American GoldFinch (Spinus tristis)

American GoldFinch (Spinus tristis)

Each July when the Goldfinch broods fledge, my garden is visited by family groups of Goldfinches.  The bright yellow males are the first to be noticed.  He perches on the tall stems of the Shasta Daisies, surveys the undergrowth for stalking urban leopards, house cats. The all-clear call is given and the rest of the group moves in to feed. In the background of the photo above can be seen the compound leaf of an Indiana Black Walnut, a tree that was once common through out Indiana before the forests were clear cut and burned for agriculture. The squirrels plant these trees, at one time I believed what I was told, squirrels bury tree seeds to hide for their next meal. After watching squirrels burying maple seeds one after another in my garden and the fact that the nearest walnut tree is a city block away from my yard, I tend to think that squirrels are distributing the tree seeds to replenish the forest habitat. After all no trees no squirrels.

July in my perennial wild flower garden.  The wild flowers were planted about twenty years ago, from bag and canned wild flower seed mixes.  I just turned the soil, broadcast the seed mix and let nature take its course. Every now and then, I'll root out the grass that invades from what little lawn that I have.  No ferts or pesticides, dividing the root clumps is a no-no also. Basically, no maintenance is the rule, I just let it grow. When I see plants taking hold that I do not want I just pull them out by the roots.  The deadheads are left on the stalks to re-seed, provide food for the visiting birds and shelter for the overwintering insects.

Margined Blister Beetle

I was first introduced to the Blister Beetle in the mid 70's. In a way that I would not wish upon my worst enemy or best friend( in creationist science your best friend is your worst enemy, talk about weird science, lol). Back to the point. I was strolling down the street, was a beautiful summer's eve, when I felt something crawling on the back of my neck. I reached back, gave it a whack and picked it off my neck. First glance I was relieved that it was not a hornet, yellow jacket or bee. I thought only a beetle,  good.  As I continued my stroll and examination of this unknown beetle, I observed a reddish fluid on the beetle and my fingers.  Suddenly, my neck and fingers began to burn, as if a hot comb was pressing against my skin. The back of my neck and fingers blistered something awful but the pain became scientific bliss when I realized that I had my first Blister Beetle.

The beetle in the photo is the Margined Blister Beetle (Epicauta pestifera). Common in the eastern USA. These beetles are vegetarians as adults. The eggs are laid in the soil, upon hatching the instar (nymphs) seek out grasshopper eggs for food.  During a drought, when grasshopper eggs are few, they substitute ground nesting bee larva for their food. Some consider them parasitic but they are actually insect predators(insectivores). The blister agent is secreted by the males and given to the females during mating.  She puts the fluid on the eggs.  This makes the eggs poisonous and repels any creature that finds the eggs. The toxic chemical in the fluid not only burns but it also kills horses, grazing animals and humans when the beetles are eaten. Old timers out there, remember the aphrodisiac "Spanish Fly", well, the ground up beetle was it. Now banned around the world because it is a deadly poison. If you ever wondered what a  Spanish Fly looked like, here it is.          

Snap Shots, January-February 2012

Stepping a couple months back for this post, here are a few of the snapshot made during the months of January and February 2012. Northwest Indiana had a mild winter, below average snow fall and above average temps. All in all a most pleasant winter.


Last summer I found an area with a large growth of Illinois Bundle weed (here is a photo of this plant in flower). I revisited the area and found the Bundle weed seed pods. The seed pods twist themselves about the flowerhead in a tight bundle. In the photo below you can see how the pods split open to release the seeds. I collected a few seeds and will try to grow them in my flower garden this spring.

Illinois Bundle Weed Seed Pods

The only birds seen in the field during this hike were a small flock of Chipping Sparrows. Flying from bush to bush, and close to the ground, looking for seeds and insects in the leaf litter.

Chipping Sparrow

The neighborhood in which I live is shared with a family of Cooper Hawks. They hunt and nest in Oaks and Maple trees. Skilled hunters, they fly through the trees taking any small animal that lets its guard down. 

Cooper Hawk

Many a time I have a Forest Gump moment, while standing in the yard, I'll see a feather drifting in the still air.  Sure enough a Cooper Hawk will be perched in a tree above, plucking it's lunch. 

Cooper Hawk with lunch

This is a photo of a Red-Tailed Hawk, high in a dead Cottonwood tree, overlooking Ranger's Marsh.

Red-Tailed Hawk

How mild was the winter of 2011-12.  I left the collard greens and cabbage in the ground last fall. We would go out and pick a hand full of greens when needed. Well, they grew all winter, these photos were taken February 27, 2012. I'll let them go to seed and maybe they'll be our greens for Easter dinner. 

Collard Greens in February 

Well, the winter was mild enough for this Blue Bot Fly to pay us a visit in February.

And the Maple trees are flowering in February.

(Left Click any Photo See the Slide Show)

October Buckeye

On a spring-like October afternoon, a Buckeye butterfly takes a last sip of Zinnia nectar, before hibernating for the winter. 

Marsh Walk, 06/29/11

Hot morning walk, temp in the 90's. revisited the Goldfinch nest that had two eggs in it several days ago. One has hatched, the other did not make it. Here's the rather large chick, getting plenty to eat. When the shutter clicks the chick flinches. Took 3 quick pics and let it be.

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 Chick in GoldFinch nest.

Not long ago, the Snowy Egret was non-existing in this far north. The clean air and water regs must have worked to these birds benefit.

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Snow Egret drenched in sunlight.

Scare one duck you scare them all. These Mallards have no intention to hang around any longer. One wing beat and they're doing 30 mph up and away.

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Love the sound of whistling wings.

First time seeing a bird like this. Black head, red body, I think it's an Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius. 

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A Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, sizing me up!

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Horsetail, Equisetum, also called the puzzle plant. A living fossil, has been on earth since the coal age, back then it grew 30 meters tall or 90 feet, as large as most trees alive today. One of the plants that we depend on for our fossil fuel needs. Funny, old rotten plants power space age civilization.

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Bee Balm ~ Oswego Tea ~ Bergamont, Monarda didyma, a pleasant smelling plant in flower now. Will try to transplant to my garden. Thru the years it has been used to treat a number of ailments.

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Wood Ducks, Aix sponsa are in eclipse, shedding old flight feathers growing new. Unable to fly,  they run across the water to avoid me.

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A large colorful Garter Snake in my path. I've been bitten by Garter snakes many a time , now wiki tells me that they are mildly venomous. Learn something new every day.

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