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.

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.

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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.

 

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.

Sampling Summer Berries

On July 15, 2018, while wandering the park off path, I stopped occasionally to taste the summer berries. It was a three-berry day: Mulberry, Blackberry, and Black Raspberry. All three are black in color when ripe, having passed through a red stage.

Mulberry is the earliest of the three to ripen and has the longest picking season; some ripe ones can be found before the middle of June and some are still ripening.

Mulberry

Mulberry is a small tree and is usually found in Eliza Howell Park growing next to and under a large tree inside the road loop. Mulberry is eagerly consumed by birds and I have often spent pleasant time in a shady spot in late June or early July observing the variety of birds visiting a tree to pick up a berry or several. Six or more bird species can usually be seen in 10 minutes.

Mulberry is edible and, in addition to being eaten fresh, has often been used in jams and desserts and is sometimes used to make wine. I usually just pop a couple in my mouth and do not harvest for home.

The latest of the three to ripen is Blackberry.

Blackberry

Blackberry is just now beginning to reach the black stage. Blackberry plants have long horizontal-growing canes with short sharp prickles (or thorns) that can snare and tear clothes – and skin. Blackberry canes sometimes form impenetrable thickets\brambles. In Eliza Howell, Blackberry is most frequently found at the edges where woods and fields meet, though small plants are starting to grow in some open un-mowed areas.

Some mammals and birds eat the fruit. As do humans. I am sampling them these days.

Black Raspberry is at the end of its fruiting season by the middle of July; only a few edible berries can still be found. The picking season is quite short, three weeks at most. This picture was taken about 2 weeks ago.

Black Raspberry

Black Raspberries also have canes, with smaller thorns than those of Blackberries. In Eliza Howell Park, they are found along the edges, but also in the woods at times. They do not appear to be as much of a food source for birds and other wildlife as Blackberry, and definitely not as much as Mulberry.

Though I just ate a couple on my July 15 visit to the park, Black Raspberries are my favorite and I harvest a large quantity of Eliza Howell berries every year, spending many hours picking at my favorite spots. (I posted more on this, “Eliza Howell Black Raspberries: Winter and Summer,” on January 8. 2018.) Though the canes do not snag and tear as much as Blackberry, I do definitely get scratched.

This year, as I picked, I found myself thinking of the Kenny Rogers song, “The Gambler” and the line, “There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.” My version to myself about scratches: “There’ll be time enough for healin’ when the pickin’s done.”

There is another edible and tasty summer berry in the park, one that I did not sample on July 15. The Wild Strawberries ripen in June.

Wild Strawberry

Wild summer berries: another feature of Detroit’s Eliza Howell Park.

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.