This kind of litter I can deal with!
August 31, 2012
August 30, 2012
Night Adventures
The first official Found on the Trail group field trip was conducted yesterday evening, with great fanfare and much excitement.
Family members asked, "You're going where?" and looked at us quizzically as we loaded up with highly sensitive instruments, meant to record scientific data. And then, we were out the door!
As you will recall, yesterday's post was on those luscious, bright orange mushrooms called Jack O'Lanterns. Multiple sources online had indicated that these fungi would glow in the dark. Eager to see this phenomena, intrepid reader Sarah and myself conducted an investigative foray onto the bike path late last night.
And this, dear readers, is is what we saw:
Yep. That's it. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Highly disappointed, we knelt close to the specimens, and peered under their thick, leathery caps. No glow.
Imagine our disappointment! Granted, there was a bright moon, and a street light cast its beam in the vicinity, but still. We had expected something! After all, their legendary glow is said to have guided lost pioneers home in the dark, in days past.
This glow is supposed to occur along the same principles as the glimmer produced in lightning bugs. Even knowing this, we could not refrain from placing an artificial light sources under their gorgeous caps in an irrational hope of supplying a needed trigger. This provided not even a residual flicker, once removed.
However, this photo, taken during the process, is a good example of the sort of glow we had hoped to witness naturally:
Sadly disappointed, and slightly startled by a big, brown creature that ran close by us, we decided to leave. But first, we took photos to document for the world our devotion to scientific research. There are almost no depths to which we would not plummet in order to ascertain facts for this blog:
Having concluded our field work, we proceeded to the research vehicle to a soundtrack of our own laughter and neighborhood dogs barking at us suspiciously. We left the vicinity, confident that we had done all we could do, for that night. More research will have to be conducted in order to determine the truth behind the alleged glowing properties of this fungi.
Family members asked, "You're going where?" and looked at us quizzically as we loaded up with highly sensitive instruments, meant to record scientific data. And then, we were out the door!
As you will recall, yesterday's post was on those luscious, bright orange mushrooms called Jack O'Lanterns. Multiple sources online had indicated that these fungi would glow in the dark. Eager to see this phenomena, intrepid reader Sarah and myself conducted an investigative foray onto the bike path late last night.
And this, dear readers, is is what we saw:
Yep. That's it. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Highly disappointed, we knelt close to the specimens, and peered under their thick, leathery caps. No glow.
Imagine our disappointment! Granted, there was a bright moon, and a street light cast its beam in the vicinity, but still. We had expected something! After all, their legendary glow is said to have guided lost pioneers home in the dark, in days past.
This glow is supposed to occur along the same principles as the glimmer produced in lightning bugs. Even knowing this, we could not refrain from placing an artificial light sources under their gorgeous caps in an irrational hope of supplying a needed trigger. This provided not even a residual flicker, once removed.
However, this photo, taken during the process, is a good example of the sort of glow we had hoped to witness naturally:
Sadly disappointed, and slightly startled by a big, brown creature that ran close by us, we decided to leave. But first, we took photos to document for the world our devotion to scientific research. There are almost no depths to which we would not plummet in order to ascertain facts for this blog:
Having concluded our field work, we proceeded to the research vehicle to a soundtrack of our own laughter and neighborhood dogs barking at us suspiciously. We left the vicinity, confident that we had done all we could do, for that night. More research will have to be conducted in order to determine the truth behind the alleged glowing properties of this fungi.
August 29, 2012
Jack O'Lantern Mushrooms
Are you ready for Halloween? These mushrooms are. Take a look at these massive, bright orange beauties! They are called jack o'lantern mushrooms, or Omphalotus olearius. (Say that six times fast in a row!)
A friend told me about these beautiful fungi. She'd seen them on her morning bike ride, and left a note on my car windshield as to their location, because she knew I was out sleuthing in the nearby creek bed. Thank you, Sarah. What a find!
These mushrooms, while glorious to behold, are poisonous. They won't necessarily kill you, but can cause you to have severe cramps and vomiting, among other reactions. Yet oddly enough, I read on Wikipedia that some people suffer from poisoning more than once because they find them irresistible. Sounds like a malignant plot twist in a fairy tale, doesn't it?
So, you can look, but don't taste!
And that's not all. Their gills are supposed to glow in the dark. Hmmm. I'll have to check that out. Anyone up for a field trip?
A friend told me about these beautiful fungi. She'd seen them on her morning bike ride, and left a note on my car windshield as to their location, because she knew I was out sleuthing in the nearby creek bed. Thank you, Sarah. What a find!
These mushrooms, while glorious to behold, are poisonous. They won't necessarily kill you, but can cause you to have severe cramps and vomiting, among other reactions. Yet oddly enough, I read on Wikipedia that some people suffer from poisoning more than once because they find them irresistible. Sounds like a malignant plot twist in a fairy tale, doesn't it?
So, you can look, but don't taste!
And that's not all. Their gills are supposed to glow in the dark. Hmmm. I'll have to check that out. Anyone up for a field trip?
August 28, 2012
I Gotta Green!
It's blurry, but I was thrilled with this photo! Know why? Because contained within its distant, fuzzy pixels is my first green heron!
It flew across the lake and landed on a log. That movement is the only reason I saw it. I had my camera up in a flash but was awfully far away from it.
As usual, it was only when I got home that I realized there was more in the frame than I thought. Do you see it? There's a second heron in the background.
Here's a close up.
Green herons are most active at dusk and dawn, but if hungry they hunt during the day. They stand perfectly still, waiting for a hapless fish to come by. Sometimes they drop insects or feathers to attract the attention of fish and draw them in. How's that for cool? This makes them tool users, which is very rare in the animal world.
My photo caught the herons with their reddish-brown necks extended, but they often sit with their necks drawn in, creating a very different profile.
For some awesome photos of green herons, check out 10,000birds.com and look at their post "Green Herons and their Groovy Necks" at http://10000birds.com/green-herons-and-their-groovy-necks.htm . They have some fantastic before and after pictures of herons with their necks extended and retracted.
It flew across the lake and landed on a log. That movement is the only reason I saw it. I had my camera up in a flash but was awfully far away from it.
As usual, it was only when I got home that I realized there was more in the frame than I thought. Do you see it? There's a second heron in the background.
Here's a close up.
Green herons are most active at dusk and dawn, but if hungry they hunt during the day. They stand perfectly still, waiting for a hapless fish to come by. Sometimes they drop insects or feathers to attract the attention of fish and draw them in. How's that for cool? This makes them tool users, which is very rare in the animal world.
My photo caught the herons with their reddish-brown necks extended, but they often sit with their necks drawn in, creating a very different profile.
For some awesome photos of green herons, check out 10,000birds.com and look at their post "Green Herons and their Groovy Necks" at http://10000birds.com/green-herons-and-their-groovy-necks.htm . They have some fantastic before and after pictures of herons with their necks extended and retracted.
August 27, 2012
Family on the Trail
We had a recent visit from my sister and her husband. The majority of our family members live far away, so we made the most of their short time with us.
One event was a must. We had to get out and see the trail that Jason worked on for his Eagle project. It was a living "show and tell".
On the way to the trailhead, we got to see some pleasure boats lock through.
We also enjoyed the colors along the way as we walked and talked. Below are photos of the beauties we enjoyed, taken by my son, Jason.
One event was a must. We had to get out and see the trail that Jason worked on for his Eagle project. It was a living "show and tell".
On the way to the trailhead, we got to see some pleasure boats lock through.
We also enjoyed the colors along the way as we walked and talked. Below are photos of the beauties we enjoyed, taken by my son, Jason.
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| Photo by Jason - Swamp Milkweed |
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| Photo by Jason - Poke Weed |
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| Photo by Jason - Bull Thistle |
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| Photo by Jason - Butterfly Milkweed |
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| Photo by Jason - Blue Vervain |
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| Photo by Jason - Compass Plant |
Thorn In My Side
See those thorns? That's called a "diagnostic feature". Typically the thorns run from 4 - 8 inches long. Not a tree you'd want to hug if you got lost. And not a tree you'd really want in your yard or pasture, either.
This is a honey locust. Those thorns are sharp enough to flatten your car tire, and can do real damage to a person, even when wearing thick boots. You can see why farmers consider this tree a menace.
Most honey locust trees have thorns, but a small percentage do not. There is also a thornless cultivated version, sold from nurseries.
The species name is Gleditsia Triacanthos, from the name of German botanist, Gottlieb Gleditsch, and Greek words meaning "three-spined". (The thorns often grow with three prongs.)
The thorns are green when new, red when mature, and grey as they become aged and brittle. All three can puncture your skin and leave you with a nasty wound.
The honey locust is actually part of the legume family. Consider it a gigantic pea plant. You are probably familiar with the long, leathery pods.
Their contents are eaten by foxes, squirrels, deer, and birds. They are also edible to humans. They have a sweet taste - hence the common name of "honey". If you get hungry, just be sure you don't mix the honey locust up with the black locust, whose fruit should NOT be eaten.
August 10, 2012
My Eye Is Upon You!
Can you identify this bird?
It has no prominent field marks, but note the slightly curved beak. It is from the family Troglodytidae, which means "cave dweller". The photo (above) is a little atypical, because these birds are usually seen holding their tails upright in a perky way.
It has no prominent field marks, but note the slightly curved beak. It is from the family Troglodytidae, which means "cave dweller". The photo (above) is a little atypical, because these birds are usually seen holding their tails upright in a perky way.
Here's a pair.
Have you guessed it yet? Yep! These are wrens. And as you can see, the male and female look the same. They have no obvious sexual dimorphism.
Something interesting about wrens is that the male will build more than one nest, and then when he gets a mate, he will let her pick the one she likes best. They may nest inside cavities but have a strong preference for manmade birdhouses. So much so, that if you are building bluebird houses, you need to make the entrance hole according to the exact dimensions called for, or wrens will take them over in a heartbeat. (I learned this while working on an Eagle Scout project!)
Wrens can be very fierce, as you can tell from the following photo.
It's pretty clear that this wren is saying, "Back Off!!!" I was further away than it looks, using my zoom lens, but I got the message loud and clear, and gave this little family a wide berth.
The word wren has a fascinating etymology. Here's the trail: Old English wraenna, from Old High German wrendo & wrendilo, from the Icelandic rindill. I just love trailing these words back through the centuries. Aren't they beautiful?
August 4, 2012
A Real Creeper
Can you see the creeper?
Not that kind of a creeper! This is a friendly little guy who creeps up (but not down) trees and eats the insects hiding in the bark. When he gets to the top, he flies to the base of another tree and starts working his way up again.
Here's a close up of him. He's a brown creeper - Certhia americana.
Brown creepers are notorious for blending in well with tree bark they spiral up trees looking for their three squares a day. Their bills have a slight curve to them, and they use their tails to lean on when working the bark.
Not that kind of a creeper! This is a friendly little guy who creeps up (but not down) trees and eats the insects hiding in the bark. When he gets to the top, he flies to the base of another tree and starts working his way up again.
Here's a close up of him. He's a brown creeper - Certhia americana.
Brown creepers are notorious for blending in well with tree bark they spiral up trees looking for their three squares a day. Their bills have a slight curve to them, and they use their tails to lean on when working the bark.
August 3, 2012
Beached in My Heart
Here's a poem I wrote as an exercise for a weekly art history class that two other moms and I were teaching our homeschool children, based on the art series "Picturing America" from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
When we go to the Charles Sheeler painting, "American Landscape, 1930", which shows huge factories, we read Carl Sandburg's poem "Chicago" as a literary piece to go with it. We then each wrote a poem on a geographic point personal to ourselves, based on the format of Sandburg's first stanza.
Here's mine, which I include in this blog, because it holds echoes of those early Michigan trails upon which I found myself as a child.
When we go to the Charles Sheeler painting, "American Landscape, 1930", which shows huge factories, we read Carl Sandburg's poem "Chicago" as a literary piece to go with it. We then each wrote a poem on a geographic point personal to ourselves, based on the format of Sandburg's first stanza.
Here's mine, which I include in this blog, because it holds echoes of those early Michigan trails upon which I found myself as a child.
Michigan
Petoskey keeper for the world.
Girl-maker, stower of dreams,
Player with lakes and glacial streams.
Autumnal, burnished, coppery,
State of deciduous childhood,
Green as a canoe -
Beached in my heart
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| Photo borrowed from www.trailblazerproducts.com. |
August 2, 2012
Green Bean Tree?
Recently spotted a tree that seemed to have green beans growing on its branches. Take a look:
I knew there had to be an interesting story behind this tree, and there was.
It's a catalpa tree, and native to North America. According to my online research, the real name for this tree should have been "catawba", but the botanist who first described it made a transcription error, and it came out "catalpa". The tree is now known by both names, and they relate directly to the name of the Catawba Indians.
This tree is also sometimes called the Indian Bean Tree, the Cigar Tree, the Monkey Cigar Tree, and the Fish Bait Tree. This last name comes from the fact that catalpa caterpillars make excellent fish bait. So much so, in fact, that some fisherman plant these trees in order to have a ready supply of bait on hand.
How many of you have heard of this tree before and knew it by sight?
I knew there had to be an interesting story behind this tree, and there was.
It's a catalpa tree, and native to North America. According to my online research, the real name for this tree should have been "catawba", but the botanist who first described it made a transcription error, and it came out "catalpa". The tree is now known by both names, and they relate directly to the name of the Catawba Indians.
This tree is also sometimes called the Indian Bean Tree, the Cigar Tree, the Monkey Cigar Tree, and the Fish Bait Tree. This last name comes from the fact that catalpa caterpillars make excellent fish bait. So much so, in fact, that some fisherman plant these trees in order to have a ready supply of bait on hand.
How many of you have heard of this tree before and knew it by sight?
August 1, 2012
Change in Plans
This broken paddle caught my attention on my river walk. I'm always interested in artifacts. I wonder things like - who lost this paddle? Under what circumstances? How did they manage without it? Did they have a backup? And, how far did it float before it ended up here?
To me this paddle symbolizes a change in plans. Oops! In a careless moment, or a challenging circumstance, you drop your paddle and it floats away. Now what?
That's like life. We have to invent and depend on contingency plans in order to get back to the safety of the shore. These situations may not be calamities, but they are still upsets that we have to deal with.
My hope for myself and all of you is that we will always have a spare paddle, and friends in our canoe to help us navigate when we are at a loss.
To me this paddle symbolizes a change in plans. Oops! In a careless moment, or a challenging circumstance, you drop your paddle and it floats away. Now what?
That's like life. We have to invent and depend on contingency plans in order to get back to the safety of the shore. These situations may not be calamities, but they are still upsets that we have to deal with.
My hope for myself and all of you is that we will always have a spare paddle, and friends in our canoe to help us navigate when we are at a loss.
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