7/12\22 at 3:15 pm

The weather is sunny with scattered clouds in blue skies. A lovely breeze blows this warm summer day.

New signs of life

 

There are a large number of ___________________ specifically. Look closely at the photos above and see if you can spot the insect I tried to capture. You may need to zoom and look closely. The type of insect will be revealed at the end of the post.

Other signs of life included a Green clear-wing dragonfly a yellow butterfly, and various birds, including some turkey vultures gliding on the wind currents. 

The biggest mammal I saw was Kerry, who was mowing, using a technique called feathering. "What is feathering?" you may ask. It is a way to cut back the vegetation in order to widen the trail and prevent succession.

The sounds I noticed were the wind in trees, an airplane, a mower, and different types of birds and bugs buzzing and chirping.

The path was widened by feathering. The dry weather has made the ground harder and some of the grasses are changing from green to brown as a result of time passing. Here is an example of how the path looked after being freshly cut. 

NEW SPECIES

  Timothy Grass

(Phleum pratense L.)

This image was borrowed from Great Basin Seeds. (2022). Timothy. Great Basin Seed. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://greatbasinseeds.com/product/timothy/.

Timothy grass is a cool-season perennial that can grow quickly in many conditions. It does not need a lot of care. It was promoted by and therefore, named after Timothy Hanson in the 1700s  to be used as pasture grass. In fact, many types of animals enjoy it including horses (when mixed with alfalfa), sheep, rabbits, and guinea pigs, to name a few. Timothy grass grown in wild places like Mary's Meadow is great for nesting and coverage for concealing bird broods from possible predators.  

Grant, B. L. (2022). What is Timothy Grass - uses and benefits of Timothy Grass. Gardening Know How. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/grains/cover-crops/timothy-grass-growing.htm

Wild Bergamot

(M. fistulosa)

Wild Bergamot has lilac or pink flowers that remind me of a crazy hair-do because they look all over the place. These, truly, "wild" flowers bloom in the summer and fall. The leaves are toothed with a long triangle or lance shape. They are part of the mint family. They can be found in woods, meadows, and dry hillsides, and are pollinated by various insects.

Newcomb, L., & guide, W. (1977). In Newcomb's wildflower guide: An ingenious new key system for quick, positive field identification .. (pp. 92–93). essay, Little, Brown & Co.

Japanese Beetle

(Popillia japonica)

Japanese Beetles, though beautiful, are very invasive insects who love to eat more than 300 different species of plants. So it's not surprising that they found some plants to devour here in Mary's Meadow. They are not limited to just leaves, but also flowers and fruits. I have been fighting these critters from completely destroying my rhubarb. They were first found in New Jersey in 1916.

Shane Bugeja, J. H. J. W. and. (2022). Japanese beetles in yards and gardens. UMN Extension. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/japanese-beetles

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens

This image was borrowed by Colgan Azar, K. (2011). Eastern Wood Pewee. The Cornell Lab All About Birds. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Wood-Pewee/overview.

The habitat of this fly-catching songbird is a forest habitat. I think they are around my site because there are trees in the surrounding area, not to mention the forested area that the meadow transitions into. They are olive-brown in color and make a call that sounds like pee-a-wee! Their nests are covered and camouflaged by lichen so well that they resemble more a notch in a tree than a nest. I think discovering a nest someday would be a great accomplishment and an indicator that my observation skills are improving.

Cornell University. (2022). Eastern wood-pewee overview, all about birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Wood-Pewee/overview

*Match the trunk to the correct tree*

  Swamp White Oak                 Northern Pin Oak                  Silver maple

a. b.

c.

Minnesota Seasons. (2022, June 23). Northern pin oak. Minnesota Seasons - northern pin oak. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/northern_pin_oak.html

?? QUESTION OF THE WEEK ??

In regards to the transitions between my chosen habitat and neighboring habitats what are some of the ways, the zones affect the plant and animal species in your habitat?

My habitat is a meadow that includes a lot of vegetation, some woody brush in the form of dogwoods and berry bushes, and some trees that surround it on most sides. There is also some farmland close by. It is also situated near forests. The meadow gets a lot of sunshine and is exposed to the weather as well. Birds enjoy the habitat of the brushy areas and trees on the edges, which not only provides some protection from weather but also may make them less easy to be caught by prey. The vegetation is quite thick which discourages humans from going off the path. However, it is great habitat for insects, amphibians, and small mammals. Birds of prey can utilize the few trees within the meadow to sit up high, look for and catch prey. There is a lot of vegetation for bugs to eat and pollinate. And the bugs area also a good source of food for fly-catching birds.

Answers: Type of insect captured: dragonfly

Answer to tree bark matching game: a. Silver Maple b. Swamp White Oak c. Northern Pin Oak