of the blooming wildflower season in the park, with a variety of small species found along the paths in the woods. The timing of this is also weather dependent, but on the basis of my experience over the last decade, the last week in April is usually a good time to see them. This collage of Violets is made up of pictures taken in 2018.

The Mayapple does not usually bloom as early as April in Eliza Howell, but it is fascinating to observe how it emerges. There are several patches where its progress can be observed in the late days of April.

Of the approximately 30 butterfly species that can be seen annually in Eliza Howell, the first ones usually show up in late April. The tiny Spring Azure, pictured with the wings up here, is a lovely blue when the wings are open.

April is also the month when the earliest bird nests can be found (the Red-tailed Hawk nest earlier). Most song birds build their nests later (the annual Detroit Audubon field trip to Eliza Howell to observe nesting bids is in early June), but I often find a couple by late April.

These pictures were taken in April, 2018. The one on the left, a nest on the ground, is Killdeer. The one on the right, in a shrub, is Northern Cardinal.

My walks continue all winter and I usually find something noteworthy each time, but the changes from one week to the next are nothing now like they are when spring has fully arrived. To avoid missing special developments – such as first butterflies, first wildflowers, first bird nests – it’s time to mark the calendar.

The Beetle and the Moth

In Edward Lear’s famous poem, “The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea.” “The Beetle and the Moth came to Eliza Howell Park” may not be a great opening line of a poem, but the beetle and the moth have in fact come – in large numbers – this August.

The beetle is the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle and the moth is the Ailanthus Webworm Moth. Though I am without records from previous years to compare, it does definitely seem that they are both much more common this year.

Note: These are two just of the “critters” likely to be found among the goldenrods on the public nature walk in EHP on Saturday, August 25, starting at 11:00 a.m.

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

Soldier beetles resemble fireflies or lightning bugs. They are called “soldier beetles,” reportedly, because they reminded someone of a military uniform (especially, a red species suggested the British “redcoat”). They are also called “leatherwings.” The Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, named for its close association with goldenrods, is also called “Pennsylvania Leatherwing.”

These beetles are often found on flowers (here on Wild Bergamot), where they feed on pollen and nectar. They also sometimes eat small insects, such as aphids, eggs, and caterpillars.

Recently, I looked over a patch of some 12 to 15 blooming goldenrods and spotted at least 20 of the beetles. Goldenrods, at this time of the year, also serve as a prime location for mating.

Goldenrod Soldier Beetles are active as adults mostly from July to September, with peak numbers in August.

Ailanthus Webworm Moth

When not in flight, this moth, with its tightly closed wings, might be mistaken for a beetle. When in flight, it resembles a wasp. It is diurnal, loves flowers, and is a good pollinator. In the next picture, the flower is White Sweet Clover.

Ailanthus webworms are originally native to more tropical areas. They have spread north as they have adapted to different plants to use for their webs/nests and for the larvae feed on. One such plant is the Ailanthus tree (after which the moth is named), commonly known as tree-of-heaven.

In Eliza Howell Park, goldenrods now appear to be the preferred flower for adult feeding.

The owl and the pussy-cat sailed to the land where the Bong-Tree grows and danced by the light of the moon. The beetle and the moth came to the park where goldenrods bloom and feed on nectar in the August sun. Bad poetry, but more accessible viewing.

Warbler Watch: They’re Migrating Again

In the middle of August I begin to anticipate the birds migrating southward who will begin showing up in Eliza Howell Park before the end of the month. I am thinking, at this particular time, of one species (Common Nighthawk) and a whole bird family (Warblers). I hope to comment more on Nighthawks in another post. This is about the warbler migration. Many warblers are now leaving the North Woods and heading our way.

Invitation: Detroit Audubon is sponsoring a bird walk at Eliza Howell Park on Saturday, September 8, starting at 8:00 a.m. The event is open to anyone interested and there is no cost.

Of the 20 or so warbler species that pass through the park on their way south each year (most from late August to late September), a select few are pictured here with a range/migration map for each. The yellow section on the map is the breeding range, the purple is the winter range, and the pink indicates the areas over which they migrate.

Canada Warbler

Canada Warbler Migration

All the warbler photos in this essay were taken by Margaret Weber.

The maps are from Tom Stephenson and Scott Whittle, The Warbler Guide, 2013.

Most warblers are long-distance migrants that spend much less time in their North Woods breeding habitat than on the wintering ground and in migration. It was only a short time ago, in May, when they last passed through here, as they headed north. Since then, they have built nests, incubated eggs, fed their young, and are now heading back to locations where insects can be found throughout the winter months.

Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler Migration

When we last saw migrating warblers in Detroit in May, they were in their bright breeding plumage, as represented in these pictures. Now many of them will be arriving in a somewhat different and somewhat duller fall/winter look. The process of learning to identify warblers involves learning the visual variations from spring to fall, a sometimes challenging project that may take a few years. Fortunately, the Fall migration is spread over more weeks than the brief intense Spring migration so there is a little more time to develop field skills.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler Migration

Annual bird migration is a fascinating natural phenomenon. Warblers are very small birds. Chestnut-sided Warblers, for example, are 4 – 5 inches in length and weigh about 0.4 oz. Most of the tiny warblers migrate a couple thousand miles twice each year. It is hard to imagine the energy required, but easy to understand the fuel stops along the way. Since many small birds migrate at night, early morning, as soon as it is warm enough for insect activity, is often a good time to see them as they begin to feed.

Blackburnian Warbler

Blackburian Warbler Migration

I don’t expect to see every migrating warbler species every Fall in EHP; their stops are brief and not always in the same location. Good bird observations often result from being “in the right place at the right time” and the right place and time cannot always be predicted with full accuracy. Based on past experiences and years of records, however, I can quite confidently predict that Blackburians will be visible and that they will be among the warblers seen before the end of August. Some of them do not have far to fly from their breeding ground to Detroit.

Wilson’s Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler Migration

As can be noted from the maps above, many warblers that are seen in eastern United States are not found in western states. Wilson’s warbler is an exception. It migrates through/over almost every state.

—–

There is a saying common among social justice advocates and environmentalists: “Think globally, act locally.” The big picture provides the context and, at times, the incentive for effective and significant local projects and behavior.

In a somewhat similar way, local nature observation and appreciation can be even more enriching and satisfying with an awareness of the big picture. When I see warblers stopping in the park on their way south over the next several weeks, I am thrilled just to see them but also impressed and amazed at where they have been and where they are going.

 

Bees and Wasps: Similar But Different

One of the highlights of a walk among the flowers in Eliza Howell Park these summer days (like the public nature walk scheduled for August 25 at 11:00 a.m.) is the presence of insects, often seen flying around the plants and, at times, sipping nectar from the flowers.

Some are butterflies, but many of the insects attracted to the wildflowers are bees and wasps. These are similar enough that they can easily be confused. There are, however, important behavioral differences.

Perhaps most important, bees eat pollen and wasps eat other insects. Both visit flowers to drink nectar. Bees collect pollen for their young; wasps take insects to their young. These behavioral differences relate to some differences in appearance.

Bees are usually furry or hairy (pollen sticks to hair and that aids in collecting) and thick-bodied. They have stout legs. Wasps, on the other hand, tend to be hairless, thin-bodied (the thin waist can often be noted clearly), with longer and thinner legs.

Up-close pictures, like this one of a bee in a Chicory flower, can often reveal how much a bee gets covered with pollen.

Wasps are cleaner.

The “bees” that come uninvited to picnics in late summer are usually Yellow Jackets, a type of wasp, not a bee. It is also the wasp Yellow Jacket that builds nests in the ground, sometimes near human homes. The Bald-faced Hornets that build the nests in trees are also wasps, not bees. (See my December 19, 2017, post for more on these nests in the park.)

The next picture is of a bee (note the hairy body and short legs), while the one after that is of a wasp (lack of hair and longer legs).

Since there are in North America literally thousands of different species of bees (including dozens of different Bumblebee species) and thousands of different species of wasps, I do not normally attempt to identify the particular species that I see. I do find it helpful, though, to be able to recognize something as a bee or as a wasp. This is a first step in understanding its behavior and its role in the bigger picture of the natural processes occurring in the park.

Note: All of the pictures are from Eliza Howell Park

 

Walk Among the Goldenrods: August 25, 2018

The goldenrods are coming. Not visible among the wildflowers at the July 14 nature walk, they can be expected to be at their blooming peak in the park in late August. And they can be expected to be attracting a variety of colorful insects.

The next Eliza Howell nature walk will feature goldenrods and the insects they attract. It will also provide an opportunity to observe other aspects of late summer nature in the park.

Anyone interested is welcome to join us in Eliza Howell Park for a guided walk among the flowers, especially the goldenrods, on Saturday, August  25, at 11:00 a.m. We will meet about halfway around the road loop from the Fenkell entrance. Clothing suitable for walking among tall plants is recommended. Stay as long or as briefly as desired. There will likely be a number of photo opportunities.

Over the years, goldenrod has sometimes been mistakenly identified as the source of pollen that causes hay fever symptoms. The real culprit, however, is ragweed. Goldenrod beauty can be enjoyed up-close without breathing any pollen.

These pictures were all taken in the second half of August, 2017.

“Perhaps it is due to the fact that goldenrods peak when many insects are mature, or that the plants grow in clusters and groups, that they are the hub of insect activity. The plants literally buzz with bustling insects from dawn to dusk.” (Larry Weber, In a Patch of Goldenrods, 2016.)

Below are two examples of the insects seen among the Eliza Howell goldenrods in August 2017.

Many pollinating insects, like wasps and bees, have the capacity to sting. As a result, some of us are understandably reluctant to walk too closely among the flowers that attract them. Some of us have had the experience of many times approaching closely to insects while they nectar on flowers, without ever having been stung, and have no hesitation getting close. Either approach is respected.

Among the other late summer developments that there will be an opportunity to observe on August 25 is the maturing Porcelain-berry.

The turnout and enthusiasm at the July 14 nature walk led to the decision to have this second summer one on August 25. Feel free to spread the word.