Yesterday was the First Wednesday outing. Guess how many were there…three, Jeanne, Jerry and myself. Call us glutens for nature. LOL Even though I had been to the same area several days ago I saw different stuff. Nature is just like that eh!
My first observation on Wednesday were the tiny minnows in the lake. Eventually I saw a twelve inch fish of some type.
The tiny ants were swarming the nectaries on the Trailing Wild Bean (Strophostyles helvola).
So I saw the Delta Arrowhead (Sagittaria platyphylla) last time too. However this time we had a treefrog!
It was so tiny and cute. In fact it was only about a half inch. Later another was found that was about twice that size.
A Shining Leaf Chafer (Rutelinae) in the Anomala genus. This subfamily has distinctive for having unequal, independently moveable tarsal claws (BugGuide) which is hard to see here. However one of the duel claws can be seen on the left.
So my best find for me yesterday will be featured in another post. However now I will sharing a bit of recycling from Kathy.
In Kathy’s words: Last year we began taking down a dead pecan tree in the yard of the farmhouse. We had watched several titmouse nestings in this woodpecker hole in one of the limbs so I wanted to save it and put it up somewhere as a bird box. We never could figure out how to mount it so I set it on our cabin porch railing.”
“At the very end of June this Bewick’s Wren began sitting. I guess the hole isn’t very deep because she always sits with her head looking out. I hope the egg sitting is successful and the rat snake doesn’t find them. It is perfect for me to observe babies develop. Keeping my fingers crossed.”
Keep us posted Kathy! And thanks!
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know
6 Comments
Thank you Mary for sharing. We have our tame deer that comes when we call “Little Girl”. She is almost always within shouting distance so I guess she has her fawn hidden nearby. And now have this wren we can watch on our porch. So fun.
Sad news. My mama wren disappeared over the weekend. I have checked multiple times a day for 5 days now and never see a sign of her. Eggs still sitting inside. So either a snake, ringtail or fox grabbed her off the nest or something happened to her while she was taking a break. No sign of anything indicating a struggle. Log was not moved so don’t think a coon was there. It wouldn’t take much to topple it off the rail. Guess it is safe to say these eggs aren’t hatching. I will have to retrieve them out and crack one open to see the level of development. Just not ready for the smell. We just cleaned up a freezer ripe with rotten smell so haven’t wanted to deal with the eggs.
Good news on our deer Little Girl. Both fawns still thriving. We only get distant glimpses since they aren’t so tame.
Thank you Mary for sharing. We have our tame deer that comes when we call “Little Girl”. She is almost always within shouting distance so I guess she has her fawn hidden nearby. And now have this wren we can watch on our porch. So fun.
TIs so fun to get some an easy view of the process. Fingers crossed for your wren family.
How clever Kathy to think to keep that part of thee tree. Sure hope snake doesn’t find it. And precious tree frog Mary. Wish i had them in my yard.
I love that you have a wren observation station, Kathy! ❤
Sad news. My mama wren disappeared over the weekend. I have checked multiple times a day for 5 days now and never see a sign of her. Eggs still sitting inside. So either a snake, ringtail or fox grabbed her off the nest or something happened to her while she was taking a break. No sign of anything indicating a struggle. Log was not moved so don’t think a coon was there. It wouldn’t take much to topple it off the rail. Guess it is safe to say these eggs aren’t hatching. I will have to retrieve them out and crack one open to see the level of development. Just not ready for the smell. We just cleaned up a freezer ripe with rotten smell so haven’t wanted to deal with the eggs.
Good news on our deer Little Girl. Both fawns still thriving. We only get distant glimpses since they aren’t so tame.
Ah so sad Kathy. 🙁 I guess any number of things could have happened, eh. Thanks for the update!