Up to the Challenge

Acadian Flycatcher in the treetops

We're well into July and I think I'm finally getting back into my normal routine. But for the month of June, I was somewhat possessed, after immersing myself in this year's June Birding Challenge. Everything but the pursuit of my list of target birds took a back burner--family, garden, friends, laundry, bills, cleaning, eating, and even personal grooming! I became single minded, scarfing meals on the run while I tracked reports on ebird and mapped my daily excursions. Most nights I dropped off to sleep, completely exhausted after walking for hours in the heat, binoculars and camera around my neck. And I had a blast! Luckily my husband was out of town for a chunk of this, or he would have felt ignored. I know the dog did.

Walking the Trails through the Woods

For those who have not read about this in my previous posts, the June Challenge is a friendly birding competition put on by the Alachua County Florida Audubon chapter. The goal is to see (not just hear) as many wild bird species within the county limits as possible. Because it is a friendly competition, people share information when they find a special or rare bird and the more experienced birders lead several field trips to help everyone see as many as possible. It's a lot of fun and I looked forward to June when I lived in Florida. Since moving to Georgia, I have tried to keep participating on my own but have (so far) not been able to convince anyone to join me. Maybe one of these years I'll get some converts and this can become a thing in Athens, too.

American Kestrel

For the past few years I had assumed that I was at a disadvantage birding up here because Clarke County is so much smaller (about 1/10th the size) than Alachua County, so I allowed myself to expand the search territory. But this year I looked on ebird at the list of birds that might be found here in June and was delighted to see that the numbers were higher than I had thought. If I managed to see every bird on the list (extremely unlikely) my numbers could be pretty respectable. Of course, the folks in Gainesville will always be way ahead of me. They have a whole lot more birds available down there, especially the wading birds, and lots of expert birders, and I am no expert. But I decided to give it a try, sticking just to my county, and anyway, as I remind myself every year, the experience is so much more than just checking birds off my list.

Orb Weaver

As always with the June Challenge, I found new parks and natural areas to explore. This year I spent a lot of time on the North Oconee River Greenway and in Southeast Clarke Park and visited the Lake Herrick/Oconee Forest Park several times a week. And I finally bought an annual pass to Sandy Creek Park, one of our county nature parks. I am coming to appreciate that for a small county, we have a wonderful number of natural areas. I have more to explore in Junes to come.

Box Turtle peeks out of the English Ivy

We may not have all the fancy and abundant wading birds up here that Florida has, like the Spoonbills and Ibises, or water birds like Anhingas and Gallinules, but we have our own specialties. Grey Catbirds and Brown Headed Nuthatches take a little planning to find in Gainesville but I have them both in my backyard feeders. Canada Geese poop all over the fields near my house--not so common for the Alachua folks. Robins--we have Robins a-plenty, all year. People get excited when they find them down in Florida in June. And I see a Hairy Woodpecker just about every year, which I never did in Florida. But I think the only unique bird I had that they won't find down there at all is the White Breasted Nuthatch, another one that visits my yard feeders.

Canada Geese

Robin

White-breasted Nuthatch

On my excursions (BTW, I averaged about 10,000 steps daily for the month, even though there were days I did not go out birding) I encountered not only birds, but rabbits, deer, beavers, a groundhog, armadillos, squirrels, turtles, snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, a salamander, spiders, butterflies, bees, wasps, fungi and slime mold. I found living things and dead. I saw things that were funny and strange and sad. I saw beautiful wildflowers and fireflies and heard the sounds of the cicadas and baby owls. I was out in the sun and rain with walkers and runners, dogs and children. I birded in the morning and evening but mostly in the heat of the day because I can never get my act together for an early morning outing. But the most important thing was that I was outside enjoying nature just about every day. What a great diversion from all the bad news these days. It made me feel so alive and in love with the world.

A Turtle with a Drafonfly on its nose

Great Blue Heron photobombed by a Beaver

Just the Head of an Opossum. Nothing else. Probably from an owl or hawk meal.

This Juvenile Owl and its sibling hissed so much that I finally saw them. Otherwise, my June would have been Owl-less.

In all I counted 75 birds. I tried but never did see a Scarlet Tanager, even though there was one in my yard in May. I expected to find a Nighthawk, but never heard one. I know I see them flying around the football stadium during night games in the fall. And I tried to find Eastern Meadowlarks, but learned that their habitat in our county is disappearing and was unsuccessful. My big scores were the Prothonotary Warbler that I heard then saw on the Greenway and the American Kestrel (rare bird) that I tracked using reports from another birder. I'm pretty happy with my list. I think I am improving each year. A lot of the birding here in Athens in the summer is in thick forests and learning bird sounds is really helpful. I found lots of birds by tracking their sounds and looking for movement. Birds such as the Wood Thrush, Black and White Warbler, Yellow Billed Cuckoo, Northern Parula and Summer Tanager. Of course, when I saw the Alachua County results, I came in at the back of the pack, but I'm ok with that. It's the journey. I plan to take the challenge again next year. If you're in the area, feel free to join me! If you are interested in seeing an album of photos I took during the month, click here.

Sunset over the lake

Here's my list:

1) Northern Cardinal
2) Chimney Swift
3) American Robin
4) Common Grackle
5) House Finch
6) Downy Woodpecker
7) Brown Thrasher
8) Mourning Dove
9) Gray Catbird
10) Blue Jay
11) Ruby-throated Hummingbird
12) Carolina Wren
13) Eastern Towhee
14) Eastern Bluebird
15) Northern Mockingbird
16) Tree Swallow
17) Tufted Titmouse
18) Fish Crow
19) Carolina Chickadee
20) Brown-headed Cowbird
21) Chipping Sparrow
22) White-eyed Vireo
23) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
24) Red-eyed Vireo
25) Barn Swallow
26) Brown-headed Nuthatch
27) Pine Warbler
28) Wood Thrush
29) American Goldfinch
30) Turkey Vulture
31) American Crow
32) House Wren
33) Acadian Flycatcher
34) Red-bellied Woodpecker
35) Hairy Woodpecker
36) Louisiana Waterthrush
37) Common Yellowthroat
38) Indigo Bunting
39) White-breasted Nuthatch
40) Summer Tanager
41) Red-shouldered Hawk
42) Yellow-throated Vireo
43) Coopers Hawk
44) Great-crested Flycatcher
45) Black Vulture
46) Killdeer
47) European Starling
48) Great Blue Heron
49) Green Heron
50) Eastern Phoebe
51) Red-headed Woodpecker
52) House Sparrow
53) Eastern Kingbird
54) Red-tailed Hawk
55) Yellow-billed Cuckoo
56) Eastern Wood Pewee
57) Rock Pigeon
58) Mississippi Kite
59) Canada Goose
60) Mallard
61) Northern Rough-winged Swallow
62) Pileated Woodpecker
63) American Kestrel
64) Broad-winged Hawk
65) Hooded Warbler
66) Belted Kingfisher
67) Blue Grosbeak
68) Barred Owl
69) Osprey
70) Prothonotary Warbler
71) Great White Egret
72) Northern Parula
73) Black and White Warbler
74) Cliff Swallow
75) Bank Swallow

Wild Thing

Blossoms and tufts of green leaves are sprouting all over in our garden. I've got spring fever and want to be outside as much as I can be! I've been cleaning out last year's old growth from the front yard flower patch and realized that I needed to be sure that the seedlings I was thinning out were not from the Georgia Asters that I want to encourage. So yesterday I headed to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, which is just a short trip from home, to take a look at their aster patch for reference. I'm so lucky to live close to one of my favorite places to hike and photograph, as well as a source for gardening and botanical advice!

I think these are the leaves I was looking for

I made my way to the garden and found and photographed what I believe to be the aster leaves so I could compare at home. And since I was already there, and it was supposed to rain in the afternoon, I took the opportunity to try to get some photos of birds and wildflowers. The woods are teeming with color and life, brought about by warmer temps and spring rains. I was just heading off toward a nice trail to catch a look at a heron rookery I had discovered last week, when I heard a wild ruckus from a group of people walking up from that area. Weekends at the gardens are very busy, which is both good and not so good. Good for lots of people to be out enjoying a wonderful nature area, and not so good for people (like me) who are hoping to quietly observe the wildlife. But it's a big place and there is room for all of us. I am always happy to see families who allow their children to explore and experience nature. Quiet observers and rowdy explorers can easily compromise and even share some teachable moments. The kids were hollering and having a great time, shouting "hup, two, three, four" at the top of their lungs as they marched. It was pretty clear to me that the birds and wildlife would scatter for a while in their presence, and I didn't want to lose time before the rain. So instead of heron hunting, I turned around a took a walk through the wildflower garden, which I wanted to visit anyway.

Common Blue Violets (Viola sororia)

Eastern Redbud popping out all over (Cercis canadensis)

Trillium trio (Trillium maculatum)

As I entered the garden, something small scurried up a tree up ahead of me. It seemed too big for a chipmunk but too small for a squirrel, so I followed it and found, to my surprise, that it was a squirrel after all, just a very tiny one. A baby squirrel!

Cute little guy

I wondered if it had fallen out of a nest, but it seemed fully able to climb and scurry away, however awkwardly. It was young enough that it really didn't know what to do when faced with danger. First it froze. Next it scuttled maniacally around in the leaves at the base of a tree, like it had no idea where to go. Then it climbed just a little higher up on the trunk and stared at me. I looked around for upset parent squirrels and didn't hear or see anything. Usually, when I startle squirrels, they scamper to a high branch and screech and bark at me. But this baby was new to the whole stranger thing. He moved to the back of the tree trunk and peeked at me from first one side and then the other. It was adorable. I was having so much fun with this tender baby animal encounter.

So curious!

Right then, the loud kids arrived at the garden gate and were soon rumbling up the path toward me and the baby squirrel. Surely the quiet, tender moment was doomed. But thinking quickly, I stepped back and caught the attention of the three chattering teenage girls. I waved at them and made the "shhhh" sign while gesturing to come closer. They heeded my warning and quietly hurried over to me, intrigued. When I whispered, "baby squirrel" and they saw where I pointed, we became a nature observation team. The young humans and the young squirrel studied each other carefully for a long while. The little squirrel stayed on its tree, about 2 feet off the ground, peering from side to side as before. The encounter generated lots of "awwws" from the girls and parents. Definitely a good nature moment. As they were leaving, the parents and I discussed that it was unusual to see such a young squirrel out on its own and that it had better watch out for hawks. Indeed, there are plenty of hawks in the garden, and a pair of red-shouldered hawks have built a nest a short way up the path in this very section.

Red-shouldered Hawk with a freshly caught vole that I saw in the garden last week

I felt happy to have shared a sweet nature moment with the family, and to have salvaged my own photo op! Everyone was happy. Win! And the baby squirrel stuck around for me to take more pictures. He seemed wary but did not scamper away. I kept waiting for him to climb up high to his nest (wherever that was), but he seemed interested in me and would climb up a bit but then would come back down. Then up again, then down.

Climbing up

Then down

Then back up

Then back down again

After a few minutes curiosity got the best of him and he began inching closer and closer to me. And before I knew it, the little rascal was at my feet, and then climbing my leg! As cute as it was, I realized that this was not good for either of us, and I shouted. The baby squirrel scurried back to his tree, and I knew it was time to walk away. For 1 or 2 seconds afterwards, I entertained the idea of taking him home and rescuing him. But I quickly came to my senses and remembered: 1) wild animal, 2) illegal, 3) pets at home, and 4) squirrel. What was I thinking? So I finished off my afternoon with lots of fun photos and no new mouths at home to feed. Thank goodness reason prevailed. I hope my little furry friend gets a bit more wary of humans and that he doesn't climb the legs of any other people. I also hope that he quickly learns some hawk smarts. He'll need it--it's a wild world out there. But he sure was cute.

Inching closer

Closer still

Ready to jump on me!

Winter State of Mind

Frozen Thistle Leaves

And just like that, winter doesn't seem so bad. Last fall I joined a nature group (the "Nature Ramblers") and we had our first walk of the season today. It was chilly at 8:30am when we gathered and folks were dressed in winter coats and hats. But there was a giddy excitement in the air as we headed out as a group for the first time since November "seeking what we find" (the group motto). As we walked I realized that today was not unlike so many other sunny, chilly days this winter when I felt cold and unable to peel myself away from my warm house.  The difference was the sense of purpose and desire to learn and be with friends.  During the season, we meet every week, guided by wonderful leaders, knowledgable in botany, biology and anything else. There is so much to see and learn that I don't want to miss anything! With morning temperatures still in the 30's, many low growing leaves were wilted or covered with frost. Frozen Trillium sent out hopeful buds. We strolled along the shady garden path, spending time to learn about Witches' Broom, a growth on Hop Hornbeam trees caused by fungus, and the Medieval medicinal origins of some common plant names. Then we beelined to the prairie and found a few tufts of Frost Flowers that had not quite melted as the sun rose and warmed. And in the process kicked up the biggest Puffball Mushroom I've ever seen!

Wilted Trillium

Frosty Leaves

Frost Flower

Ginormous Puffball

Down in the lowlands we discovered great gobs of amphibian eggs, which we initially believed to be from salamanders. (Several days later one of the Ramble leaders identified the eggs as most likely coming from Southern Leopard Frogs.) Some had hatched and were immobilized by cold but moved a little when held in a warm (and brave) hand. On the other side of the ephemeral pond we found coils of toad eggs, probably from American Toads. Small hatchlings next to the curlicues waited patiently for the day to warm up.

Amphibian Eggs--Probably Southern Leopard Frogs

Warmed by a Hand

American Toad Eggs

Hepatica, Bloodroot and other early spring flowers brought excited shouts and we all gathered in for a closer look. Robins, bluebirds and nesting hawks provided the soundtrack. Bare trees reached up into brilliant blue skies.

Bloodroot

Spotting the Hawk's Nest

Bare Trees, Blue Skies

Driving out of the Botanical Gardens I passed swaths of green Daffodil leaves, the first sunny blooms just beginning to pop out. They made me smile. Winter in Georgia is a state of mind.

Sunny Daffodil