Big Year Week 17

April 30-May 6

I was out of town at the Indiana Audubon Spring Festival for three days this week, so my yard discoveries are pretty lame - just of couple of new birds, but pretty good birds at that.

Returning for the summer are Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.  These birds overwinter in Central America, and they breed in the Northern US and Canada including most of Indiana.  On this particular morning, I was lucky enough to have four males stopover at our feeders.  I've never found evidence of these birds breeding on the property, but I have founds recently fledged young in nearby Rolling Prairie.

Male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Another returning migrant is the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys).  Unlike the above bird, White-crowned Sparrows do not breed in the Midwest.  Instead they continue north to northern Canada.  Here in Indiana, we'll see them for a couple of weeks in a spring.  In the fall, they return to their wintering ground, which includes most of the United States, and we do occasionally see them foraging on the roadsides in the winter months.

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

Week 17 running totals:

Birds:  25
Mammals:  4
Reptiles: 1
Insects:  8
Vascular Plants:  14

Big Year Week 16

April 23-29

It seems as though every year at this time, I nearly step on a Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis).  Around this time of year, Garter Snakes emerge from hibernation and can be readily found on sunny days in our lawn and garden.  This is the only snake species that I've ever found on our property, and they seem to be increasing in number, which I attribute in part to our landscaping practices, which have resulted in less mowed areas.

Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) is a plant that's native to Eastern North America, and it is sold at many native plant sales.  However, it is not believed to grow naturally in our area, and I've seen it exhibit invasive like tendencies in woodlands where it has been introduced.

Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Here's a species that I didn't plant:  Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) is a species that is indigenous to the eastern deciduous forest, and the ancestors of these plants have probably been here on the property for hundreds and hundreds of years.  Although we live very close to the now extinct Terre Coupe Prairie, the presence of Spring Beauty (along with other species) tells me that our property would most likely historically have been wet/mesic forest.

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

Field Garlic (Allium vineale) is a species that is native to Europe and Northern Africa, which has escaped cultivation and is now a common weed in disturbed areas and old fields.

Field Garlic (Allium vineale)

Plantain-leaved Pussytoes (Antennaira plantaginafolia) is a native wildflower that is often overlooked due to it's small stature.  I purchased this plant several years ago at a native plant sale.  This species is dioecious, which means that individual plants bear either male or female flowers.  I believe that this is the female or "pistillate" flower.

Plantain-leaved Pussytoes (Antennaira plantaginafolia)

Week 16 running totals:

Birds:  23
Mammals:  4
Reptiles: 1
Insects:  8
Vascular Plants:  14

Big Year Week 15

April 16-22

Moths can be really tough to identify, which I why I usually need help with them.  Such is the case with this individual. This is most likely Morrison's Sallow (Eupsilia morrisoni), which is another moth that overwinters as an adult.  I found this one attracted to the grow lights that I was using for my vegetable seedlings.

Morrison's Sallow (Eupsilia morrisoni)

"Oh dear, Canada, Canada, Canada" and "Sweet, sweet, Peabody, Peabody, Peabody" are two of the several mnemonics that are used to describe the song of this species:  the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis).  This time of year, White-throats are stopping by for a short time while on their way to their breeding grounds in the extreme northern United States and Canada.

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Our second native spring ephemeral wildflower is the Yellow-trout Lily (Erythronium americanum).  These plants are indigenous to our property, and they provide clues at to what the property would have been like prior to being developed.  It's difficult to tell from this picture, but the mature, flower producing plants have two basal leaves whereas the immature, non-flower producing plants have but one basal leaf. 

Yellow-Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

A common lawn weed, particularly in damp, disturbed areas is Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta).  A member of the mustard family, Hairy Bittercress is native to Europe and Asia, but it has now become established in most of the United States.  It is an edible plant that is popular with foragers, and is said to have a peppery, bitter flavor.

Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

This little woodland wildflower is one that I rescued a couple of years ago from a construction site that was about to be bulldozed.  Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) is native wildflower that is a member of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family.  

Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

The final plant of the week is another of the native spring wildflowers:  Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta).  The picture is poor, but if you look closely, at the bottom left of the photo, you will see the three-lobed leaves, from which the plant takes its name as the lobes are supposed to resemble the human liver.  Because of this, Hepatica was once thought to be a cure for certain liver ailments.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta)

Week 15 running totals:

Birds:  23

Mammals:  4

Insects:  8

Vascular Plants: 10

Big Year Week 14

April 9 -15

Well, it finally looks and feels like spring, and amazingly, the spring-like weather also coincided with the kid's spring break.  We made the most of the nice weather, and for the most part, we stuck around the house to work on garden projects, which gave us a chance to really observe the emerging life around us.

Our second vascular plant/flower of the year is this Crocus. Crocus is actually a genus of many plants, all native to Europe, Northern Africa and Asia, and like the earlier mentioned "Snowdrops", this plant, which grows from underground corms, was also planted by my home's previous owner.  In addition to species, I'm sure that there are many cultivars of Crocus as well, and I have no intention on learning about them. 

Crocus sp.

When I was a child, I remember how my grandmother used to buy bags of ladybug beetles to introduce to her vegetable garden to ward off damaging insects.  These days, most people associate ladybugs with the ones that congregate in their homes in late winter, die en mass on the windowsills and smell horrible in the process.  This is not a native insect,  but rather the introduced Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis).  The easy way to distinguish the Asian Lady Beetle from our native varieties is to look for the "M" shaped marking on the thorax, the white center of the face, and the stout shaped body.  If you see these markings, you have the Asian species.

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)

Speaking of beetles, Sarah found this striking creature crawling along one of our seed flats, which is interesting, because this is an animal that is normally found under the bark of dead trees.  This is the Red Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus clavipes), and it is the only species in its genus in North America.  Little is known about these beetles, but several sources claim that they are known to be beneficial predators of bark damaging insects. 

Red Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus clavipes)

Nectaring on the above pictured Crocus flower was this moth.  As best as I can determine this is the Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth (Orthosia hibisci), but I haven't been able to obtain expert verification.  One of the host plants of this species is the genus Malus (apples & crabapples), which helps to support my claim as it was found in the immediate vicinity of one.

Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth (Orthosia hibisci)

Another sign of spring is the reemergence of the Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus).  Although they aren't not true hibernators, Chipmunks spend their winters below ground in a state of torpor.  Members of the squirrel family (Sciuridae), Chipmunks are frequent visitors to our bird feeders, and occasionally, they find their way into our home as was the case a couple of years ago when we practically ripped the house apart in an attempt to catch and release one who'd found his or her way into the kid's bedroom.  We were unsuccessful in our attempt, and we never actually did figure out what happened to it.

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

The first butterfly of the year comes as no surprise, as it is one of the first three butterflies that we see every year.  Here is the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa).  The reason that it is one of the first butterflies that we see is that this species actually overwinters in its adult form.  Interestingly enough, this same species is found not only in North America, but also in Europe, and with a life span of nearly a year, it is said to be one of the longest lived butterflies.

Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)

Another sign of spring is the return of the Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura).  Turkey Vultures are scavengers who migrate south for the winter, and although I've never had one actually perch on our property, we do often see them flying overhead using their keen sense of smell in attempt to locate decomposing flesh.

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Yet another spring arrival is the Eastern Phoebe (Sayoris phoebe).  Phoebes belong the family Tyrranidae or "tyrant flycatchers", and they too migrate south when there is no available sources of food.  This particular Phoebe was photographed by Sarah Sass while beginning to build a nest atop one of our flood lights.  Seeing this, I quickly built a proper Phoebe nesting platform and attached it to the house, but the Phoebes continued to construct their nest on the light anyway.  For the first time ever, we may have a successful Phoebe nest on the property.

Eastern Phoebe (Sayoris phoebe)

Everyone knows the common Daffodill (Narcisscus sp.)  Native to Europe, Asia and Northern Africa, they were brought to North America as ornamentals, and are presumably very long lived.  I have a great deal of these plants growing along the property - none of which were planted by me, but rather by the previous owner, who lived here from 1960 to 1995.  If anyone wants some, please feel free to come by and dig them up!

Daffodill, aka Johnquill aka Narcisscus (Narcissus Sp.)

For years, I though these early flowering violets to be our native Common Blue Violet (Viola sorroria) until Scott Namestnik correctly identified them as being Viola odorata, which is a European plant that's sold in the garden trade.  No doubt these were also planted prior to 1995, and have naturalized on the property.

Wood Violet aka Sweet Violet aka English Violet (Viola odorata)

I'm beginning to see the trend of having the non-native plants green up and flower prior to the native plants.  Here's another one.  Glory-of-the-Snow (Chinodoxa forbessii) is a plant that's native to Turkey, but widely planted as a garden ornamental.  Again, not by me.

Glory-of-the-Snow (Chinodoxa forbessii)

Finally a native plant emerges!  Here is Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), and this one was planted by me.  In fact, just last year, we received a couple of clumps of Bloodroot from our friends Vic and Marge Riemenschneider, and they obviously took.  Note how the delicate flower (which last for only a few days) emerge from the curled up leaf.  It's as if the leaf is helping to shield the flower from the cold early spring days.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Next is a tiny moth that I confess having to get identification help with.  This is the Featherduster Agonopterix (Agonopterix pulvipennella).  I don't know much about this species aside from its larval host plants are goldenrods and nettle (both of which we have plenty of), and (like the aforementioned Mourning Cloak) it overwinters as an adult, so most likely, this little guy has been keeping me company in my office all winter.

Featherduster Agonopterix (Agonopterix pulvipennella)

 Week 14 running totals:

Birds:  22
Mammals:  5
Insects:  8
Vascular Plants:  6