The Clouds of Spring

Walking around Phillips Lake, southeast of Columbia, my wife and I plowed through clouds of midges.  Having hatched in response to the recent warm weather, these insects are a nuisance to humans but play an important role in nature's cycle of life.

Of course, they are an important food source for a wide variety of insectivores, including the chorus frogs that were calling from nearby pools this morning.  Two avian insectivores, eastern phoebes and tree swallows, are among the first summer residents to arrive and are, no doubt, already in the area.  Many others will follow in the coming weeks and the insect clouds will be here to greet and reward them.

Those midges that escape predation (and don't end up in the eyes, nostrils or mouths of humans) will breed, lay their eggs and die.  In death, unlike most humans, their tiny bodies will enrich the soil and nourish plants, a service that goes unnoticed and unappreciated by the most intelligent primate.

Fickle March

March 1 is the first day of meteorologic spring while astronomical spring does not begin until the spring equinox, on or about March 21.  This discrepancy seems appropriate for the month, which mingles winter and spring weather, in no particular order.

March is the month when severe thunderstorms begin to develop across the Southeastern States while ice storms, cold rain and snow showers punctuate the month across central latitudes of the Continent.  The risk of significant snowstorms persists throughout the Mountain West, Appalachians and northern States; indeed, March is statistically the snowiest month here along the Colorado Front Range.

Yet, the grass is greening, bulb plants are blooming and the spring migration is well underway, especially for waterfowl, sandhill cranes and American white pelicans; tree frogs call from the wetlands and woodpeckers hammer away on dead limbs and downspouts.  Many of us may associate March with raw, windy weather but there is little doubt that spring is unfolding.

Toad Days

Engaged in yard work on this beautiful April day, I nearly stepped on an American toad as it made its way across the lawn.  Stirred from its winter slumber by the recent warm weather and heavy rains, this common amphibian will soon be joining his/her cohorts at a seasonal pond.

Males will arrive first, trilling to attract potential mates.  Eggs and sperm will then be released into the fishless pool, giving rise to small black tadpoles which will undergo metamorphosis to toadlets within 60 days.  Mating season generally lasts into mid summer, weather permitting.

Adults and young will then disperse across the landscape, consuming a wide variety of insects and other terrestrial invertebrates.  The toads, themselves, may fall victim to snakes, herons, raccoons, hawks (especially red-shouldered hawks) and, of course,  careless humans. 

A Feast for the Senses

Having returned to central Missouri, I enjoyed a glorious April day, mostly from our back deck.  A good book (so far) and a glass of wine augmented the experience!

Vibrant birdsong flooded in from every direction.  The fading blossoms of magnolia trees and the new flowers of redbuds provided a colorful background as the faint smell of cut grass wafted in from a more industrious neighbor's yard.  A pair of carpenter bees zoomed about the deck, an eastern gray tree frog called from his nearby perch and squadrons of turkey vultures soared overhead, enjoying the warm, south breeze as much as I was.

Of course, this idyllic day in early April does not portend a carefree spring.  Thunderstorms are due by early morning and cooler temperatures will follow.  But it is best that we accept nature's gifts when they are offered and today was a feast for the senses. 

Treefrog on the Dryer

Before I came down for breakfast this morning, my wife called up to report that there was a frog on the dryer.  While we are getting older, her cognitive function has seemed to be intact (though not as excellent as our Dear Leader's) so I accepted the fact that her assessment was reliable.  Upon reaching the utility room, I did, indeed, find a small green treefrog resting comfortably on the metal surface of the dryer in our Sandy Lake cottage.

Fortunately, I was able to grab the wayward amphibian before he hopped into less-accessible recesses of the small space and carried him outdoors, his moist skin and squirming body almost disrupting my effort.  After a bit of research, I concluded that our visitor was a young eastern gray treefrog, common in this part of Ohio.  How he ended up in the utility room remains a mystery.

Hoping to enjoy the many wild neighbors that share our local environment, we must go outdoors or at least look out the windows.  On occasion, they choose to explore our habitat!

Solitude at Prairie Home

For our latest social-distancing adventure, my wife and I visited Prairie Home Conservation Area, about 25 miles WSW of Columbia.  Established in 1963 and enlarged since, the 1461 acre refuge is a mosaic of grasslands, remnant prairie, cropfields and woodlands, accessed by an extensive network of hiking trails, horse paths and graveled roads; drained primarily by Schaaf Creek and its tributaries, the area harbors three small lakes.

During most of our visit, we enjoyed a shady spot along Johnson Lake.  There we were serenaded by indigo buntings, mourning doves and northern bobwhites while a variety of frogs called from the marshy shores, mixed flocks of swallows zoomed above the lake and turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks soared overhead.  Our only human encounter was a man and his daughter who were fishing far down the shore.

Of interest, we crossed Clark Fork Creek en route to Prairie Home.  A tributary of the Missouri River, it is (I suspect) one of many streams named by or for Lewis & Clark as they explored the vast watershed of our country's longest river.  Social-distancing was especially easy in their day.

Amphibian Weather

Here in central Missouri, we have experienced hot, humid days and warm, sultry nights over the past week, broken only by occasional showers and thunderstorms.  Such tropical conditions are ideal for amphibians.

One of these moisture-loving creatures has taken up residence in our magnolia tree, as he has the last few years.  His loud trill, at times mimicking the call of a sandhill crane and at other times sounding like a crazed red-bellied woodpecker, has intensified with the oppressive heat and humidity.  Small and well camouflaged, he is almost impossible to locate amidst the dense greenery of early summer.

Our noisy neighbor is an eastern gray treefrog.  Highly territorial, the male attracts females with his intense trilling, fertilizing eggs that they lay in shallow, ephemeral pools (often within small cavities on the tree).  By mid summer the mating frenzy should subside and he'll feast on countless insects before hibernating in loose soil beneath leaf litter or a brush pile.

Spring Breaks Through

After a very sluggish start, it appears that spring has finally displaced winter in central Missouri.  The hardy magnolias have lost their blossoms and redbuds and lilacs now adorn the landscape.  Most of the summer songbirds have returned and spring migrants are passing through.  And, perhaps most inviting, we are looking forward to a warm week, with highs in the 60s and 70s F and lows well above the risk for snow or ice.

Of course, here in the Midwest, showers and thunderstorms can be expected but warm precipitation is certainly preferable to the cold rain and wintry mix of March and early April.  Toads are trilling, snakes, lizards and turtles have emerged from their winter retreats and young cottontails are dining on wildflowers that now grace the lawn.

During this difficult spring, when most of us are confined to our homes, the warm weather and increasing natural diversity are especially welcome.  One could spend a lifetime learning about the many creatures and plants in their own backyard and this is a perfect year to expand that knowledge. 

Spring Erupts at Phillips Lake

My wife and I frequently take walks around Perry Phillips Lake, in southeast Columbia; throughout this winter, the lake and its surrounding park were relatively devoid of birds (at least during our visits).

On this sunny, cool morning, all had changed.  Birdsong was intense and a pleasing mix of species moved through the lakeside shrubs, across the grasslands and into the nearby woodlands.  Dark-eyed juncos, white-throated sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers were most abundant, joined by lesser numbers of northern mockingbirds, mourning doves, eastern meadowlarks, robins, killdeer, song sparrows and an eastern phoebe.  American crows noisily moved through the Park which was patrolled by a lone red-tailed hawk and an American kestrel; a flock of Canada geese passed over the lake where buffleheads, lesser scaup, northern shovelers, gadwalls and pied-billed grebes had gathered.  Clouds of midges rose along the lakeshore and chorus frogs sang from shallow sloughs south of the lake.

While the spring equinox is still ten days away, the season has certainly taken hold here in central Missouri.  Wintry incursions may yet occur but the higher sun and unsettled jet stream will fuel a march toward the heart of spring. 

Insect Control on the Farm

As I have mentioned in the past, we do not use insecticides on our Littleton, Colorado, farm.  However, we do host hundreds of assistants that keep the insect population in check, working for nothing more than their meals.

Chickadees, nuthatches, bushtits, woodpeckers, warblers, gnatcatchers, catbirds, house wrens, western tanagers and Bullock's orioles glean insects from the trees and shrubs.  Flycatchers, Say's phoebes, cedar waxwings, tree and barn swallows, broad-tailed hummingbirds and western kingbirds snare them from mid air, joined by little brown bats and common nighthawks at dusk.  American robins, crows, starlings, grackles, flickers, blue jays, magpies, kestrels and spotted towhees scour the ground for insects and grubs, assisted by garter snakes, lizards and the occasional toad.  Even a few insects (primarily dragonflies, ladybird beetles and wasps) take part, not to mention most spiders.

In return for their work, we offer a wide diversity of native foliage (including berry crops), brush piles, a source of fresh water and an insecticide-free landscape.  Quite a deal for us and a choice that all property owners can easily make in our joint effort to protect the environment.

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge

Browns Park is a broad river valley in extreme northwest Colorado, bordered by the Diamond Mountains (the eastern end of the Uinta Range) to the west and the Cold Springs Mountain ridge to the east.  The Green River, a major tributary of the Colorado, courses through the valley after leaving Flaming Gorge in Utah; in southern Browns Park, it re-enters the mountains at the spectacular Gates of Lodore (within Dinosaur National Monument).

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1965 to protect vital riverine wetlands and associated riparian habitats which have long been nourished by seasonal flooding.  Following the construction of the Flaming Gorge Dam (which eliminated that flooding) refuge personnel established a water management system that pumps water from the river and local creeks into the wetland areas.  After all, migrant birds have long relied on these wetlands as they cross the dry terrain of western Colorado; in addition, many species of waterfowl and shorebirds nest along the Green River.

The 12,150 acre refuge protects those riverine habitats as well as a swath of upland shrub zone, characterized by sage, greasewood, needle grass, piñon pine and Utah juniper.  Among the 68 species of mammal that inhabit the refuge are moose, mule deer, pronghorns, river otters, badgers, beaver and wintering herds of elk.  Other species of note include golden and bald eagles, sage grouse, white-faced ibis, American bitterns, Woodhouse's toads and, of course, rattlesnakes.  The spectacular scenery and solitude of this remote refuge are equally appealing to the visitor; during my two-hour visit (admittedly on a Monday afternoon), I did not encounter another human being.

A Late Winter Chorus

While walking around Perry Phillips Lake, south of Columbia, this morning, I heard the first chorus frog calls of the season.  Resembling the sound produced by running your thumbnail down the teeth of a comb, the calls are delivered day and night as males gather in temporary pools to attract females.  Eggs are fertilized as they are laid and attach to vegetation in the base of the pools.  After hatching and undergoing metamorphosis, the young frogs spend the warmer months searching prairies and wetlands for insects and spiders, retreating beneath logs, rocks or leaf litter to rest or to escape danger.

Officially classified as boreal chorus frogs throughout most of Missouri (except in the Boot Heel region), these tiny amphibians are the first frogs to breed in the spring, their mating calls often heard by late February.  Potential prey for snakes, herons, fish, mink and raccoons, among other predators, surviving chorus frogs spend the winter encased in mud.

We humans, though pleased to hear their chorus in late winter and early spring, rarely notice these amphibians for most of the year and their vital role in natural ecosystems goes unacknowledged by the general public.  Unfortunately, such is the case for most species that inhabit our planet. 

On the Cusp of Spring

This morning, it is cloudy, cold and trying to snow along the Colorado Front Range.  Nevertheless, we have entered the First Month of Spring, when crocuses and hyacinths often make their appearance across central latitudes of North America.

Sap begins to rise in the trees, skunk cabbage pushes through icy wetlands and, by the end of the month, tree frogs call from the chilly waters of transient ponds and sloughs.  Snow geese and American white pelicans migrate northward in February while some owls, including great horned owls, are already caring for their fluffy young.  Red tailed hawks breed as the days lengthen, magpies repair their bulky nests and the homesick tune of white-throated sparrows intensifies across the Heartland.

Many of these February events are observed along the Front Range but we know that the snows are far from over.  In fact, March and April tend to be the snowiest months of the year and snow is not unusual in May.  This year, having experienced a snow drought to date, spring snowstorms will be more than welcome.

Eastern Gray Treefrogs

On the evening prior to leaving Missouri, I stepped out on the back deck to enjoy the balmy weather; it had been rainy and cool much of the week but warm, humid air had moved in from the south.  Taking a seat, I was suddenly startled by a loud trill coming from one of our magnolia trees; it sounded like the call of a red-bellied woodpecker but no bird occupied the knotty branches.

I soon realized that I was hearing the mating call of an eastern gray treefrog.  After emerging from a winter beneath the leaf litter, these small amphibians (up to 2 inches in length) climb trees where they feast on a wide variety of insects.  Found across eastern North America, from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast, their breeding season begins in April or May, depending on the latitude; highly territorial, the vocal males stake out sites near shallow pools of water.  The larger females, attracted by their calls, lay eggs in these ephemeral pools and they are immediately fertilized by the male; the eggs hatch within a week and the tadpoles will morph to froglets within two months.

Ranging from gray to brown to green, eastern gray treefrogs may have a mottled or even color pattern on their dorsal surfaces; a white patch is present beneath their eyes.  Since they are capable of changing the color and tone of their skin to blend with tree bark, they are often difficult to see despite their loud mating trill.  Indeed, I never did find the suitor in our magnolia!

Backyard Safaris

Our property in Columbia, Missouri, is of modest size but has enough variety of foliage and landscape to attract an interesting diversity of creatures.  Raccoons, opossums, cottontails, squirrels, field mice, shrews, moles and occasional white-tailed deer are among the mammalian residents and visitors.  Amphibians and reptiles include American toads, garter snakes and blue-tailed skinks and, of course, we host the usual mix of resident and migrant birds.  Then there are the various insects, spiders and crustaceans that, in the end, are of most interest to young children.

Indeed, having grandchildren sets the stage for regular backyard safaris.  While the excursions are not always successful when it comes to finding reptiles and mammals, these mini-adventures are sure to turn up a variety of interesting creatures.  Our oldest grandson has become an amateur birder (spurred on by the gift of a field guide) while his younger brother is most fascinated with ladybugs, daddy-long-legs and rollie-pollies; but the chance of finding a snake or lizard is usually the initial motivation.

Such explorations, rarely lasting more than 30 minutes, are enjoyable for the leader and the kids alike.  In truth, I often discover something new myself (especially in the plant kingdom) and know that these safaris will have lasting effects on the boys.  Like most things in life, an interest in nature is best instilled during childhood.

Mid-Day Nature Walk

In general, mid-day nature walks are not very productive during the warmer months, especially if you hope to encounter a good variety of wildlife.  But when you're locked out of the house and your spouse is not due home for two hours, what's a guy to do?

So I headed down to Forum Nature Area, in Columbia, and sauntered along the two-mile loop; fortunately, my decision was rewarded.  Chipping sparrows, the first I have encountered this season, were abundant along the tree line while eastern bluebirds and eastern phoebes hunted on the central meadow; northern cardinals, red-bellied woodpeckers and white-throated sparrows were especially noisy in the floodplain woodlands.  Cricket frogs and leopard frogs called from the shallows of the seasonal lake and American toads trilled from an adjacent pond.  Blue-winged teal, mallards, song sparrows and turkey vultures were also encountered but the highlight of my visit was a yellow-throated warbler feeding in a grove of sycamores; close enough for easy identification, he didn't seem to mind my presence and I watched him for at least ten minutes.

Completing the loop, I headed home, having burned most of my penalty period.  As I discovered today, many animals, fueled by reproductive hormones, are less selective about their activity schedule in spring and, when opportunity strikes, a mid-day nature walk is not a bad choice.

Spectacles of Early Spring

Arriving at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area this morning, a friend and I encountered six flocks of American white pelicans, totaling at least 250 individuals; they had stopped to rest and feed at this floodplain refuge on their way to breeding grounds across the Northern Plains and Intermountain West.  Indeed, by the time we left the area, two hours later, most of the pelicans had already departed up the Missouri River Valley.

Other sightings at Eagle Bluffs included a half dozen bald eagles (one of which was on the massive nest), a large number of northern shovelers and green-winged teal and an exceptionally large congregation of northern pintails; we also observed American coot, mallards, gadwalls, great blue herons and a lone mink.

Later in the day, my wife and I visited Forum Nature Area, in Columbia.  Though bird sightings were limited at that refuge, were were treated to the din of chorus frogs, awakened from their winter slumber by the recent thaw.  These tiny tree frogs, difficult to observe even at close range, are among the earliest harbingers of spring, often delivering their mating calls while chunks of ice still rim the shallows.

Sandy Lake from a Kayak

Though there is a pleasant, graveled trail that loops around Sandy Lake, one cannot truly appreciate this ecosystem without getting out on the water.  Fortunately, we have access to two kayaks and I spent yesterday morning exploring the undeveloped margins of the lake.

There, water lilies spread across the shallows and marsh plants line the shores, attracting a wide variety of wildlife.  Green frogs bounded from the lily pads and painted turtles lounged on logs or fallen limbs that poke above the waterline.  Thousands of neon blue damselflies hunted in the wetlands and two snapping turtles haunted the deeper waters, one of which cruised along the side of my kayak.  Numerous songbirds fed in the lakeside trees, dominated by eastern wood pewees, black-capped chickadees and house wrens; a few great blue herons also stalked the shallows.

Heading toward the center of the lake, I watched ring-billed gulls and ospreys as they circled overhead, joined by squadrons of purple martins.  Double-crested cormorants dove for fish in the calm waters and a lone bald eagle cruised above the lake, apparently headed for a large reservoir to our north.  Back at our cottage within an hour, kayaking was a great way to combine exercise and wildlife watching, not to mention cool, fresh air and sunshine!

Summer Dusk

It is in mid summer that we most appreciate dusk, a welcome reprieve from the late afternoon heat.  Venturing outdoors, we often enjoy a soft, cool breeze as evening shadows stretch across the landscape.

Here in central Missouri, damselflies and hummingbirds make their last forays through the flower beds while, overhead, squadrons of dragonflies feast on flying insects, dodging the swifts, nighthawks and Mississippi kites that patrol the evening sky.  Brown thrashers and gray catbirds, having spent the day in the shade of woodlands, now emerge to scour the lawns and shrubs, serenaded by the mellow tunes of wrens, cardinals and robins.  As darkness expands, the incessant cicada chorus begins to wane, replaced by the scratchy notes of tree crickets.

On some evenings, American toads appear on the lawn, searching for moths and earthworms, or an opossum may saunter from the woods, ready for a night of scavenging.  We humans, not endowed with night vision, may head indoors as the curtain of daylight fades in the west or stay to watch as distant suns appear in the darkening sky.

Horsemint

The lavender blossoms of horsemint (also known as wild bergamot) were abundant at Forum Nature Area, in Columbia, this morning.  A common member of the mint family, this wildflower is found throughout Missouri and across most of the country; the plant, up to three feet tall, favors open, sunny fields, prairies, glades and roadsides where it often grows in sizable stands.

The attractive flowers of horsemint, which bloom from late May through August, attract a wide variety of pollinators, including bees, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds; indeed, it is commonly planted in butterfly gardens.  Humans have also been attracted to this wildflower, using it to make herbal tea that, it is claimed, offers a variety of medicinal benefits.

In addition to the horsemint, yellow and purple coneflowers, prairie blazing star, showy milkweed and Queen Ann's lace adorned the Hinkson Creek floodplain this morning.  Painted turtles lounged along the seasonal lake, bullfrogs and green frogs called from the marshy shores and young toadlets hopped across the graveled path, oblivious of the human and canine traffic.  Birds of note included indigo buntings, eastern bluebirds, common yellowthroats and yellow-billed cuckoos.