The Naturalist's Journal, Nature Notes by Mary Stebbins Taitt

The Beauty of Flight (Owl)

2011-10-20T11:54:00.001-04:00

Watch on full screen. Only takes a few seconds.

http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/

Tattered Swallowtail

2011-08-08T18:05:00.001-04:00

From Laurel Hill State Park in Pennsylvania, Lake Trail. by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt. Click image to view larger.

Dragonfly Symbiosis

2011-02-19T21:06:00.000-05:00

Dragonfly Symbiosis

A Story for Gretchen

Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved to go out in the woods and meditate. One of her favorite places to sit in ZaZen was Lycopodium Knoll, a small rise in the sandy woods above Blue Heron Lagoon. The knoll was covered with lycopodia, and the girl would sit with her back to a red maple and her middle finger touching her thumb and her hands resting on her knees. And sit.

One day, however, her serenity was disturbed by deerfly. The deerflies buzzed nosily around and kept landing on the girl’s arms and shoulders. They were trying to bite her.

Suddenly, there was a much larger, louder buzzing and a huge insect landed on her knee. In its mandibles was a deer fly. The dragonfly noisily chomped down the deerfly and a moment later, zipped out and snagged another. When it had eaten that one, it snagged a third, and continued until it had eaten the entire platoon

Then the dragonfly sat calmly on the girl’s knee waiting. Each time another deerfly or mosquito homed in on the girl, the dragonfly captured it and ate it. The girl acted as a food magnet for the dragonfly and the dragonfly protected the girl from insect bites. And this is a true story. Mary Stebbins Taitt (Click image to view larger.) This is a collaboration with Gretchen Owen.

Blog Action Day! WATER!

2010-10-15T08:51:00.003-04:00

Water is everywhere. It sustains life. It makes our planet livable.

We drink it, we cook with it, we swim in it.

We sail on it.

But water is endangered! We threaten our own lives, our children and grandchildren, by polluting our water.

Yet there is HOPE!

Five facts about water:

Unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Unclean drinking water can incubate some pretty scary diseases, like E. coli, salmonella, cholera and hepatitis A. Given that bouquet of bacteria, it's no surprise that water, or rather lack thereof, causes 42,000 deaths each week.
More people have access to a cell phone than to a toilet. Today, 2.5 billion people lack access to toilets. This means that sewage spills into rivers and streams, contaminating drinking water and causing disease.
Every day, women and children in Africa walk a combined total of 109 million hours to get water. They do this while carrying cisterns weighing around 40 pounds when filled in order to gather water that, in many cases, is still polluted. Aside from putting a great deal of strain on their bodies, walking such long distances keeps children out of school and women away from other endeavors that can help improve the quality of life in their communities.
It takes 6.3 gallons of water to produce just one hamburger. That 6.3 gallons covers everything from watering the wheat for the bun and providing water for the cow to cooking the patty and baking the bun. And that's just one meal! It would take over 184 billion gallons of water to make just one hamburger for every person in the United States.
The average American uses 159 gallons of water every day – more than 15 times the average person in the developing world. From showering and washing our hands to watering our lawns and washing our cars, Americans use a lot of water. To put things into perspective, the average five-minute shower will use about 10 gallons of water. Now imagine using that same amount to bathe, wash your clothes, cook your meals and quench your thirst.

Blog Action Day 2010: Water from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.
Water is essential to nature, clean clear water!

Change.org|Start Petition

Anti-Homage to the Emerald Ash Borer

2010-08-01T09:31:00.001-04:00

This is a "finger-painting" in "brushes" on my iPad of the view from the window of my studio. The tree in the foreground is a white ash which is dying as a result of the emerald ash borer. The painting was made at night, and the lower dead branches appeared bright, whereas the upper ones were dark. Click image to view larger.

The Voracious Predatory Chipmunk

2010-07-17T14:43:00.003-04:00

While We were at Bay Furnace Campground Near Pictured Rocks, and Keith was absent from the campsite, Mary watched a drama unfold. A chipmunk who had been nosing around the campsite all morning suddenly aroused the ire of a little chipping sparrow, who chipped madly and fluttered around sort of like a killdeer trying to lead a predator away from it's nest. The chipmunk paid no attention to it and began nosing around the area of open piney woods where the chipping sparrow was.

The sparrow then began attacking the chipmunk, pecking vigorously at its head. Then, Mary spotted a baby chipping sparrow fluttering about in the tall weeds and sparse tall grass. The chipmunk spotted it, too, and rushed after it and there was some furious scuffling where the baby was trying to flutter away, the chipmunk was trying to catch it, and the mother was pecking the chipmunk vigorously. Then, the chipmunk grabbed the baby by the throat and killed it and ran off about 20 feet and started eating it. Mary, who was trying to reposition herself to see better, accidentally scared off the chipmunk, who left the dead baby under a pine and never came back for it while we were still at camp. The mother chipping sparrow kept
searching and calling and searching and calling up until we left.

When we got back from our expeditions, hours later, we both checked, and the dead baby bird was gone from where the chipmunk left it. Since the chipmunk had already killed the bird, we hope he ate it.

This is not the first time that Mary has observed a chipmunk being predacious. She has also seen a chipmunk kill and eat a large water snake, big enough to have eaten it.

The Tortured Killdeer

2010-06-22T12:25:00.000-04:00

Back when school was in session and it was cooler and quieter at the
marina, a killeer built its nest under a tree. Then one hot Saturday
when all the kiddies were out of school and picnics were in full
swing, someone occupied the cooker next to the bird's nest and the
people coming and going kept scaring the Mom off the nest. She'd run
back and try to get settled and get scared away again. I yelled at
one guy for scaring her. But we had to leave--I coudln't guard the
nest--I hope the nest, the eggs, the babies, the parents all survive.

wild mushrooms

2010-06-02T14:51:00.001-04:00

Last year, we found morels at the Pinery. This year, things were
farther along, and though we searched, we found none. We did find
wild mushrooms though, and ate them.

In Every Yard

2010-05-04T13:28:00.001-04:00

I think there is a robin's nest in EVERY YARD, at least one--I can't
beleive how many robis you see walking down the street.

Snowy Egret Painting

2010-04-25T13:51:00.001-04:00

Finished this morning

3 quick sketches

2010-04-12T14:37:00.001-04:00

magnolia, dead robin, pansies

garter

2010-04-12T14:35:00.001-04:00

snake

Spring Wildflowers

2010-04-10T14:10:00.002-04:00

Hurray! Spring is HERE! Woohoo! It's still early, but there are
lots of wildflowers out.

Chickweed, Vernoica, Dutchman's breeches, cut-leaved toothwort, more
Dutchman's breeches, hepatica, trout lily, spring beauty, trillium, in
bud.

Click the images to view them larger.

les petits fleurs

2010-03-17T13:39:00.001-04:00

FLOWERS! The red and silver maples are in flower! YAY!

flowers and buds

2010-03-17T13:28:00.000-04:00

It's coming!!! aconites, tulips, snowdrops, hellebore! Woohoo!

Mystery of the dead birds

2009-09-23T08:28:00.001-04:00

Along a trail I walk almost daily, dead birds keep appearing,
sometimes, different kinds of birds, sometimes Emglish sparrows or
starlings. They are always in the same place. I don't know why. Is
someone shooting them and leaving them there? Is there something
poisonous that they're getting into?

Okra

2009-09-08T11:12:00.003-04:00

I never thought much about okra. I liked it in gumbo but never considered the plant, thought I'm educated as a botanist. A non-practicing botanist, however. I never thought about okra until on impulse, I decided to grow it. It's a lovely plant with large maple-like leaves and a tree-like form, but hibiscus-like flowers. A mallow, I said to myself, a hibiscus! I wanted to look it up, but I'm getting a little forgetful--I never remembered to do it! Finally, I did, and lo and behold, it's of course a mallow and one of its alternate generic names is Hibiscus! Wahoo.

Abelmoschus esculentus. Malvaceae. I'm not TOTALLY senile yet! How fun! It brought back memories of eating mallows and concocting soups and "poisons" as a child with hollyhock flowers and seeds. Sorry the bugs have gotten at this blossom. I use no sprays.

Intermeshing

2009-08-30T14:38:00.001-04:00

in late summer, autumn intermeshes with spring. (See previous post).

First Fringed Gentian of the season

2009-08-30T14:37:00.001-04:00

The very first. In a bog at Indian Springs. The phenology sites are
documenting the fall migration and the fall leaves are coloring up,
but some plants are still in their "springtime."

Dead bees

2009-08-30T14:35:00.001-04:00

We found a number of dead bees attached to these bee balms. These are
two different one, and there were were more. I don't know why they
were dead or what killed them. Other years, I've found dead
grasshoppers attched to plants.

Cicada

2009-08-30T14:32:00.001-04:00

It crawled up out of the ground onto Keith's car tire and emerged,
blowing its wings up. I took it off the tire and put it on the oak
tree.

Ripening Sunflower Seeds

2009-08-30T09:16:00.001-04:00

The birds are picking them out, one by one.

Wordless Wednesday ('Possum)

2009-08-26T12:17:00.001-04:00

I posted this to No Polar, but it occurred to me I should post it here. This 'possum, in a tree, is trying to make itself invisible, but I see it anyway. They really do a good job playing dead--you can poke them and poke them. One time I poked on one too many times and it got up in disgust and walked off, but mostly they don't, and they sort of get bloated. They get hit in the road a lot though--and if you look in their pouches, you may find babies--I've raised a number that way. (I used to try not to post the same thing to more than one blog, but I have different readers on different blogs. I have company coming and have to run off.

elms

2009-08-17T21:07:00.002-04:00

When I was leaving to walk to Rolandale, there was a young man
digging up the soil around the base of the elm in front of the house.
I asked him what he was doing--he had machines, tanks, tubing, a
drill, and he said he was treating our American Elm against Dutch elm
disease. He said the city has hired him to do it every three years.
The also treat the ashes every year. I know this because I asked. I
was concerned about the ash on Rolandale. That's Detroit, though, not
GPF.

He's giving "our" elm 40 GALLONS of treatment.
I asked whether or not a treatment was likely to save our ash, and he
said it depended on how much had already died. If a lot of the top
has died, it is likely to be too far along to save. I'm going to study
it when I get there. I'd like it to live. However, it seems unlikely
that the city will pay for it, and if it's every year that it needs
treatment, if it's expensive and unlikely to help, we may have to cut
our losses and let it go.

I told that guy I went to Forestry school and I'm sure he looked at me askance.

The elms in this picture are growing at the Edsel and Eleanor
Ford House. Ours is probably as big or bigger.

Through the Trellis (ox-eye daisy)

2009-08-15T12:28:00.001-04:00

Through the Trellis (ox-eye daisy), by Mary Stebbins Taitt. This did
not scan well, so I was attempting to fix it in photoshop and art
rage, but I've decided it probably isn't a good candidate for that. I
like it on paper (A4 size [8.5 x 11]), but no matter how I try to fix
it on-line, it doesn't look the same as it does on paper. It's a
water color background with an oil flower, which gives it texture and
depth, but that doesn't translate well to digital imaging.

Skulls and Roses (Daisy)

2009-08-14T23:51:00.000-04:00

Muskrat skull, Ox-eye Daisy, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. In my new A4 Mole.

goldfinch on Black-eyed Susans

2009-08-10T10:36:00.001-04:00

It was VERY HOT yesterday, and I did not enjoy my walk very much. The
highlight of the walk was watching this goldfinch madly pecking away
at the seeds on these black-eyed susans.

Marigold, quick sketches

2009-08-08T14:40:00.001-04:00

In my returned Moleskine. May not yet be done.

Bluejay Feather

2009-08-05T09:22:00.001-04:00

I was fascinated with this tiny blue jay feather, only about an inch
and a quarter long. It's sitting on a violet leaf, to give you some
idea of scale.

I am way behind on blogging and commenting because of the impending
deadline at the Rolandale House and the work on my novel etc. So
sorry.

Eager Again

2009-08-01T12:39:00.002-04:00

Eager is a Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) that we raised from a baby who fell out of a next. He or she is getting much larger but still eats from our hands or even sits confidently on our laps.

Eager today

2009-07-31T23:15:00.001-04:00

This is Eager, the squirrel I taised from a baby, taken today.

Sketch of Skulls

2009-07-31T15:41:00.001-04:00

Sketch of Skulls, by Mary Stebbins Taitt, for the art piece "Everyone
We Love" (Must die).

Green Frog again

2009-07-16T08:09:00.003-04:00

Another green frog, Rana clamitans. (see discussion below).

Young Green Frog on Lily Pad

2009-07-16T08:04:00.002-04:00

Young Green Frog on Lily Pad, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.

You can tell this is a green frog, Rana clamitans, although it looks a little like a bull frog, because of the "seam" that starts at the eye and moves abck toward the "tail." This is a female; the males have larger ears. I love their golden eyes!

Wild Goose Feather

2009-07-14T12:11:00.001-04:00

The wild geese, once such a thrill to see, are becoming so common they
are a nuisance, but I still find them, and their feathers, beautiful.

Baby Geese now

2009-07-10T08:44:00.002-04:00

They're a LOT bigger!

This is a young wild Canada goose, Branta canadensis. You can read
more about them here. (Photo by me, of course).

Baby Geese

2009-07-09T11:01:00.001-04:00

I love seeing the baby geese, but they are now almost all grown. I
haven't had time to paint because I'm working on a novel, but hope to
paint some soon!

Wild Ginger

2009-07-08T11:22:00.001-04:00

I'm way behind on The Naturalist's Journal--haven't had time for
drawing or posting. This picture, of Wild Ginger, was taken this
spring at Cranbrook. The wild ginger is a different plant from the
ginger used in Chinese cooking, but can be used the same way or made
into candied ginger root. However, it is protected, so it shouldn't
be used unless found abundantly on your own property or the property
of a friend or relative.

Birdfeeder predation

2009-07-07T09:17:00.001-04:00

Something has been killing birds at the birdfeeder (not this one). I
wanted to post a picture in case anyone knew what it was, but the
three latest victums have disappeared. Of the three latest, which
were all English sparrows (why do I care? They might get other birds
or my Eager), the first one was partly torn apart and the head was
missing but the second two had holes poked in their skulls and their
brains were gone, but the rest of the bird was untouched--anyone know?
Other birds taken include more English sparrows and a mourning dove.
Please advise--should I stop putting out food for the birds? That
causes a dilemma with Eager, our rehabilitated squirrel. We want to
be sure he has enough to eat. But I don't want all the birds being
picked off!

Ox-eye daisy in rain

2009-07-06T10:30:00.001-04:00

I love the spirals in the center.

Ceruean Blue

2009-05-03T11:48:00.001-04:00

Of course, they are pretier with their wings OPEN!

Sandhill Cranes

2009-04-10T22:56:00.001-04:00

Today at Kensington! (I put a similar but slightly different one on
Detroit Daily.)

Eat those Invasive Plant Pests

2009-01-27T20:21:00.001-05:00

from the
Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council

Eat those Invasives!!

You can do more than just get mad at them and pull them. You can eat some of them!!

Invasive Plant Recipes
Patapsco Heritage Greenway's Annual Garlic Mustard Challenge
Brooklyn Botanic Garden article: Garlic Mustard - A Palatable Pest
Invasive Plant Atlas of New England's recipe listings
Japanese Knotweed Recipes

Supernatural experience, 1982

2008-12-11T11:39:00.001-05:00

Oh to Sprout Wings and Fly

"One exciting day last summer, a group of Campfire kids found a
dragonfly nymph climbing up a branch along the Bog Trail. Suddenly it
began to look strange. The back enlarged and it appeared to have what
the kids called 'eyes' under its skin. The back of the thorax
(shoulders) burst open and the adult dragonfly began to slowly emerge.
All of us watched transfixed as the dragonfly crawled out of its
nymphal skin and ever-so-slowly pumped a fluid from special reservoirs
(the 'eye-like' structures) under its skin d into the abdomen. It
gradually elongated and became exquisitely thin. Finally, after
beating its wings several times, the dragonfly suddenly flew rapidly
away. The children and I were thrilled!" 1982 (Photo from Stoney Creek
2008)

dining companion

2008-10-22T12:08:00.002-04:00

While I was sitting on the terrace eating breakfast, a female cardinal landed in the tree beside me and kept me company while I ate.

Small Feeder notes

2008-10-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

The sparrows did something this morning that I had never noticed before—they lit on the vertical wall of the back of the house, first one, then two, then three, then many, clinging to the vertical wall. It was raining lightly and windy and leaves were falling in yellow flurries from the elm. A sparrow lit on the slatted vent to the attic and another followed. One disappeared inside. I watched and watched and watched. A long time later, it reappeared. A male cardinal joined the sparrows at the feeder, and then a mourning dove.

small backyard notes

2008-09-14T20:58:00.001-04:00

The squirrels keep burying acorns in our yard. Soon we will be living in an oak forest.

A small rabbit is eating from the bird feeder bowl, bending to the bowl, sitting up and chewing. I am curious what it is eating.

The squirrels are afraid of the rabbit and back off as the rabbit timidly approaches. The rabbit is also afraid of the squirrels when they move quickly. When the squirrels fight on the feeder, the seeds go flying and the little sparrows have to work hard to find them all.

The robins are eating the pokeberries, which I thought were poisonous—time for some research!

I love it when the sparrows fly through the sun and their wings light up.

Black Swallowort

2008-08-06T12:46:00.001-04:00

An invasive alien. Clark Reservation State Park, Jamesville, NY.

Away Message

2008-07-02T23:21:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let you know that I will be away Friday June 27 - Wednesday June 2.
--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

Juneberries

2008-06-26T18:09:00.001-04:00

Shadbush, shadblow, Service berry, Amelanchier. Juneberries. Ripe. Yum. Photo by BB.

Two more backyard journal pages: peony and Creeping Bellflower

2008-06-23T12:56:00.002-04:00

I'm way behind on everything, but here are two more backyard journal
pages. I did the drawing one day and the painting another because
I've been so busy.

I would like to write more about these and post the photos I took to
go with them, and maybe I will sometime. Or not. Aiee.

Backyard Journal

2008-06-09T15:00:00.003-04:00

I have too many computers! Yes, it is possible to have too many computers. I can never find my pictures--which computer are they on?

Here are three "new" (and unfinished) pages from my current backyard journal. Part of the problem with the second one is that the finished version must be on some other computer, but if interested, you can see it here.

The third one I have yet to paint. It was a super-hasty 12-minute sketch.

These are drawn/painted in a journal given to me by my older daughter and with instruction and hints from a book given to me by my younger daughter for my birthday.

Composting

2008-06-09T13:07:00.001-04:00

Composting is important for the earth, the community and for the individual.

Here are our compost piles. From left to right, fresh, medium and
old. The old compost is wonderfully rich and friable and makes great
potting soil and is great for the flower and vegetable gardens.

Composting recycles stuff that would otherwise sit unused in a
landfill. And composted soil is rich and produced healthier foods
than depleted soils. It is better for the garden than artifical
fertizers. It provides micronutrients in a balanced way. And it
grows great flowers, too! :-D

what I learned from drawing

2008-06-03T20:09:00.003-04:00

I looked at these anemone's for years and never noticed that they have two pointy petals and two dimpled (or notched) petals until I tried to draw them. These have just opened here.

3 pages from my current naturalist's journal

2008-06-02T11:22:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, the journal is just a little too big to fit on the
scanner. Click images to view larger.

Columbine

2008-05-27T15:36:00.001-04:00

Columbine, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. With my macro and my new 90-degree
viewer.

Fringed Polygala

2008-05-27T13:39:00.001-04:00

Fringed Polygala, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Also known as "gaywings."
These are not common wildflowers in most places I have been, but were
fairly abundant at the Pinery in Ontario this weekend.

3 irises

2008-05-10T10:28:00.002-04:00

These are not great photos, unfortunately, but interesting. Notice anything strange about them? LOL! (Not Photoshopped, as found in "nature" if you call a garden nature.)

Phenology: Bloodroot

2008-04-27T12:04:00.001-04:00

This is the first day bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has opened up
on the Black River near Sarnia, Michigan. I can tell that because
there is a sepal visible in the picture, and the sepals are deciduous
and fall off after the first day.

Budburst, first report (Phenology)

2008-04-26T13:43:00.001-04:00

I made my first budburst report of the season--common dandelion.
First one opened yesterday, second today. We'd seen them elsewhere,
but not within a half mile of our registered site.

Phenology: Shadbush!

2008-04-25T15:13:00.001-04:00

"The earliest flowering native shrub" is in flower now as of 4/23/08.
Baldduck Park, Detroit.

Phenology: Dutchman's breeches

2008-04-25T11:12:00.001-04:00

Phenology: Dutchman's breeches, 4/23/08

And this within a half mile of my house, so I *could* report it to
Budburst if I ever have time.

Phenology: toothort's first day at Belle Isle, Detroit, Monday April 21, 2008

2008-04-22T22:03:00.001-04:00

Phenology: Periwinkle

2008-04-19T08:39:00.001-04:00

Periwinkle is in full flower at Belle Isle, In Detroit Michigan, along
Nashua Creek.

Phenology, Spicebush

2008-04-19T08:31:00.001-04:00

Spicebush is fully open on Belle Isle, Detroit. YAY!

Fractal Friday: Fern

2008-04-18T13:09:00.002-04:00

I made this "fern" with a free fractal program I found on Andree's page. I was astounded at how much it looked like a fern! Fractals are certainly a part of nature!

Singing wood frog

2008-04-08T09:06:00.001-04:00

Along with a chorus of chorus frog and spring peepers, the wood frogs
were also singing--quite the din!

Spring Peeper Underwater

2008-04-08T09:02:00.001-04:00

The spring peepers are out and peeping! YAY! This one is completely
underwater, and therefor, at this point, not peeping!

Mallard in early spring

2008-04-07T13:13:00.001-04:00

Mallard in early spring, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Straight shot with
300 zoom lens. No effects. Nashua Creek, Belle Isle, Detroit, MI.

Spicebush

2008-04-06T11:54:00.001-04:00

YAY! Spicebush is opening in the woods at Belle Isle! Spring is
springing! Wahoo!

Phenology: spicebush 1st budburst 4-5-08 Belle Isle, Detroit
Michigan. Along Nashua Creek.

Anyone recognize this?

2008-04-06T11:52:00.001-04:00

Haven't figured it out yet.

Local Earth Hour Report

2008-03-30T09:44:00.001-04:00

At our home in Detroit, Michigan, at 7:45 PM last night, there was a mad scramble to get the computers down and the lights off and locate candles, oil lamps and matches. I was afraid we wouldn't make it, but we did! YAY! We could see three other houses from our front windows that were dark, so we decided to walk around the block and count dark and light houses. On our immediate block, there were 111 electrically lit houses and only 17 that were dark, and some of those were abandoned (empty, for sale) and I am sure on a Saturday night, some people were just out partying. There was a row of six houses all dark on the next block over, but we had agreed only to count our block. BB thinks maybe 5% of the people complied. He thinks most people didn't even know about it. I was really disappointed.

PB complained bitterly the whole time and kept wanting to turn the light on and if I used the indiglo on my watch to let him know how long he had to wait, he called me a hypocrite. He refused to do anything but sit there and complain for a full hour. BB told PB we were "doing it for Mama." Not for the earth or the environment, but for me. In other words, they wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't insisted. Very sad. I am sad, hope your report is better.

EARTH HOUR TONIGHT!

2008-03-29T13:37:00.001-04:00

REMEMBER! Turn off your lights tonight from 8-9, and all unessential power users. Computer. TV. Help save the earth and raise awareness.

Read what BerryBird has to say here and here. Visit the official site! AND TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS! 8-9 PM.

Project Budburst

2008-03-11T10:02:00.003-04:00

I have just joined Project Budbust, A National Phenology Field Campaign for Citizen Scientists after reading about it over at Lake Loop. I've been keeping phenological data for over 40 years, so was thrilled to see this. I have only signed up for the dandelion and the lilac so far, but intend to sign up for more locations and more flowers, hopefully. Phenology is the study of when natural events occur such as flowering and fruiting times, egg laying, births, hibernation etc. Project Budbust concentrates on easily identifiable plants.

T is for Tree

2007-12-05T11:27:00.001-05:00

T is for Tree, by Mary Stebbins Taitt for ABC Wednesdays

Click image to view larger.

Click here to see T is for Toe (another kind of nature!)

Dune Grasses in a War of Ignornance

2007-12-03T14:43:00.001-05:00

Dune Grasses play an important ecological role, stabilizing beaches and dunes and helping to prevent erosion. However, beaches and dunes are so appealing to people that they trample these important plants into oblivion, thus allowing the very beaches and dunes they love to blow away and erode. (Click image to view larger without downloading.)

S is for Squirrel

2007-11-19T11:16:00.000-05:00

I was invited to do a meme listing things I like from the letters of
the alphabet and decided to do book for my grandchildren. Here is
one of its possible pages. Click image to view larger.

I like squirrels more than many people in part becasue I love animals
and in part because I used to be a rehabilitator and this is one of
the squirrels I raised.

Witch Hazel Flowers

2007-11-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

Witch Hazel is our only local shrub that flowers in the fall, and a
lovely sight it is indeed when all the leaves are gone from the trees
and winter is coming to see all those bright sunny flowers. Yes, I
was planning to subsume this blog into another, but I don't have time
right now.

Screech Owl

2007-10-25T15:07:00.001-04:00

We were very excited last year to see a screech owl in our neighbor's tree. Last night, we saw one in our own tree--saw it fly to a hole, go inside, come out and fly away. It would be very exciting if it would nest there.

Red Maple

2007-10-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it seems as if every single autumn leaf is a work of art. Of course, some are prettier than others. The three central leaves here are red maples, Acer rubrum. NOT the cultivar of Norway maple ("Crimson King etc") that many people call red maple, but real red maples. They are pioneer species, often hybridize with silver maples. Their sap can be boiled down for maple syrup, but it takes twice as much as with sugar maple. Red maples flower very early in the spring with tiny red flowers. They often grow in swamps and bogs and turn color very early--brilliant scarlet.

Cricket Time

2007-08-09T22:50:00.000-04:00

It's dark and warm and the crickets and singing their sweet summer cadence, rising and falling and jingling like summer jingle bells. I'm out walking. When I was walking earlier, the cicadas were singing, a loud raucous din. It was a diurnal sound to this softer nocturnal one. I wanted to stay outside and listen for the change from one to the other. One would think that since I'm 61 years old, I would have heard that transition, but if I have, I cannot recall it at the moment.

Do they overlap each other? Does one stop and the other begin?

I wanted to listen, but I did not. I had things to do inside, and in the air-conditioned house, the cricket and cicada sounds do not come in.

Sidewalk Saturday: Leaves

2007-03-03T14:29:00.000-05:00

Burr Oak, Red Oak, Silver Maple and Sycamore.

Robins!

2007-02-10T09:57:00.000-05:00

Robins don't al always migrate. Some spend the winter. But there are suddenly a lot in evidence that weren't obvious a short while ago. It's February, it's winter, it's cold! They are having to work hard for food and water.

They can't eat worms, so they are eating crab apples, and grabbing a drink from a hole in the ice. I don't want any harm to come to the poalr bears and penguins, the arctic foxes and ptarmigans, but I wouldn't mind a bit of warmth! Think worms for the robins?

Flower Photo Friday, unseasonal Flowers

2007-01-05T21:11:00.000-05:00

In Detroit, where I now live, there is usually snow on the ground in January, everything is frozen, and there are no flowers in evidence. But this year, the temperatures so far have been unseasonably warm and we have flowers in blossom.

Pansies are perrenials and opportunists--they will flower whenever they can. Flowering Kale is cold hardy--but not usually in January. Dandelions are spring flowers--and either they are confused or we're having a very early spring.

see more.

Sidewalk "Fossils:" Squirrel tracks

2007-01-04T17:19:00.000-05:00

It could almost be sand, but it's not. It's a sidewalk which contains the footprints of a squirrel. Front feet upper left, back feet lower right.

This is part of an ongoing series I am doing on sidewalk fossils, archeology, anthropology and art. I don't have a title for it, so let me know if you have any good ideas.

The Skull of a Canada Goose

2006-12-13T19:04:00.000-05:00

I found several of these in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on a penninsula of land that jutted into a bay that was used for huge ships loading and unloading cargo. I am sorry the geese died. I'm not sure what was responsible for their demise, but I was happy to find the skulls. They have not been cleaned.

This picture was part of the "first light" series from my new camera, Giovanna. I was using the big flash from my big cameras on her.

Turning to Dirt

2006-11-26T10:57:00.000-05:00

Along the dirt road that circles the Lake at Cranbrook, leaves were being crushed into the ground by passing construction vehicles. The almost seemed to disappear--but not quite.

Invasive species: Black Swallowwort

2006-11-05T11:38:00.000-05:00

Black Swallowwort taking over an area.

Coming up underneath

2006-11-05T11:36:00.000-05:00

"What's That?"

2006-10-17T20:33:00.000-04:00

Keith and I were walking along Moran on our way home from our nightly constitutional when we heard a strange quavering call. "What's that?" I asked. We stopped to listen. "A cat?" Keith asked? "It doesn't sound like a cat to me," I answered, "it sounds like a screech owl. Maybe it's a Halloween recording." Keith stopped and looked up into the closest tree--there was a lump up there. I got my binoculars out of my pocket and sure enough, it was a little screech owl. After we'd watched it a while, I decided to attempt a photo, but it flew just as I got the camera ready. We were pleased. We hadn't expected to have a nature encounter two doors down from our house in the city on a dark rainy night.

Snapping Turtle

2006-07-15T09:50:00.000-04:00

Snapping Turtle, by Mary Stebbins, click image to view larger.

Rogers Environmental Education Center, Sherberne

Snapping turtles eat fish, ducklings, and dead animals. They have very powerful jaws. Algae grows on ther shells.

Grackle

2006-06-06T12:46:00.000-04:00

Grackle, in our front yard this morning! photo by Mary Stebbins, click on image to view larger. I love the eye.

Common grackle Quiscalus quiscula
Identification Tips:
Length: 10-12 inches
Very long tail
Long bill
Frequently gathers in large flocks
Adult:
Entirely black plumage
Entirely purple or purple and greenish iridiscence to plumage
Pale eye
Juvenile:
Dark eye
Dark brown plumage
Similar species:
The Common Grackle is similar to blackbirds but is larger with a much longer tail. Male Great-tailed and Boat-tailed Grackles are similar but larger with longer tails.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.

Coyote

2006-05-31T08:55:00.000-04:00

Coyote

Redwing on Phragmites, Detroit Metrobeach

2006-05-21T12:55:00.000-04:00

Redwing on Phragmites, Detroit Metrobeach, by Mary Stebbins. Click image to view larger.

We had an exciting walk at Detroit Metrobeach yesterday. We saw baby bunnies playing with what could only be called joy. We saw a bald eagle circle over the pond where we were watching swallows skim the surface fo the water and a huge snapper trying to soak up the sun. We saw geese with young geese and red-winded blackbirds and robins and so many other interesting things.

This red-winged black bird male was singing it heart out, marking its territory.

Wild Geranium

2006-05-15T22:20:00.000-04:00

Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum.

• Family: Geranium (Geraniaceae)
• Habitat: woods• Height: 1-2 feet
• Flower size: 1 to 1-1/2 inches across
• Flower color: lavender, pink, white
• Flowering time: April to June
• Origin: native

Marsh Marigolds

2006-05-03T18:29:00.000-04:00

Marsh Marigolds, or Caltha palustra, photo by Mary Stebbins. Click on image to view larger. Also called "Cowslips," Marsh marigold are edible--but before they flower. They become very btter once they flower. They brighten up the swamps and wetlads in the early spring.

These are in flower today at Great Bear Farms near Phoenix, NY.

Wake Robin

2006-05-03T18:19:00.000-04:00

The Wake Robin, or Red Trillim is out in force in the spring woods today. Red Trilliums are fertilized, in part, by carrion flies. They have two odors, a sweet pleasant small for bees ad a terrrible rotting meat smell of carrion beetles. When the red trilliums reach peak flowering, the black flies start biting. And the morels are out. Photo by Mary Stebbins, Click on image to view larger.

Phenological notes apply to specific areas; this ake robin is flowering today at Great Bear Farms Natural Area just north of Phoenix NY, off rte 57.

Wake Robins, or Stinking Benjamins, are on the NY State Protected list and should not be picked,

2006-03-30T13:05:00.000-05:00

Shadows: excurrent branching, photo y Mary Stebbins. Click on image to view larger.

This s a pin oak, or the shadows thereof. It has "excurrent" branches, like a pine or spruce. Actually, though, only the branches halfway up the trunk come straight out. The ones aove go up and the ones below go down.

Milkweed Pod

2006-03-29T14:36:00.000-05:00

Milkweed Pod, left over from last year. Photo by Mary Stebbins. The eeds releasing now in spring will be growing int new milkweeds and feeding the monarchs soon. Clcik on image to view larger.

Season/signs of spring: Skunk Cabbage Flowering

2006-03-27T23:18:00.000-05:00

Season/signs of spring: Skunk Cabbage Flowering, taken 3-27-06 at Hamlin. In upstate NY, one of the signs of sring is the flowering of the skunk cabbage in the swamps, and here it is, in full flower.Click on image to view larger. Photo by Mary Stebbins