Week of August 8, 2022

    I was able to get out to my site today and I am so thankful that I did! The temperature was a perfect 65 degrees with a very slight breeze. I was wondering if I would be able to find anything interesting to report on and was THRILLED to make some breath-taking observations. It rained a lot yesterday and the plants, mainly the grasses, were just ⭒glistening⭒ with sparkly drops of water that looked so shimmery as I walked around. Check out some of the jewels that were all around me.

Not only that! As I was sitting down trying my hand at drawing some minuscule mushrooms, I heard some minor crashing sounds made by a larger animal. I looked up and saw a couple of deer near the previously drier vernal pool. However, because of all the rain we had, it was filled up again. I enjoyed trying to get some pictures of them, but as you can see, they weren't amazing. Can you see the pair of ears in the grasses though? Look at the center of the picture.

The deer went away shortly after I heard a lot of splashing sounds. I thought it might be a fox because of the large tail attached to the smaller body. Can you imagine my delight when I realized it was a baby fawn just splashing around while running back and forth? What a beauty!

NEW SPECIES:

Whorled Milkweed

Asclepias verticillata

The whorled milkweed prefers many kinds of prairies, openings in rocky upland forests,  savannas, rocky bluffs along major rivers, bluegrass meadows, pastures and abandoned fields, grassy slopes along highways, waste areas, and open disturbed areas. I can see why it grows well in Mary's Meadow because not too far from it was the Big bluestem that you will learn about this week too. It prefers sunny, mesic to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, sand, or gravel. The flowers smell lovely and attract bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Illinois Wildflowers. (2022). Whorled Milkweed. Whorled milkweed (asclepias verticillata). Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wh_milkweedx.htm

Common Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis

The Common Evening Primrose grows in a variety of places including in meadows, on beaches, in dunes, and on roadsides. No wonder I found them in Mary's Meadow. Fascinatingly, this plant has some edible parts. The first-year roots are edible and are described as similar to parsnips. The flowers are also edible and can be put in salads. The seedpods are quite nutritious and can be steamed or sautéed. The oil of this plant has been made into a supplement that can help alleviate atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema), rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), breast pain, menopause symptoms, and other conditions.

EdibleWildFood.com. (2022). Evening Primroseoenothera Biennis. EdibleWildFood. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.ediblewildfood.com/evening-primrose.aspx

JTM, B. (2020, January 23). Evening primrose oil. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/evening-primrose-oil

Big Bluestem

Adropogon gerardi

Big Bluestem is a native grass that likes full sun, soils that are dry, medium to moist, and thrive in prairies, meadows, and fields. So it isn't a surprise that I found it in Mary's Meadow. The leaves change from green to blue-green in the summer, but then in the fall will become a red-bronze color. I look forward to seeing the color change when fall comes around. This plant is a host plant for various Skipper butterflies. It is pollinated by many types of bees, wasps, and butterflies. The leaves provide good wildlife habitat. Wild animals, including bison and voles, as well various insects like to eat the foliage too. 

Prairie Nursery Inc. (2022). Big bluestem. Andropogon gerardii | Prairie Nursery. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.prairienursery.com/big-bluestem-andropogon-gerardii.html

Hamilton Native Outpost: Native Outpost. (2022). Big Bluestem. Big bluestem- Hamilton native outpost. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.hamiltonnativeoutpost.com/product_info.php?item_id=164

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Schultz, B. (2022). Carolina Wren. Audubon Guide to North American Birds Carolina Wren. National Audubon Society. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/carolina-wren.

Interestingly, the Carolina Wren is not in the area of Albion in all seasons. It does enjoy habitats like Mary's Meadow, as well as thickets along forest edges. These birds have a beautiful song and will often sing in duets. They like to stay in pairs all year long. They like to eat insects of many kinds, spiders, snails, and millipedes. They will also eat berries and seeds in the winter. Both male and female Carolina Wrens participate in the nest building for the two clutches they have each year. Both parents also bring food to their young. 

Kaufman, K. (2021, October 20). Carolina Wren. Audubon. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/carolina-wren

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

What are the nearest human-dominated habitats to your habitat and how do you think they are influencing the ecosystem dynamics of your habitat? 

I know that Kerry periodically feather mows along the trail at my site. This influences the ecosystem by preventing the prairie plants from overtaking the trail and making it un-walkable. A little further removed, but still fairly close to my site is a soybean field and a road. I hear the traffic going by which impacts the site with noise pollution. Sometimes it gets in the way when I am trying to listen to nature sounds. The field nearby is a monoculture so it keeps some wildlife away due to its lack of biodiversity.

REFLECTIVE/CREATIVE ENTRY:

This week I wanted to share some Scripture that I found after being inspired by the beauty of the sights and sounds of my beloved site.

Psalm 66:4

"All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name." Selah.

Psalm 19:1

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."

Until next time...