Nature Minute Book Club

Winter is my least favorite time to be outside. It's cold, dark, and precipitating. In fact, I'm expecting snow the day after tomorrow. It's a great time to grab a cup of tea and a good book. Here are some more suggestions for your reading pleasure.

Dolphin Diaries by Dr. Denise L. Herzing

Herzing spent a quarter century in the Bahamas, essentially living among the spotted dolphins, if only
during the summer. During her seasons there she was able to gain unprecedented access to their
behaviors, communications, and rituals. She was seemingly accepted into their society. This book
chronicles the amazing discoveries she made in her time with these fascinating creatures and will
challenge what you think about animal intelligence.

A Sting in the Tale by Dave Ghoulson

Learn about British bumblebees. Ghoulson recounts the history of bumblebees from their appearance
in natural history when dinosaurs roamed the Earth to their problems today. All this, of course, is
interspersed with his own humorous tales from a childhood fascinated with wildlife to his more recent
time in the field tracking down some elusive bees. Oh, and there’s pie.

The Invention of Nature, Alexander Von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf

This biography of Humboldt explores his development from a dutiful son to the father of ecology, even
if the word didn’t yet exist. A contemporary of Darwin’s father, it was he who planted the seeds that
germinated into the theory of evolution. He even warned of human activities influencing the climate,
making him possibly the world's first environmentalist. We discover his intellectual, philosophical, and
artistic influences as well as tag along on his adventures around the world. 

Winter World by Berndt Heinrich

Heinrich is an entomologist by trade, but his keen eye for observation makes him a great naturalist as
well. Part science, part personal narrative and drawing on his own research and observations, in this
book he takes us for a walk through Maine woods to see how critters from flies to bears survive the
brutal Down East winters.

Spring Shorebird Migration

I spent a day along the Jersey Shore (Delaware Bay side, away from the beachgoers) in search of migratory shorebirds making their way north. In particular, I was after the rare and elusive red knot. I failed to find any, but they were at the first beach I visited just hours before I arrived. Instead, I saw sandpipers, terns, laughing gulls, some oystercatchers, and even a few ruddy turnstones. Some of these birds nest and breed in New Jersey, while others are taking advantage of the horseshoe crab spawning as an opportunity to fatten up after flying nonstop from South America on their way to other areas. I also strolled around inland and found some egrets, osprey, purple martins, swans, geese, ducks, and songbirds. There were non-birds running around too: a muskrat, snake, deer, and of course lots of bugs. The sightings kept coming after I left. I spotted a great blue heron flying overhead, and a turkey flew across the road ahead of me as I made my way back home.

Unidentified sandpipers jumping for joy

Those sandpipers have friends

Here, we see hundred of birds flying over Delaware Bay

This beach had maybe a thousand laughing gulls.
Not pictured: the noise 

Cave Life

This week is Cave Week, so to celebrate we're going spelunking to see what critters we can find. In addition to all sorts of whimsical formations, caves host a surprising amount of life. There are trogolobites, which live full time in caves; trogolophiles, which live in a cave but can also survive outside; and trogoloxenes, the part time cave denizens. You can encounter insects, fish, birds, mammals, plants, fungi, and others. Because there is very little natural light, many of these species are adapted to live in darkness; some don't even have eyes.

Whimsical cave formations

The first cave critter that comes to mind is a bat. Many bats roost in caves because they are cool and dark during the day, making it easier to sleep. Caves make a great place to hibernate over the winter. A constant temperature that is above freezing is an obvious plus, but it's cool enough to trigger the hibernation process. Other cave mammals include bears and jumping mice.

To the bat cave! (National Science Foundation)

Plants are a rare find in  caves because they need sunlight for photosynthesis. I saw ferns growing in a cave under a ceiling hole that opened to the surface. Much more common are fungi, which thrive in dark, damp conditions. Most important among them is Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes White Nose Syndrome in bats. It is devastating bat colonies across the US and Canada, and enjoys the cool temperatures while the bats hibernate.

White Nose Syndrome affecting these bats (NPS)

Cave fish are interesting little critters. Nearly all lack eyes and skin pigment. With no light to see by, there is no need to camouflage or stand out, so they are likely to be white or light colored. Unable to see their food, they find it by sensing movement in the water. What exactly do they eat? Since plants, the base of the food chain can't really live in a cave, anything in there either needs to go outside for good or eat whatever gets brought in. Cave fish eat detritus that washes in during rain events. Other critters get by on dung, the leaving of larger animals that way out.

Blind cave fish (NPS, Rick Olsen)

Cave Week runs through this weekend. Find a cave near you and check it out. Spelunk safely. Use the buddy system, carry at least three light sources, and make sure someone knows where you are going. Don't disturb any wildlife and make sure clothing and equipment are thoroughly cleaned before entering another cave. This helps prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome.
This week's information comes from the National Park Service and National Geographic.

Summer Vacation Guide

Spring just started, but it's not too early to start thinking about summer vacation. National parks have figured into vacation plans ever since the invention of national parks. They are great places to see amazing scenery- and crowds, or have a chance encounter with wildlife- and crowds. Here are a few lesser-known parks with fewer visitors. Just be careful getting there- some are very remote with little or no road access, which always makes for a better adventure.
By taking these roads less travelled, you'll get to experience more than the stereotypical majestic mountains and sweeping desert vistas. Our national parks have so much to offer!
Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

Surrounded by mountains, this park is home to a vast caribou herd and extensive sand dunes. Yes, sand dunes North of the Arctic Circle! The sand is the result of glaciers grinding the mountains down. Also found in the park is the boreal treeline, where forest yields to tundra. Be prepared to fly in; there are no roads leading to Kobuk Valley and no services, either.

Tundra fire

National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa

Tutuila Rainforest

This is America's only national park south of the Equator. Full of white sandy beaches and coral reefs, it's a rare ecosystem in the park service holdings. The mountains and rainforests host fruit bats and several species of virds, including a beautiful blue kingfisher. Aside from natural splendor, you can also learn about traditional Samoan culture. Travelling there can be expensive, as American Samoa can only be reached by a long flight or a long ship voyage.

Pola Islands

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

North Woods winter

This northern Minnesota park is a kayaker's dream. About 40% of the park is water. This system of interconnected lakes, streams, and wetlands was named after the voyageurs, or four traders, who used this area to transport their wares from the interior to civilization on the Great Lakes. Today, the park preserves water quality, ancient rock formations, boreal and hardwood forests, and endangered species like wolves. While not as remote as Alaska and American Samoa, it's a long drive from the Twin Cities and getting around without a boat of some sort is limited.

Loons on a lake

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Sand dunes with Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Off the beaten path in the Rockies, but not too far off, this park features alpine tundra, subalpine meadows, wetlands, forests, mountain streams, lakes, and of course sand. Such a diverse landscape attracts an equally diverse array of flora and fauna. Thousand year old trees share the park with prairie grasses, wildflowers, and scrub sage. Animal life ranges from dung beetles to horned toads to pronghorn, elk, and bear. There is only one road in, but it's an easy drive from Pueblo.

Elk with snowy sand

Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Cave boxwork

If you're looking for a good time above or below ground, Wind Cave is the place for you. Upstairs is a convergence of short and tall grass prairies and forest, right on the edge of the Black Hills. Downstairs is one of the world's longest cave systems. Sacred as the birthplace of the Sioux Indians in their origin stories, the cave gets its name from the wind blowing in or out of the small natural opening. Wind direction changes based on barometric pressure and is a good indicator of weather. While rare formations like boxwork can be found in the cave, rare animals like bison and black-footed ferrets are found above. This park is also easy to reach, about an hour south of Rapid City.

Prairie and forest

This week's information and all pictures comes from the National Park Service. Great Sand Dunes pictures come from their Flickr page.

Animal 911

In spite of humanity’s destruction of the environment over the last few centuries, most people believe in helping out in ways that don’t require a drastic lifestyle change. One way that people can feel good about the world is wildlife rescue. Every year thousands of good Samaritans encounter orphaned, sick, or injured animals that they deliver to or are picked up by professional wildlife rehabilitators. The goal of wildlife rehab is to provide medical care to the animal and release it back to the wild.

Orphaned raccoons

Many times, an injury is so severe the animal would be unable to return to the wild. In those instances, the animal usually moves to a wild animal park or some other educational organization where it works as an animal ambassador. Animal ambassadors are a way to connect the public to critters they wouldn’t normally get to encounter, especially up close. They work to raise awareness about the wild world around us and offer a glimpse of how these critters live. Many times they can shed some light on the daily challenges they face, in addition to having to deal with people.

Eastern screech owl working as an animal ambassador

I recently visited a wildlife rehab center. Animals are separated by species, although there may be several, such as raccoons, sharing living quarters. The raccoons are quarantined on arrival to check for rabies. All enclosures are covered to keep birds from escaping, or getting in and eating the patients. On the day of my visit, there were raccoons, a beaver, owls, hawks, vultures, squirrels, crows, baby opossums, and songbirds in treatment. In the past, they have rehabbed deer. There is no animal too great or too small for these people to help.

Great horned owl

Orphaned opossums

Blue jay on the mend

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.

The Urban Wilderness

A few weeks ago, I mentioned some of the animals of the urban wilderness, those that have adapted extremely well to life with humans. This week I’ll share some wild urban spaces, little patches of actual jungle in the urban jungle. Note: the actual jungle I refer to isn’t really a jungle.

The Seattle area where I live is home to quite a few wild spots in not so wild areas. I’ll run through some of the ones I have been to. 

Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park is one of the largest city parks in Washington. It has Puget Sound shoreline, which is hope to marine life such as harbor seals and giant Pacific octopi. It also has some old growth forest, home to black-tailed deer and eagles. Other attractions include the zoo and Fort Nisqually. 

Not-so-giant giant sequoia at Point Defiance

The recently renamed Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge preserves the delta of the Nisqually River. Located between Olympia and Tacoma, it is bordered by Interstate 5. With freshwater and saltwater marshes it is an important stop on the Pacific Flyway and its estuarine waters nurture salmon smolts adjusting to seawater. 

Taking flight at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

The US Army Corps of Engineers’ Hiram Chittenden Locks provides a channel for boats to travel between Lake Washington and Puget Sound. On the west side of the locks is a rookery of great blue herons, the only place I’ve ever seen one. Harbor seals frequent the locks, hoping to snag a migrating salmon. Salmon are visible at the lock’s fish ladder. 

Great blue heron rookery

Sockeye salmon at the fish ladder

I grew up near Philadelphia, and there are some urban wilderness areas there also. John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge is right alongside Interstate 95, just south of the airport. It is one of the last remaining tidal marshes on the Delaware River and an important bird habitat. 

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (US Fish and Wildlife Service photo)

Valley Forge National Historical Park is best known as the location of George Washington’s winter camp during the American Revolution. Now completely surrounded by suburban development, it is a haven for white-tailed deer. I’ve also seen turkey vultures and heard turkeys there. 

Colonial Springs, deep in the woods (right off the highway) at Valley Forge

New York, the largest city in the country, even has some wild spaces. Central Park is home to more than just pigeons. I’ve seen a woodpecker and squirrels there. Migrating birds on the Atlantic Flyway probably stop there from time to time. The Oakwood Beach neighborhood of Staten Island is no longer a neighborhood; home have been bought out following Hurricane Sandy. The area is already reverting to nature. Across New York Harbor, New Jersey’s Sandy Hook boasts a rare intact holly forest, as well as coastal dunes. Imagine my delight watching crabs skittering through the woods. 

A woodpecker grows in Manhattan

Holly forest at Sandy Hook (Middletown, NJ Patch photo)

One last place worth mentioning is Springbrook Nature Center in Minneapolis. I’ve never been there but a friend is there frequently. It is home to many species of birds, plus the usual deer and even foxes. With any luck I will get there some day. 

Springbrook Nature Center (photo by Mark Layeux)

What are some surprisingly wild places near you?

US Fish and Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz/visit/plan_your_visit.html

Middletown, NJ Patch: https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/holly-forest-walk-at-sandy-hook

Urban Ecology

When most people think of nature, they think of pristine wilderness or a patch of woods somewhere in the country. But nature is all around us, even in cities and towns. Large chunks of the natural world often go unnoticed simply because they are so familiar as to become invisible. This week Nature Minute introduces you to the wonderful world of urban ecology. For ecology purposes, "urban" refers to any developed area, not just inner cities.

            Most of the wild mammals you meet in our neighborhoods are considered a nuisance. Raccoons are infamous scavengers that thrive on garbage can buffets, while mice and rats make our homes their own.  Even charismatic animals like deer (eating our gardens and crashing our cars) and bears (raiding or trash cans and generally being scary) are a nuisance when they leave “the wild” and come into our communities.

Black-tailed deer in my back yard

            Then there are the animals you don’t meet. Crows and pigeons are all over the place yet we overlook them because they are so common. Coyotes have adjusted to our cities and towns, yet remain under the radar, earning them the name “ghost dogs”. I see their scats all the time, but I’ve only seen three coyotes in ten years.

            Squirrels, chipmunks, and many species of songbird live in our yards, but they live so close to our homes many people don’t even consider them when thinking of examples of wildlife. They may be used to being around people but they certainly aren’t tame.

Eastern gray squirrel outside my apartment

            Insects and plants also fall into the realm of the wild, though very few people would ever call a beetle, worm, or shrub wildlife. However, these organisms are the base of the food chain and in the absence of garbage, sustain the larger critters that share our neighborhoods.

Baby barn swallows nesting in a hole in wall of my house

            How can you make our urban areas more hospitable to wildlife? The National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program is one way to start making a difference. Turn your yard into habitat by providing food, water, shelter, places to raise young, and using sustainable practices. In many areas, habitat is severely fragmented, and by turning your yard into a habitat island you can help wildlife move from place to place. Learn more at www.nfw.org or by asking me!

Porcupine Love

I was driving past Northwest Trek, a wildlife park which also does extensive conservation work, and I suddenly wondered how on Earth porcupines mate. Their quills are barbed so as to injure any critter that tries to attack it, but doesn’t that seem like it would hinder mating?

So I did a little digging, and in addition to quills being a roadblock to mating, females are frigid for 364.5 days a year (365.5 in a leap year). However, when she is ready to go for 8-12 hours each year, she will signal the males with secretions, which is how it typically works in the animal world.

When it is time, the successful male may have to ward off challengers. To set the mood, the female curls her tail over her back and relaxes her skin, which flattens the quills and reduces risk of impalement. 

They will do this several times until the female tires of her mate, who will go in search of more females having that time of the year. The female will have a seven month gestation period, followed by four months of lactation. Then after a month, it’s time to start over again. In case you’re wondering, when baby porcupines are born their hair is soft and hasn’t hardened into quills yet. Childbirth is painful enough already.

Here's a Youtube video of how it happens.

This week’s facts courtesy of Live Science

Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug

I was driving home from work last week and noticed what appeared to be a moth, judging by the face, stuck on my windshield wiper. The wings were flapping wildly in the breeze. When I got to a red light, they didn’t look like moth wings and I could see the legs were moving. This bug was still alive and trying to escape. I pulled over at the next chance I could so I could free this mystery critter. I wasn’t sure what I was looking at (or how it was still alive; half its body was smashed) until I happed upon it in a book I was flipping through. It was a caddisfly.

What is a caddisfly? They are an order of insect (Trichoptera) that is similar to moths and butterflies (order Lepidoptera) with hairy heads and larval cocoons. However, the caddisfly larva lives underwater and makes its case from material in the stream, such as small pebbles, held together by silk that it secretes from glands. And unlike moths, the wings of a caddisfly are not covered in fine scales (the “powder” that gets on your fingers if touch a moth or butterfly’s wings).₁

Caddisfly larva, with and without case
South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks

Adult caddisfly
Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission

Caddisfly larvae are a favorite meal for aquatic critters like salmon. An entire cohort of caddisflies emerges from their cases at once and moves toward the surface to begin a brief (two weeks) adulthood. It becomes a veritable smorgasbord for fish. Caddisflies are also an important indicator species. An indicator species is one that’s absence or presence is an indicator of the general health of an ecosystem. Caddisflies are sensitive to water pollution, so an abundant population of caddisflies is a sign of a healthy stream.2

Caddisfly larvae, Mashel River

1 From Insects_, Their Natural History and Diversity by Stephen A Marshall

2 From The Northwest Coastal Explorer by Robert Steelquist

Eek-cology of Halloween

Halloween is almost here! This was my favorite holiday when I was a kid. Now that I’m too old to go out getting candy from strangers, I stay home and give candy to strangers. This year, I will give you a quick look at the eek-cology of Halloween, some of the wild animals we connect with the holiday. Facts are courtesy of the pages of http://www.halloween.com/all-about-halloween/

Bats: Hungry for insects, bats were often seen chasing those that were drawn to the bonfires of the early Samhain celebration. They were believed to be connected to the spirit world. Bats are also associated with vampires.

Bat in flight

Spiders: Spiders just creep people out. That could be the number one reason they are associated with Halloween. Haunted houses of lore, which are typically abandoned, are full of spider webs. In medieval times, they were associated with witches. I think another likely reason they are a Halloween symbols is that it’s almost impossible to go outside this time of year without walking into a web.

Orb weaver

Owls: Owls were also spotted near the Samhain bonfires and were believed to be connected to the spirit world. They are associated with witches. In the dark of night, the owl’s cry can be an eerie sound.

Great horned owl

Wolves: Wolves are an animal that has long been feared. Adding to that fear is the legend of werewolves, cursed people who change into wolves by the light of the full moon. 

Tundra wolf at Northwest Trek, Eatonville, WA

Have fun and stay safe!