This week, we found a migratory flock of Nashville warblers, notable for their bright white eye rings, hunting insects in a hedgerow along a waterway. Despite their name, these warblers are common summer residents in our region, and you’ll typically find them in shrubby areas, such as young forests and hedgerows.
Another happy find this week was this remote camera shot of a male eastern bobcat, passing through a field next to an apple orchard. This time of year, there’s an uptick in wildlife movement through orchards, as many creatures come to feed on the fruit, and others come to hunt the fruit eaters. This handsome cat was likely on the prowl for rodents. Check out Meghan McCarthy McPhaul’s essay, “The Apple Path” in the autumn issue of Northern Woodlands magazine, which shares her own apple orchard/wildlife observations.
Thin-leaved sunflowers continue to bloom in floodplains, although many of the flowers are showing wear and tear. Birds and rodents feed on the seeds of these flowers, and according to The Native Plant Trust’s Go Botany site, muskrats use the stems as lodge building material. The plants also serve as larval hosts for painted lady butterflies. The (non-native) honeybee in the photo was one of several insects that we found nectaring and collecting pollen in a sunflower patch.
Finally, as you enjoy the spectacle of fall migration, spare a thought for this beleaguered American goldfinch dad. Goldfinches are unusual in that they rely mostly on seeds – not insects – to feed their young, and their diet corresponds with an unusually late nesting season, which typically doesn’t begin until mid-summer. What this means is that you can still see young birds begging for free food in early September. We saw this male goldfinch taking evasive maneuvers to escape the attentions of three fledglings as they pursued him around a thicket.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.