I had a phone call about a red-shouldered hawk nest in my favourite woods. I headed out very early the next morning so I could have a walk before heading off to the nest with my guide.
I've noticed grasses before, but never thought about the differences. With my new app: iSeek, identification in the field (and at home) is quick and easy.
(click on photo for full size)
Timothy, reed canary, smooth broome, orchard
In the open areas, milkweed was in amongst the grass and starting to flower. The third plant had somewhat variegated leaves. Not sure why
If you look carefully you'll find small animals visiting the milkweed. A tiny snail and a milkweed stem weevil
A buzzing aerial yellow jacket flew by the milkweed to pick up some pollen and nectar. Suddenly there was a lot of action. I think what was going on was that the yellow jacket found a moth on the bottom of the flowers and attacked it. In the video you'll see the moth hanging on by one leg until it was too much.
There were lots of flowers to distract me. More in the open areas, but the leek blossoms in the woods, with no leaves, certainly grabbed my attention. I had never seen them before.
Queen Anne's Lace (2), St John's wort, yellow clover, buttercup, false sunflowers with eastern black-headed beetles (2x), goatsbeard, wild parsnip
Viper's bugloss, tufted vetch, crown vetch, daisy, bedstraw, bladder campion, herb robert, wild basil
Yarrow and plantain
I first learned of maiden hair fern some 25 years ago in this woods. The small patch is not a very small patch any more.
The woods under the canopy can be quite dark, but in the open patches.....
Widow skimmer dragonfly (2x), narrow-winged damselfly, morbid owlet moth
Dark fishing spider and a long-jawed orb weaver spider(?) web
I have this thing about blue cohosh in all its stages. The berries are getting good size
Banebury, wild ginseng (2x)
The black raspberries were ripening
Variegated(?) wild sarsaparilla, rain drop covered bloodroot leaves
Dead apple tree, sunlit young balsam
If I have a thing about blue cohosh.... then there are mushrooms
Turkey tail fungus, shelf fungus
Collared parachute mushroom
Slugs love mushrooms
Miscellaneous
Finally, the hawks. It was my lucky day. A second juvenile showed itself. Having one show was great, but an unexpected second was a treat. The parental unit (mum?) arrived twice and gave me an excellent photo op. Usually when I show up with a camera, not much of anything happens.......
Juvenile #1 (incl crop), both #1 and #2 - bottom left, top right, juvenile #2 crop, Mum and #2
