August 1

The early morning sky is sunny with temperatures in the mid 60’s as I enter another privately-owned, conservation easement east of Alma. As a volunteer for the Chippewa Watershed conservancy, I’m hiking a grass trail on this 38-acre parcel to check whether the owner is continuing to manage this land for optimum wildlife habitat. Soon, I gaze skyward as a dozen or so chirping Barn Swallows flying overhead. While faintly hearing a few Sandhill Cranes taking off in the distance, I notice a spike buck Whitetail deer staring at me from the meadow. Up ahead, I watch the short flight of a large grasshopper with flashy wings before it lands. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be the short-horned variety. Veering off the trail, I spot a Blue-eyed Darner dragonfly perching on the seedhead of grass. Darners mate in flight. The male places a sperm packet on his abdomen and, once joined in flight, a female will pick it off him and use it to fertilize her eggs, which she has attached to vegetation near water. Females then place fertilized eggs in warm, slow moving waters like ponds, swamps, creeks and small streams. Once hatched, the naiads (stock photo) live in the water, feeding on small aquatic insects, tadpoles and even small fish. Approaching a small pond, I get a close look at a Snowy Egret wading in the shallows. In the early 20th century, this bird was hunted extensively for their long breeding plumes that fashionable ladies wore on their hats. This trade ended in 1910 in North America and the population recovered. Because we are in the northern most section of their summer range, Egrets are rarely seen around here. In addition, most of them migrate in the fall to their breeding grounds along the Gulf Coast. Suddenly, the Egret takes off along with a noisy Great Blue Heron and Green Heron. Exploring the pond perimeter, I observe a large patch of Canadian Thistle flowers that have seeded out and a Honeybee feeding on a Purple Loosestrife blossom. Other pink blossoms that catch my eye include Swamp Thistle and Vervain. At my feet, I see a Broadleaf Plantain plant including its leaves and seed stalks. This plant can be eaten entirely, but the young leaves are the tastiest and are used like spinach in salads and sandwiches. Older leaves are edible as well, but they tend to be more bitter and stringy. Plantain leaves work wonders on mosquito bites, bee stings, and minor cuts and scrapes. The simplest way to use them is to crush up a leaf and rub it on the bite or scrape. Turning back toward the car, I look afar to see the head of a Woodchuck sticking out of the tall grass. At my last stop before the car, I scan a small pond as a noisy Killdeer flies by.

 

Middle of summer

August to greet

Rose hips red

Mulberries sweet

Goldenrod yellow

Chicory blue

Purple Coneflowers

Still in view

Monarch larvae

Consume the green

Redwing Blackbirds

Leave the scene

D. DeGraaf