An August Walk: Phenological Observations

As I wander the park these August days, much of my attention is focused on the beginning of fall bird migration and on the continued blooming of insect-attracting flowers. There is so much more to observe, however, and recently I noted a variety of other seasonal phenomena.

I saw all of the following on one recent morning walk.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Nest

I came across this tiny nest that had fallen under the wild black cherry tree where I watched a pair of gnatcatchers as they constructed this twenty-foot high nest in late May. And I watched them, as well, as they fed the young in the nest in June. The fallen nest provides a good opportunity to note the construction, including the bits of lichen on the outside which helped to camouflage it on the tree limb.

Orbweaver and Web

This is a great time of the year to find spider webs, often made more visible by dew drops or raindrops. This orbweaver (Marbled Orbweaver, I think), is hanging out upside down under the web as it waits for prey.

Virginia Creeper Berries

One of the native vines that grow in the park is Virginian Creeper. It always catches my attention when the berries change from green to blue on red stems. Virginia Creeper is sometimes confused with Poison Ivy, but there are several differentiating characteristics. One is that creeper berries are blue when ripe while ivy berries, when ripe, are whitish.

Bald-faced Hornet Nest

Every year I find a number of Bald-faced Hornet nests in the park, most them quite high in trees. This is the first one I found this year and it is quite low. These hornets, really a type of wasp, defend their nests vigorously if one gets really close, but I have found that a few feet away is safe. (For more, see my post on December 19, 2017: “Bald-faced Hornet Nests.”)

Variety of Mushrooms

After rain in late summer, mushrooms pop up — in various locations and in various shapes and sizes. These are some that I saw on the walk. Maybe next year I will try to identity them, at least the most common ones. For now, I am just appreciating the variety.

Developing Acorns

There are many different types of oak trees in Eliza Howell; this one is a type of white oak. The acorns are not yet fully grown in most species and it is fascinating to watch how they mature. In some cases, the nut has to grow out of the cap that originally covers it almost completely.

Snail Climbing Plant

These land snails (Brown Lipped Snails) are common in the unmowed sections of the park on the south side between the road loop and the woodland bordering the river. In late summer, they often climb stems as they eat decaying plants and grasses. I almost always find them on my walks among the wildflowers.

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Phenology is the study of the annual life cycle events of plants and animals. When I use expressions like “at this time of year” and “seasonal,” I am very conscious of how much awareness of the annual cycle is at the heart of nature observation and study.

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.

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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.

 

Butterfly Weed: Photogenic for Five Months

From May through September, I frequently check the Butterfly Weeds in Eliza Howell Park, camera handy. There are three major reasons why it is one of my favorite wildflowers and one that “wants” me to take its picture often.

First, the color of the flower clusters is atypical as well as vibrant. The park is filled with yellow and white and purple flowers, but very few other orange ones.

Secondly, the flower is well-named. It is a magnet for butterflies, especially Monarchs. This year, I have found at least three Monarchs around and on the patch of Butterfly Weed pictured above every time I visited. Butterfly Weed is a member of the milkweed family, but Monarchs do not lay their eggs on it (they use only Common Milkweed). Butterfly Weed is for nectar.

Good nectar flowers attract other pollinating insects as well. The Bumblebee is just one of a variety of insects that lead me to pull out my camera, especially when the “bugs” are seen against the background of orange blossoms.

At this time of the summer, the beginning of August, most of the Butterfly Weed plants are transitioning from flowers to seed pods.

Soon, the Butterfly Weed will “want” to have its picture taken again. Usually in September, the seed pods mature and seeds begin to disperse. Butterfly Weed seeds are spread by the wind and they are fascinating as they prepare to float or fly away.

In the next picture, the seed pod is just beginning to open to let out the silk-winged seeds. In the following two, the seeds are (almost) ready to be taken away by the next breeze.

From its first bright orange flower to the silky seed dispersal, with a great many insects coming to it along the way, the Butterfly Weed has definitely won my full attention.

 

Giant Swallowtail and Hummingbird Moth – and Bergamot

Giant Swallowtail and Hummingbird Moth have at least two things in common: they have both been seen in Eliza Howell Park during the past week and they are both partial to the blossoms and nectar of Wild Bergamot.

Giant Swallowtail is the largest butterfly in North America, with a wingspan of about 5 inches.

Southern Michigan is the northern edge of its normal geographical range and some years I do not see them at all in the park. Since July 15 this year, one and sometimes two have been flittering among the large wildflowers in the field outside the road loop. They stop their flight, when they do, on a Wild Bergamot flower.

It is, I think, a combination of their size and the fact that they are not common in Detroit that always make it exciting to see one.

The Snowberry Clearwing Moth is commonly called the Hummingbird Moth (a name I like) because it looks and acts a lot like a hummingbird. It flies from flower to flower, never landing, using its proboscis to sip nectar while it hovers in the air.

It is a daytime-active moth that shows up every year in Eliza Howell. Its wingspan is about 1 and 1/2 inches. Active among bumblebees, it somewhat resembles them, though it does not crawl over the flower as bumblebees do.

Wild Bergamot is one of the wildflowers, like Purple Coneflower, that is a magnet for butterflies, bees, and other insects. Bergamot is a type of Monarda, as is Bee Balm, a flower that many gardeners grow precisely because they want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

The Wild Bergamot in Eliza Howell is nearing the end of its blooming season, but it retains its power to attract.

Each of the butterflies in the next picture was photographed while visiting Bergamot. Starting top left and going clockwise: Black Swallowtail, Silver-spotted Skipper, American Lady, and E. Tiger Swallowtail.

Giant Swallowtail and Hummingbird Moth have one other thing in common. They are both species that almost always elicit verbal responses and comments when seen: “look at that” or “what’s that” or “wow.”

They are currently entertaining in Eliza Howell Park, hosted by Wild Bergamot.

American Toad Breeding Pond: The 2018 Story

It was on February 28, I think, that I posted comments on the “Grassland Spring Pond,” where American Toads breed in Eliza Howell Park, and about my looking forward to what I might observe this year. The 2018 story is not what I had hoped for, but it is a story to be told.

Toads come to the breeding pond to mate and lay eggs for only about three days each April. I usually expect them slightly later than the middle of the month, but the timing is dependent upon the weather. April was colder than normal this spring, but in order to make sure I did not miss anything, I started checking the pond on April 12.

It wasn’t until late in the month that the weather conditions were right for the males to head to the pond. I first heard their loud trilling mating calls on April 25, loud enough to be heard by the females.

The field was starting to turn green by then.

During these mating days, male toads call both during the day and at night, but toads travel to and from the pond only nocturnally. My frog-and-toad-survey colleagues and I visited the pond after dark on April 26 and listened to their very loud chorus for several minutes.

In the beam of the flashlight, I saw this toad, probably a female just arriving.

April 27 was the last date we heard toads in the pond. American Toads, when they are ready to breed, normally return to the same pond where they were tadpoles. While I don’t know how the numbers compared with previous years, it was great to see – and hear – them in the same location again this year.

How quickly toad eggs hatch is also temperature dependent. The weather remained cool and it was a longer time than usual before the tadpoles emerged. It was not till May 21 that I found them in good numbers, three and a half weeks after the adults left the pond. (By comparison, I first saw many tadpoles on May 6 in 2017.)

This picture was taken on May 24.

Following the long cool spring, the weather became quite warm. Actually, it was hot. The high was in the 80s the whole last week of May, reaching 90 degrees on May 28.

The pond plants grew rapidly and on May 29, the pond looked like this.

The weather was all wrong for American toad breeding in the pond this year. The cold spring delayed mating; further cold weather delayed hatching; hot weather dried up the pond before the tadpoles could develop.

On May 29, the water was gone and I saw dozens of dead tadpoles in the mud. They were still weeks away, it appeared, from metamorphosis, weeks away from being able to leave the water as toadlets.

The Eliza Howell toad population will be smaller for at least a year.

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The 2018 toad pond story leaves me with a question about the future of the pond. While I think one can rightfully point to the long cool spring followed by a very hot late May this year as the basic reason for breeding failure, I also wonder whether the pond is becoming more shallow over the years, whether it will be able in other years to maintain sufficient water into June to serve as a viable toad breeding pond.

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While the grassland pond has been an American Toad breeding hotspot, it is not the only location in or near the park where they breed. Recently, I saw clear evidence of this, two small toads, not much more than an inch in length, in the bottomland by the river. This is one.

Somehow, seeing these new toads made me finally ready to tell the story of the grassland pond 2018 breeding failure.

It will be interesting to see what happens next year.

 

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.

July Blooms and Butterflies: Part 1

The middle of July is a great time to walk among (or at the edges of) the blooming wildflowers that cover much of the un-mowed sections of Eliza Howell fields. The pictures below are of some of the most common and easily seen species present at this time.

All or almost all of these can be found in the park areas outside the road loop on the south side, where native prairie seeds were spread a number of years ago.

NOTE: These flowers will be featured in the public nature walk on July 14, 2018, at 11:00.

The blooming flowers attract many butterflies and other insects. Part 2 will identify some of the butterflies most frequently seen in July in EHP.

Wild Bergamot

Bergamot is similar to the “beebalm” often grown in flower gardens, but is not red like the most common cultivated variety. It might be the most common flower of all in the park in July.

 

Heliopsis

A variety of tall perennial yellow flowers are native to North America. Many bloom a little later in the year. Heliopsis blooms in July.

Joe Pye Weed

Joe Pye Weed, another tall perennial, is just beginning to bloom. It is reportedly named after a Native American who took the name “Joe Pye” and was known for using this plant for medicinal purposes.

 

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan is another flower that is widely used in home gardens.

 

Queen Anne’s Lace

This flower, related to the cultivated carrot, is sometimes called “wild carrot.” Its flower (flat cluster – umbel – on top), rather than its root, is the primary attraction.

 

Purple Coneflower

If interested in watching for butterflies and bees (and possibly hummingbirds), taking a position near the coneflowers is a good strategy.

 

Butterfly Weed

Butterfly weed is a member of the milkweed family and, true to its name, attracts many butterflies, especially Monarchs.

 

Mullein

Mullein is sometimes called the “velvet plant” for the soft feel of the leaves. It has a single tall flowering stem. The stems are strong enough that the previous-year dead stalks are sometimes still standing the next summer.

 

Chicory

There are not nearly as many blue flowers as there are yellow and white and purple; chicory is one. Its roots have often been ground and used as a coffee additive or even a coffee substitute.

 

 

Bouncing Bet 

This is often called “soapwort” and was\is used to make soap. As I understand it, “bouncing bet” was a term sometimes used for washerwoman.

 

Crown Vetch

Because of its thick spreading growth, Crown Vetch was brought to the US for erosion control in the middle of the 20^th century. It has now become naturalized and is found in many parts of the country.

 

Canada Thistle

Canada Thistle is nearing the end of its blooming season in the middle of July, but it continues to attract insects and birds. Goldfinches will be in the thistle patches for the next few weeks, eating the seeds.

 

Sweetclover

Both Yellow and White Sweetclover, usually considered separate species, are found in EHP and both can be seen in this picture. Sweetclover is a popular species for honey production.

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These are among the most easily spotted wild flowers in the middle of July in Eliza Howell Park. They attract not only butterflies (see Part 2) and bees, but also humans like me.

Finding Nesting Birds in EHP: 2018 Report

Each year since 2010, I keep a record of the bird species that I observe nesting in Eliza Howell Park. As of July 1, I have seen 22 different species actively nesting in the park this year. It is possible that I will still add to the number (last year I found American Goldfinches, a late-nesting species, building nests in July), but this seems like a good time to report.

This list is only of those species whose nests I actually find, and does not include those I only see carrying food for their young or feeding fledglings; I need to actually find the nest. The total number of species over the 9 years is 34.

At the bottom, I list the 22 species. The pictures, all taken in 2018 in EHP, provide a few examples of experiencing the nests.

The latest found is also one that I have not found in the park prior to this year – Red-eyed Vireo. The nest, built the last week of June, is likely the second brood for this pair.

Photo by Margaret Weber

Note how the vireo has twisted its body around to look at us, without getting off the eggs.

Much earlier in the nesting season I came across this ground nest of a Killdeer. It is not much of a nest in terms of construction, but is wonderfully camouflaged. (For more on this, see my April 24 post, “Killdeer: A Story of Nest and Eggs.”)

Normally, I find a nest only when the bird’s behavior leads me to it; it is unusual to find nests by simply looking for nests. But, occasionally, I see a nest before I see the bird. In April, when shrubs were still free of leaves, I saw this nest.

Revisiting it, I found a female Northern Cardinal incubating. One day, when she was absent, I took a picture of the inside.

Most birds that nest in Eliza Howell are quite featherless and helpless when they first hatch (Killdeer, duck, and goose hatchlings are the only exceptions). American Robins are the most common nesting species in Eliza Howell and I stole a very quick picture of the inside of one nest shortly after hatching.

The Blue Jays being fed below are much further developed.

Photo by Margaret Weber

I wrote a couple weeks ago about watching a pair of Mourning Doves building a nest (posted June 13). At last look, incubation continues. This is probably the male on the eggs. I cannot tell that from observation, but those who study Mourning Doves report that the male usually takes the day shift and the female the night shift.

Photo by Margaret Weber

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Nests found in 2018          (** = nest in tree cavity)

• Red-tailed Hawk
• Killdeer
• Mourning Dove
• Rock Pigeon
• Red-bellied Woodpecker**
• Northern Flicker**
• Downy Woodpecker **
• Barn Swallow
• Tree Swallow**
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Eastern Kingbird
• Blue Jay
• American Robin
• Eastern Bluebird (bird box)
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Yellow Warbler
• European Starling **
• Common Grackle
• Baltimore Oriole
• Orchard Oriole
• Northern Cardinal

Finding nesting birds is definitely a highlight of my spring and early summer. Thanks to Detroit Audubon field trips, every June since 2011 I have had the opportunity to share some of this excitement with others.

Canada Thistle: From Weed to Flower

Each year in late June, Canada Thistles bloom in Eliza Howell Park.

Six decades ago and more, one of the childhood chores for my brothers and me was to hoe weeds at our small farm. I remember Canada Thistle as the most dreaded weed; it grows in patches rather than as single plants, and as a result, it slowed me down when I wanted to reach the end of the row quickly.

They were the epitome of “weed.” That was then. Now, I enjoy Canada Thistle as a wildflower with blooms that attract a great variety of watchable insects. When I was young, I rarely noticed the flowers, perhaps because, doing our job well, the plants never got to mature to that point!

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Note:  I am omitting – or rather postponing till later – observations on the important role these thistles play in the lives of American Goldfinches in Eliza Howell Park. This comes a little later in the season, when the plants begin to go to seed.

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I saw my first Banded Hairstreak butterfly of the year this week in the thistle patch.

The thistle patch is one place I can get butterfly pictures with my phone camera; they are so focused on their food source that I am able to get close.

The following (Eastern Comma, Cabbage White, an unudentified Skipper, and Silver-spotted Skipper) were all photographed this week in the patch.

The thistles still have spines (what we probably called thorns when we were young), but they don’t seem to bother me now as I walk among the plants.

Below is a sampling of other pollinating insects present this week.

I have learned a few things about Canada Thistle that I didn’t know when I was attacking them with a hoe. One is that they spread by creeping roots, not just by seed; a single plant can colonize an area up to 6 feet in diameter in 2 years. The roots are both vertically deep and horizontally long. Now I know why they kept coming back even though they never went to seed!

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The key difference between “a weed” and “a flower” is, it seems, whether it is wanted or not in a particular location. I still remove the thistle “weeds” from our garden, but in the natural areas of the park, l enjoy the thistle “flowers.”

July 14 Wildflower and Butterfly Walk: An Invitation

The middle of July is an excellent time to see blooming wildflowers in Eliza Howell Park and to look for the butterflies that are attracted to them.

Anyone interested is welcome to join us for a guided walk among the flowers on Saturday, July 14, at 11:00 a.m. We will meet about halfway around the road loop from the Fenkell entrance. This is a good occasion for taking pictures. Clothing appropriate for walking among the plants is recommended. Stay as long or as briefly as desired.