The Ozarks

 Last month I visited family in Missouri. I'd been through Missouri many years before, and remember it being mostly flat. I was travelling out of St. Louis towards Kansas City then. This time, I went southwest out of St. Louis. The road was like sailing the ocean over the waves. Up down one hill then up the next. I always thought the Ozarks were in the southwest corner of the state. It turns out pretty much the whole southern half of Missouri is Ozarks. The undulation leveled out a bit once I reached the Springfield Plateau in the southwest. But it was nowhere near as flat as Illinois.

The wildlife in the Ozarks is different from what I'm used to in Pennsylvania. However, I didn't get to see very many new critters. There are freshwater clams in Stockton Lake. I saw plenty of armadillos, but they were all dead. No roadrunners, no rattlesnakes, no scorpions, and no tarantulas. I saw some insects that I have at home, like a wheel bug, a milkweed bug, and the ubiquitous deer. Southern leopard frogs in a spring house at a Civil War battlefield was a nice surprise.

Wheel bug

Bird poop moth

Milkweed beetle

Black swallowtail

Freshwater clam

There was more forest than I expected to see. I got to check out some oak savanna. Most of the land in the Springfield Plateau that I saw was farmland. There were some crops, mostly corn, but the majority was cattle pasture.

It was nice to see some butterflies finally. Compared to last summer, I haven't seen very many this year. Apparently once you leave Bucks County they are everywhere. The Flight 93 memorial in western Pennsylvania has quite a few grasshoppers too. Turkeys flew across the road ahead of me somewhere in that area. Elsewhere, the sky was full of turkey vultures and hawks that I couldn't identify. A fox ran across the road ahead of me in Indiana.

Dead luna moth

Fence lizard

Fritillary (left) and buckeye (right) butterflies

Southern leopard frogs

Dead armadillo

Even though I didn't set out to explore nature on this trip, it still happened. It happens everywhere I go now that I've been trained to see things everywhere. Next time you are out and about, take a look around and notice what you see.

Tiger swallowtail

Oak savanna

Species of the Month

This week we're taking a break from understanding energy sources and trying to understand a species. When you think about lizards, you probably imagine them basking under the hot desert sun or on a tropical island. If that's the case, then June's Species of the Month will surprise you by showing up in some unexpected locations. Say hello to the eastern fence lizard.

Eastern fence lizard (University of Georgia)

Scientific name: Sceloporus undulatus

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Reptilia (reptiles)

Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)

Range: New York south to Florida, west to the Rockies

Habitat: Grasslands and forest edges

Lifespan: Unknown, thought to be four years average

Diet: Insects, some plant matter

Predators: Birds, snakes, other larger lizards, domestic dogs and cats

Conservation Status: No special protection

Other Information: The eastern fence lizard is a widespread reptile. They live under rocks and logs
where they have protection overnight. Cold-blooded, they bask in sunlight during the day to raise their
body temperatures. Normally, they bask close to where they call home. They are little guys. Adults
only grow as long as 19 centimeters. Color varies, but they are usually gray or brown. Males have a
blue patch on the throat and belly. A male will display the throat patch to attract a mate or warn other
males away from his territory. He will also do head bobs and push ups if threatened.
Fence lizard eggs grow after hatching. Mating season begins in April, with hatching taking place from
June to September. The eggs doubles in size between laying and hatching, and babies are half the size
of adults when they emerge. There is no parental care.

Male lizard showing blue throat and belly (University of California, Berkeley)

This week's information is courtesy of the Animal Diversity Web at University of Michigan. Next week
we return to our energy series with a look at wind power.

Species of the Month

Introduction: This month we take a look at the badger, a tough little critter that's rarely seen.
Living underground and working mostly at night keeps the American badger off the radar for
most of us. More than just Wisconsin's mascot, they can be found all over the west.

American badger (NPS)

Scientific name: Taxidea taxus

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Mammalia (mammals)

Order: Carnivora (carnivores)

Notice the large claws on the forefoot (Fort Hayes State University)

Range: Great Lakes region and Central Canada south to Mexico and west to the Pacific

Habitat: Grasslands- fields, meadows, prairies, or pastures

Lifespan: 4-10 years, oldest in the wild was 14

Diet: Fosorial rodents- gophers, moles, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, mice, rats, voles;
snakes; insects; ground nesting birds

Predators: Humans, golden eagles, bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, bears, wolves

Conservation Status: No special status, but protected from hunting in British Columbia,
Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Other Information: The American badger is a member of the weasel family. A flat body,
stubby legs, and long claws for digging make them an ideal underground predator. They
are one of the few predators that will chase their prey underground, either through
existing tunnels or by making their own as they go. Badgers use several burrows in their
territory, so the unused ones often have other animals living in them.

Mother badger with baby (USFWS)

The American badger mates in late summer or early fall, but embryos don't implant in the
uterus until winter. During winter, badgers are typically inactive in a state of torpor, so the
delayed implantation is likely an adaptation to prevent the females from burning through
fat stores while pregnant. Although coyotes are known to prey on badgers, sometimes they
will hunt cooperatively. Coyotes are more successful catching rodents on the surface, and
badgers are more successful catching them in burrows. Working together, they make more
prey available to each other.

Coyote and badger taking a break (USFWS)

This month's information comes from the Animal Diversity Web at University of Michigan.

Species of the Month

Introduction: One of the surest signs of spring is the return of the American robin, March’s Species of
the Month. From their cheerful morning song to the way they hop about your lawn, what’s not to love
about this little harbinger of better weather?

American robin (Missouri Department of Conservation)

Scientific name: Turdus migratorius

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Aves (birds)

Order: Passeriformes (perching birds)

Range: Southern Canada to southern Mexico

Habitat: Open grassy areas and open woodlands with dense shrubs

Lifespan: Average age 2 years

Diet: Berries, worms, insects

Predators: Snakes, squirrels, blue jays, crows, ravens: eggs only; snakes, hawks, house cats: adults only 

Conservation Status: Not listed as threatened or endangered, but protected under the Migratory Bird
Act.

Other Information: The gregarious, ubiquitous American robin is one of the first birds to begin nesting
in the spring. They start shortly after arrival, and may lay as many as three clutches of eggs. Each
clutch gets its own nest. The parents won’t start a new family until the old one has fledged the nest,
about two weeks after hatching. The young won’t become expert fliers for another two weeks after and
will be somewhat reliant on the parents until then.

American robin nest with eggs (Missouri Department of Conservation)

Male robins are slightly larger than females. Unlike many other birds, male and female robins look
nearly identical. Females are slightly lighter in color. Juveniles have a speckled breast, rather than the
familiar reddish coloring.

Juvenile American robin (Hal and Kirsten Snyder)

Outside of breeding and nesting season, American robins typically feed and roost in large flocks. They
roost overnight in trees in dense woods or secluded areas. During spring and summer they are more
solitary. Watch them in your yard. When grounded, their motion is hop hop hop hop or run run run run
run stop run run run run run stop. When stopped they frequently cock their heads. They do this because
they are looking for worms or any danger. They must move the entire head because their eyes don’t
move like ours.

American robin wrestling a worm (Cornell University)

This week's information comes from the Animal Diversity Web at University if Michigan again.

Species of the Month

Just because we're past Valentine's Day doesn't mean our Species of the Month isn't still lovey-dovey. This month we're taking a look at the mourning dove, one of the most common birds in my area.

Scientific name: Zenaida macroura

Mourning dove with baby

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Aves (birds)

Order: Columbiformes (pigeons and doves)

Range: Southern Canada south to Panama

Habitat: Open woods and forest edges near open areas

Lifespan: Average is 1 1/2 years

Diet: Seeds, grains, fruit, insects

Two mourning doves that hatched from the
nest in my flower basket

Predators: Raptors, raccoons, snakes, domestic dogs and cats

Conservation Status: No special protection

Other Information: Mourning doves form monogamous pairs for mating season, with both parents
caring for the young. The male selects the nesting site and brings material to female. He stands on her
back while she builds. I'm not exactly sure how that helps her, but I saw it happen with my own eyes.
Doves in northern areas may migrate to warmer areas in the winter. They make a whistling noise when
flying, and also audible flapping sometimes. Mourning doves get their name from their mournful
sounding call. When I was a kid, I thought it was an owl. You probably see them sitting on a wire by
the side of the road. They have a pointy tail and call out "Who ah who, who who." I noticed the ones in
Washington sound a little different from those in Pennsylvania. Even birds have a Philly accent.

Check out those pointy tails (eBird)

This week's information comes from the Animal Diversity Web again.

Everglades Flora and Fauna

Last week we explored some of the different habitats in the Everglades. This week we’ll look at some the plant and animal residents, then wrap up with some of the many challenges facing the region.

So many different kinds of animals live in the Everglades. They range from tiny biting flies to giant mosquitoes that can carry you back to their dens and every size of mosquito in between. There are also birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fishes, crustaceans, and arachnids. Many threatened and endangered species call this place home. Some of the highlights: Florida panther, eastern indigo snake, American crocodile, West Indian manatee, five species of sea turtle (leatherback, loggerhead, green, hawksbill, and Atlantic ridley), snail kite, wood stork, piping plover, and red cockaded woodpecker.

Florida panther (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

West Indian manatee

Other critters you can find there include alligators, black bears, deer, marsh rabbits (which is a capable swimmer, gray foxes (which can climb trees), pilot whales, dolphins, several bat species, the gulf toadfish (which is audible to humans), roseate spoonbills, flamingoes, owls, parakeets, shore birds, waterfowl, owls, and birds of prey.

Roseate spoonbill (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

American crocodile (NPS)

Marsh rabbit (North Carolina State Parks)

Plant life in the Everglades includes sawgrass, named for its serrated edges; Simpson’s applecactus, an endangered night-blooming species; wildflowers like climbing aster, coralbean, devil’s potato, and duck potato; several species of orchids that can be found in nearly all of the Everglades habitats, including treetop canopies; and a wide variety of trees. Among the many trees are three mangrove species, West Indies mahogany, live oak, slash pine, bald cypress, gumbo-limbo, buttonwood, royal palm and sabal palm.

Sawgrass (Florida Department of State)

Applecactus (USDA)

Coralbean (NPS)

West Indies mahogany (University of Florida)

Sabal palm (USDA)

Like any other natural area, there is damage caused by humans. Some is recent, but some goes back decades. As development came to Florida, much of the water was diverted by canals. Wetlands were filled in and built over. The diminished flow and water fouled with agricultural runoff and sediment has had far-reaching effects, even today. The current red tide on Florida’s Gulf Coast is likely a result.

Invasive species, especially the Burmese python and boa constrictor, are of increasing concern. These snakes eat just about any native species in the Everglades, including the alligators. With no natural predators, their populations are able to grow unchecked. Although snake hunts are held throughout the year, they are very well camouflaged and are able to escape detection. Another species of concern is the melaleuca tree, which shades out native plants. At least a tree is easier to find than a python. Lionfish are an exotic species that eats the native populations. Increasing demand for them as a food fish is having limited success in eradicating them.

In the marine habitat, propeller scars form when boaters in shallow water mow submerged vegetation or even scrape the sea floor. Scraping bottom is far worse because it kills vegetation directly. It also kicks up sediment, which shades nearby vegetation, indirectly killing more.

The amazing biodiversity of the Everglades leaves quite a lasting impression on visitors. Unfortunately the human impact leaves an even bigger mark on the landscape and wild residential population. While government agencies from the local level up to federal are spending a lot of money to restore the ecosystems, paradoxically, those same governments are allowing more destruction in other parts of the Everglades. It’s a tragic lesson in how our lifestyle choices have consequences most of us never see or think about.

This week's information, like last week, comes from the National Park Service.

Species of the Month

This month’s species of the month was supposed to be a lichen called lipstick cladonia, but for being a widespread lichen there is very little information about it. So I changed it to something a little easier to research. This past weekend I saw my first eastern bluebird, so that’s what you get this month.

Scientific name: Sialia sialis

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class:   Aves (birds)

Order: Passeriformes (perching birds)

Range: east of the Rockies from southern Canada to Honduras

Habitat: open areas with trees  

Lifespan: 6-10 years, mortality highest in first year

Diet: primarily insects, also seeds, nuts, and berries

Male bluebird with a cricket (Audubon Field Guide)

Predators: Snakes, house cats, raccoons, black bears, American kestrels. Flying squirrels and chipmunks are egg predators. House sparrows and European starling kill bluebirds and/or compete for nesting sites.

Conservation Status: no special protection

Male with brilliant blue on full display (Smithsonian)

Other Information: Bluebirds are a social, yet territorial bird. At times they gather in flocks, but will also defend a nesting territory and feeding territory from other bluebirds. They also have an interesting dynamic with tree swallows. Two pairs of bluebirds will not nest in boxes that are next to each other, and bluebirds will drive away tree swallows if only one box is available. However, placing two boxes side by side will allow the bluebird and the swallow to coexist as neighbors. Male bluebirds have a brilliant blue backside and red breast; females are dull gray with brownish breast. Her eggs are blue, but sometimes white, in clutches of 3-7. Eggs hatch after 13-16 days and the young fledge nest 2-3 weeks after hatching. Pairs may mate twice in a season, and sometimes the young from the first clutch will help raise the second clutch.

Female bluebird looking with muted colors (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Information this month comes from the good folks at University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web again.

Marsh Madness

One of the most important habitats is wetlands, where the only buzzer-beater you’re likely to find here is when you swat at a mosquito or fly. Among the most productive of all ecosystems, wetlands provide food, water, and shelter for a dazzling array wildlife. Additionally, wetlands benefit people too. Besides recreational opportunities, wetlands provide flood control and water filtration. Not only are there freshwater and saltwater wetlands, but different varieties of each.  

Salt marshes are wetlands that flood with salt water at high tide. Obviously, they are found in coastal areas. They are a common feature in estuaries, areas where salt water mingles with fresh water. They are important habitat for seafood, including salmon, shrimp, and crab. The food our food eats is what draws them there (and the young salmon acclimate to the salt water), but they draw the critters that eat them. Salt marshes are important habitat for resident and migrating shore birds.

Saltwater marsh, Puget Sound

Saltwater marsh, Puget Sound

Freshwater wetlands are more varied. They include bogs, swamps, fens, and seasonal wetlands. Even shallow ponds are considered wetlands. The pond where I conduct my amphibian egg survey is considered wetlands.

Shallow pond freshwater wetland

Freshwater wetlands perform the important ecosystem services of flood control and water filtration. Wetlands do this by impounding rainwater and slowly releasing it downstream or absorbing it into the soil. They filter water by allowing sediments and pollutants settle out. Low water velocity lacks the necessary energy to carry those particles.

Like their salty counterparts, freshwater wetlands host a diverse community. In my pond, I have found two species of salamanders; three species of eggs; one species each of fish, freshwater shrimp, and snake; a river otter; insects galore; and birds too numerous to count. I have also seen deer and elk, coyote, and raccoon tracks and scats near the pond. I have no doubt that these critters are drinking from the pond.

Wet meadow wetland, Mount Rainier National Park

Just this morning I found myself in wetlands once again. This time the focus was on remove protective plastic tubes from trees that were planted three years ago. This site is in Washington’s Ohop Valley. The wetlands are seasonal freshwater, and since this is the rainy season the lands were wet. I didn’t notice much wildlife since I was looking down, but I did happen to see a ton of spiders and elk tracks and scats. The trees are important because they will shade out the invasive reed canary grass (which is swallowing everything) and cool the water temperature in the stream for the salmon. Water tolerant species such as willows were the most common tree I saw, and there were some others I didn’t recognize without leaves in the higher and drier areas.

Next time you drive past a soggy area, don’t be repulsed. Thank a wetland for your seafood and drinking water. Give a hoot and help protect our wetlands! Salt march information comes from our friends at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, while Washington State Department of Ecology provided information on freshwater wetlands ecosystem services.

NOAA (salt marshes)

WA Ecology (water filtration)      

Species of the Month: Garter Snakes

March’s Species of the Month is actually a genus containing species. To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, Nature Minute will take a broad look at the many different garter snakes, which likely did not immigrate to America after being driven out of Ireland. We’ll also explore the myth of Patrick’s divine snake charming. Information and picture this month come from University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web and Gartersnake.info. Our history lesson on Saint Patrick comes from National Geographic.

Scientific name: Thamnophis species

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Reptilia (reptiles)

Order: Squamata (lizards and snakes)

Range: Subarctic Alaska and Canada to Central America

Habitat: Varied. They can be found in forest, grassland, desert, and marshy areas. Commonly found near water.

Lifespan: 2-3 years on average, 6-10 years in captivity

Diet: Varied. May include amphibians, small rodents, small birds, small fish, insects, worms, snails, and slugs.

Predators: Fish, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, larger snakes, raccoons, great blue herons, hawks and falcons, foxes, skunks, weasels, squirrels, owls, house cats, coyotes, and crows.

Conservation Status: Dependent on species. Butler’s garter snake is listed as threatened in Canada and Wisconsin and listed as endangered in Indiana. Narrow-headed, northern Mexican, and giant garter snakes are threatened throughout their ranges and San Francisco garter snake is endangered. Eastern ribbon snake is threatened or endangered in the US and Canada. The two-striped garter snake is protected in California but not yet listed as threatened or endangered. The checkered garter snake is listed as threatened in Kansas.

One of three near-identical species of garter snake in the Northwest

One of three near-identical species of garter snake in the Northwest

Mountain garter snake (from California Herps)

Red spotted garter snake (from California Herps)

Other Information: There are 35 species of garter snakes and many have numerous subspecies. On the whole, garter snakes are very numerous, in spite of the above listings. Like all other snakes, garter snakes swallow their prey whole. They do not squeeze their prey (non-constricting). Most garter snakes are semi-aquatic and will likely be found in or near water. They are cold-blooded and require less food energy to regulate their body temperatures than mammals, birds, and other warm-blooded animals. However, that requires them to bask in the sun or on hot rocks to keep warm. This is why most snakes you encounter are just sitting idly. Here in Washington, there are three species of garter snake: The western terrestrial, northwestern, and common. All look very similar and come in a variety of colors. The only way to tell them apart is by counting scales.

The legend of Saint Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland stems from the absence of snakes on the Emerald Isle and ties in nicely with the Christian image of the serpent as an agent of evil. The myth of driving snakes from Ireland is likely a metaphor for Patrick’s Christianizing the people, driving paganism out of Ireland. Snakes were driven, or rather kept from Ireland by the last Ice Age. It was too cold for snakes to live there and by the time it became warm enough the sea level rose to the point that they could not slither there from England.

UM Animal Diversity Web: http://animaldiversity.org/

Gartersnakes.info: http://www.gartersnake.info/

National Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140315-saint-patricks-day-2014-snakes-ireland-nation/

California Herps: http://www.californiaherps.com/index.html