Welcome to our blog!
It's all about our discoveries in our private Shady Oaks Sanctuary for birds, pollinators and wildlife. We gauge our success by the diversity of species we observe and document with our photography.
We hope you are inspired to create your own refuge!
Into August 8-4-20
Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are often seen in the garden and woodland. More tiny eggs were laid on 7-26-20 by this female who quickly darted upwards before I could catch her ovipositing. A male has been nectaring at the purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea).The egg develops into the first instar caterpillar within five days. By the seventh day, the hungry little caterpillar has emerged from the egg and eaten enough leaf matter to lay down the silk mat and fold the leaf into a protective covering.
Eastern Phoebes have been very actively looking for food here in our Sanctuary. Warm days get tiny insects moving, and this young Phoebe, a flycatcher, was nabbing gnats over the pond. This bird seems to have gotten the hang of it.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds also search for tiny insects. The nectar and sugar water at feeders just fuels this insect-catching behavior. To me, it looked like that was exactly what this hummingbird was doing.
These birds do love to nectar at Cardinal flower and Marsh Milkweed, which is just opening its flowers on warm days.
The American Robins have been coming in by sixes and twelves to grab berries off the Rough-leaf Dogwood trees. The Black Cherries are also ripe and ready for them.
Yesterday, one of the young Eastern Phoebes checked out the Blackhaw fruit after grabbing some dogwood berries. However, this fruit must turn dark purplish black before it's ready to eat. Supposedly they're safe for humans, but we'll leave them for the birds.
This morning, one of the Ruby-throats was defending the south feeder and would turn its head in every direction, checking for invaders. By late October, these hummingbirds will have gained enough weight to be well on their way to their winter homes.
We have beautiful cool weather now for a few days. Time to get back outside and see if any migrants are about.
The first to move south will be on their way soon.
7-25-20 Summertime views and a program with Dr. Doug Tallamy
Juvenile birds of all sizes are being seen in our sanctuary now. The Northern Cardinals have been successful with having both male and female chicks in their brood. They're on their own now as they explore for food and investigate the water features.
House Finches have had a second batch of chicks and they're often seen together as they move around the woodland.
Young Red-shouldered Hawks, screaming, "like pterodactyls," according to my sis-in-law, announce their presence in the neighborhood. They have begun to get a bit more serious as they learn the importance of stealth in their hunting techniques. One came up with prey on its own after a good rain, a nightcrawler. It will soon be graduating to mammals like voles, chipmunks and even rabbits.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird numbers are ticking upwards now with the arrival of juvenile birds. The chase is on! The young birds are at feeders as well as flowers like the Coral Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), so keep a lookout for them in your own yards.
The Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is prolific in the garden this year and is being visited by many types of pollinators, like this small carpenter bee, a Ceratina species.
Coneflowers are also attracting small skippers and larger butterflies, like this female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. There are two female forms of this butterfly, yellow and black. We have lots of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) in the yard, the primary host plant for this species. Black Cherry is also considered to be a Keystone Native Plant because it supports 313 species of moths and butterflies here in our area! It is second only to the mighty Oaks, or Quercus species, which support 429 Lepidoptera.
The very best way to support our native birds, specialist bees, butterflies, and all of nature is with
native plants in our yards. Grab a cold drink and enjoy this entertaining and uplifting program
featuring nature's best friend and mentor to so many, Doug Tallamy.
Wild Ones presents Nature's Best Hope with Dr. Doug Tallamy
July sightings and introduction to Fall Warblers! 7-12-20
Wow. It's never too early in the morning to make the wrong assumption!
Remember the hungry little caterpillar? I couldn't find it because it had crawled off to another leaf during the night. I discovered it a few days later and it had been changing dramatically into a "fifth instar" caterpillar. Instead of looking like a bird dropping, it had taken on the form of a formidable looking, large-eyed snake.
The last time I found it was on the morning of 7-3-20. By noon, it had gone AWOL again. However, I did find another small one on a lower branch of the same plant.
On the Fourth of July, I did another bee survey and found this interesting little Agapostemon species or Striped Sweat Bee. Its psychedelic coloring included violet antennae. That day, I confirmed a Monarch in the garden, though the photo was hardly in focus, it only stayed a millisecond.
Tiger Swallowtails have been dancing in the garden, too. Just like the bees, they are all over the sweet balls of the Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).
White-tailed does and fawns have been coming through. At times, the young ones really kick up their heels and chase each other.
Birds have been busy feeding and getting into the water features. Mourning doves are sometimes seen in the morning or late afternoon.
Youngsters are now coming on their own or in pairs. Northern Cardinals, Tufted Timice and Carolina Chickadees are frequent visitors.
The bigger the bird, the longer it takes to raise them. American Crows have a lot to learn from the adults. The sump puddle has become a bit of a classroom for them, and they are noisy about their lessons.
All thrushes, like these American Robins, do love to bathe. They're quick studies when it comes to claiming ownership of a water feature.
Two young Cooper's hawks have been investigating the basin this week. The larger one is probably a female. It seemed to be having some difficulty keeping lunch down.
At least one female and two male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been seen fairly regularly in the yard. One plant that is not native, but one I keep for them is this Salvia x Black and Blue. It has a high sugar content in the nectar and they really go for it. It keeps their energy up for catching tiny gnats and other insects.
The American Goldfinches are checking the Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) for seed already. It's definitely a favorite of theirs.
Part of my time the last few weeks was spent in completing a project that's been on my list for a couple of years. Fall migration is fast approaching, believe it or not. Identifying warblers during this season is much more difficult because many of the birds don't just look dull, but look completely different. So, here is a link to a new gallery that shows an introductory slide for each species in the spring, followed by a variety of images of that species in the fall. There's even a quiz near the end. Have fun!
Fall Warbler Species at Shady Oaks
6-26-20 What happens in the woods...
What happens in the woods...stays in the woods.
Early last Thursday, 6-18-20, I was having breakfast when I spied some movement on a small oak. We had visitors! The Barred Owl pair were perched together on a short branch. They were sharing some tidbit, preening and generally staying pretty well-hidden from Blue Jays and American Crows.
It had been five years since I had taken a photo of them in that spot, on 4-6-15. The "cuddlin' branch" was one of their favorite perches back then. They've probably come in during the night at times to use it, but it was an honor to see them on it again, in morning light. It seemed that they felt safe here and stayed a while before moving to an even more secluded area. Sanctuary!
Nesting species are still busy with young birds. The Northern Cardinal pair seem to be nearly finished with their first brood. The female now comes fairly often to drink. The male was foraging in a Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) for a meal.
The primary food for 96% of our terrestrial birds is caterpillars of moths and butterflies, all belonging to the order of insects called Lepidoptera. I've seen the beautiful Spicebush Swallowtail in our garden every year, nectaring on many different flowers. This is a male on Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and resting on our 'fish-feeding' rock. The third photo is of a female, resting on Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).
This plant is a Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) which is the host plant for which the butterfly is named. We have at least six of these plants, but I have never been able to find a caterpillar on one, until this last week. Can you spot it in the photo? Ah, that's not really fair without a clue. Look for a folded leaf.
Here is a photo from last year when a female laid eggs on this plant. I've seen a female patrolling the woods this spring, so it must have laid eggs. Butterflies and moths lay hundreds of eggs, and they do that to ensure that some will survive to maturity. Many, if not most will become food for birds. "After all, no caterpillars, no baby birds! It takes 6,000-9,000 caterpillars (or Leps), to raise one brood of Carolina Chickadees!"
Credit: Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy
After the Barred Owls left, I went out to fill the feeders. I felt like a kid again when I discovered this tiny Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar on a leaf! It eats part of the leaf, then lays down a mat of silk that it folds over onto itself for protection from predators, i.e. birds! The hungry little caterpillar spends some time during the day leaving its protected area and eating more of the leaf before returning. In this way, the host plant takes the energy from the sun, and gives it to the caterpillar through the leaves that are eaten.
I looked at my other Spicebushes, hoping to find more caterpillars, but all I found were empty leaves. Hungry little caterpillars are vulnerable. I hoped to see all the instar stages of the little one I had found. It's a very interesting insect!
Let's take another look for the caterpillar's leaf. Did you spot it this time?
On Monday, 6-22-20, the hungry little caterpillar had shed its skin, and then was out and about on a lower leaf, chomping away. When I checked an hour later, it was back in its leafy bed. I spent some time writing pen pal letters to our grandsons.
Thought to check one more time about 2 hours later, and the caterpillar had disappeared. Had it become a meal for a hungry little bird, like this fledgling Northern Cardinal? Probably. What happens in the woods, stays in the woods.
A young Eastern Phoebe was looking for a meal around the pond a few days ago. Dan had put up a small fence to deter the doe because it loves to eat waterlilies.That gave this bird another perching place. It spotted an insect on the viburnum in the background and nabbed it on the fly. That's what flycatchers do. One way we can tell this is a young bird is that its gape is still visible, though not as bright in color now. This bird must find its own food, not beg from an adult any more.
The doe and fawn are still being seen as they forage on jewelweed, hydrangeas and Solomon's seal, or look for a shady spot in the heat.
Besides the birds and wildlife, I'll be spending time looking for more pollinators, specifically, our native bees. Our garden is part of the ShutterBee Study, co-sponsored by St. Louis University's Billiken Bee Lab and Webster University. Here are a few of the subjects found so far and contributed to the project through iNaturalist.
Brown-belted Bumble Bee on Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) and on Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea).
Hylaeus species or Masked Bee on Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and Augochlorine Sweat Bee on Smooth Hydrangea cultivar (Hydrangea arborescens x 'White Dome').
Leafcutter, Mortar and Resin Bee species on Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).
Stay cool, stay safe and well!
Late spring migrant and other sightings 6-15-20
You'll hear more birds than you see,
and you'll see more birds than you can possibly photograph.
We left off with water features, and well, the birds are still using them every day. From the youngsters like the Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadees to adults like the female Northern Cardinal and American Robin, water is the ticket to happiness! There's just nothing like a refreshing bath after downing insects all morning. They're fun to watch as they line up to get in.
On Sunday morning, 6/7/20, I was enjoying my coffee in the gazebo when I heard what I thought was a Blackpoll Warbler. Wait a minute! What? I had heard and seen this species on 8 days this spring, and managed one photo. They were staying high in the canopy to feed. Sometimes, they do come down lower. The second close-up image was taken two years ago, on 5/10/18.
The last Blackpoll Warbler seen was twenty days earlier on 5/18/20. I heard it again. It was staying high in our north sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and I could not see it, or even think about getting a photo. Time to try the recording app on my phone and see if I could document it that way. This was one late bird! Finally, I got an audio clip that I added to my eBird checklist which was reviewed and confirmed. There are at two June records listed in The Status and Distribution of Birds in Missouri by Mark B. Robbins. This definitive work is constantly updated and is an open access pdf if anyone would like to have a free copy: Birds in Missouri
Blackpoll Warbler in Spring: Latest dates: 1, 9 Jun 1945, Hannibal, Marion Co. (WC); male, 6 Jun 1964, west of Cardwell, Dunklin Co. (DE; KU 118769).
This bird is often missed because its song is nearly inaudible. If you want to view the checklist and listen to the bird, it helps to know what the notes look like on the audiogram. It's a distinctive pattern and it sounds like "seet-seet-seet-seet-seet". This is the slower song. To some, it sounds like a little sewing machine, going, "tick-tick-tick-tick-tick".
To view the checklist and audiogram, here is the link: eBird Checklist
To check out the full song and more on this interesting species: Blackpoll Warbler
This species has been observed here every spring for the last 24 years. The first blog post that I wrote was about a very rare fall sighting of a female Blackpoll Warbler on 10/4/13. It was documented with my photo as the third record for fall migration in Missouri.
The Status and Distribution of Birds in Missouri by Mark B. Robbins
Blackpoll Warbler in Fall: The primary migration route for the species is well to the north and east of Missouri.
Only the following have been documented: probable imm, 2 Oct 2005, Tower Grove (JE); probable imm, photos, 23 Oct 2006, Forest Park (S. McCowan); 1, photos, 4 Oct 2013, St. Louis (M. Terpstra); 1, 24 Sep 2017, Lake of the Ozarks, Miller Co.(K. McKay, A. Hartley).
There's hardly a dull moment in a native garden. Familiar Bluets, small damselflies were seen mating on the bubbler rock where it was moist. An American Toad took refuge in the basin one morning.
We have been wondering when we'd see the first white-tailed fawn. It caught my eye it as it was moving through the woodland to find a napping spot in a bit of jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). A few days later, the doe was seen, nursing the fawn.
Evidence of nesting species includes Downy Woodpecker. The red 'cap' tells us that this is a young bird. Adult male Downy Woodpeckers have red on the back of the head, similar to the Hairy Woodpecker in the next image with the American Robin.
Birds often go through a very quiet period when they are nesting. This Gray Catbird had not been seen or heard since 5/20/20, but it may be nesting close by. It does know a safe place to find water.
Eastern Phoebes have been back in the yard, the male calling and juveniles hawking insects on their own. This juvenile took advantage of the bubbler to bathe in. They often have another brood, so I'm keeping an eye out for nest building again.
The unseen coronavirus is still present and we remain sheltered at home. Our world is in flux right now.
We extend our hopes for good health, peace and justice for all.