This Week in the Woods, as we move into late summer, there’s a lot less singing in the woods but we’re still hearing hermit thrushes, red-eyed vireos, and winter wrens. We’re also seeing evidence of molting, such as this feather that a friend picked up while we were walking under some oaks, and hearing the distinctive chick-burr of a scarlet tanager, hidden in the leaves above our heads. As noted in this article by Chris Rimmer in the Autumn 22 issue of Northern Woodlands (which includes an image of molting tanager), the act of discarding old feathers and growing new ones is energetically costly, and for that reason, bird species typically molt at times when there aren’t other intense competing demands for calories. For many birds, late summer offers an interim period between breeding and migration seasons, and it’s therefore a good time to shed and grow feathers.
It’s blackberry and black raspberry season, which means that bears, birds, rodents and other wildlife are taking to the fields to enjoy the bounty. This Outside Story article by Rachel Sargent Mirus describes how to distinguish between the two plants (two easy ways: raspberry fruits come off their stems easily and have hollow centers, and raspberries stems have hooked — not straight — thorns).
Another spectacle of late summer is the diversity of pollinators in goldenrod stands. In addition to monarch and fritillary butterflies, we found this pretty black-and-yellow lichen moth. As the name indicates, the caterpillar of this species feeds on lichen, and the adults typically appear July through September.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.