From the Field - Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary

Night Sounds

I was camping this weekend near Gettysburg, PA with a group of friends.  We were walking a trail along the South Branch of the Conewego Creek.  It was getting dark when a Barred Owl let out.  I love the sound of its rolling "who cooks for you?  Who cooks for you, allll?"  The owl called on and on.  There were two young boys in our group and we made sure that they could distinguish the barred owl's call from the more common Great-horned Owl's call.  When we got back to camp (right on the creek) and sat around the campfire, the Barred Owl continued calling.  During the night, from my tent, I heard that two Barred Owls had gotten together.  They were talking to each other about 40 yards away in a tree.   No longer was it the normal long range call, but this was close quarters communication.  Perhaps discussing territory, or maybe courting.

Around dawn, I woke to the sound of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  It must have been perched in a tree right behind my tent.  At breakfast, around the campfire, several of us commented that we had heard the two owls talking.   My one friend asked, "was that one of them cuckoos singing behind the tents this morning?"  On another camping trip, I had pointed out both the Black-billed and the Yellow-billed Cuckoos' songs to him.  I was really pleased that he remembered it's song.

When I returned home, Maureen and I sat on the patio,  talking until after dark.  At dusk, we heard the whinnying of a Screech Owl in the distance.    When I took the dog out before bed, I heard the Great-horned Owl calling up on the hill.  While these two owls are much more common at Mariton, I still enjoy listening to their night music.

Out and About

A few weeks back (July 20, Butterflies Galore), I wrote about all the hummingbird moths and butterflies visiting the wild bergamot in the meadows.  I said I wasn't able to get a good photo of the hummingbird moths because they move so quickly.  It wasn't long until readers started visiting Mariton to see all the butterflies and moths.  Shortly afterwards, I started receiving great photos of the hummingbird moths.  So, here is a photo taken by Dennis Manchon, that he graciously sent to me.

There are still butterflies and moths, but they are fading in color.  The wild bergamot is also getting old now.  Taking their place are the goldenrods.  Goldenrods still take a lot of grief for allergies.  In reality, the pollen is too large to cause allergies.  Ragweed is the cause of most folks allergies.  It is in bloom at the same time as goldenrod, but because we don't notice the tiny yellow green blossoms, goldenrods get all of the blame.

Another burst of color is coming from the sassafras sprouts in the meadows.  Some of the lower leaves are getting too much shade and changing color now.  Here is a photo of one nice leaf.  This fall, all the sassafras in the meadows will turn fantastic colors.  For now, I will use this leaf to remind me of cool days. 

Nest Box Season Ends

The next box season is officially over at Mariton.  (Or at least, I have monitored the boxes for the last time this summer.)  The bluebirds had left when I checked this week.  So, 8 bluebirds successfully fledged from our nest boxes.  This is the same as last year.  We also had 11 tree swallows fledge.  Later this fall, when it cools a bit, I will clean the boxes of any nesting material.  I will do this again in early March, prior to nesting season.

If I clean out the boxes this fall, why should I need to clean them again in the spring?  Well, as you can see in this photo a white-footed mouse has used the remains of an abandoned wren nest for the underlying structure of its own nest.  During the winter, mice and flying squirrels often use the boxes for nests or for food storage.  Birds will also roost together is small groups to conserve heat and get out of the wind.  In the spring, I will be removing mouse nests, nuts and feathers (and insects).