Round Lake Nature Notes: August 2016

Monday, August 29, 2016

Around the Village in Photos: August 19 - 25, 2016

Finally seeing Monarch butterflies in my yard at the butterfly bush, as well as, at the Round Lake Preserve. Ruby-throated male hummingbirds are being very territorial at my feeders and in the garden. They are chasing each other and flying into one another and guarding the feeders.

Monarch resting on Apple Tree Leaf

Giant Swallowtail Flying to Butterfly Bush

Osprey at Ballston Creek Preserve

Great Blue Heron Nests Ballston Creek Preserve

Hummer Taking a Quick Sip

Monarch at Clover at Round Lake Preserve

View West from Anthony Kill. Three Great Blue Herons were Out and About

Around the Village in Photos: August 12 - 18, 2016

Lots of late summer wildflowers in bloom this week. Also, due to high humidity, mushrooms are thriving!

Chicory

Thistle

Jewelweed or Touch-me-Not

Mushrooms on South Lawn

Happy

Sunny

Mullein: Native Americans lit the dried seed heads and used them as torches

The Rains came and he was Back!!!

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Around the Village in Photos: August 5 - 11, 2016

The Very Hungry Monarch Caterpillar August 5th

The Last Time I saw it on the evening of August 5th

Anthony Kill

Monet

Toad in Children's Garden

Brilliant Nasturium

Mountain Mint

Around the Village in Photos: July 29 - August 4, 2016

On July 28th a Female Monarch butterfly came through my garden and investigated all the milkweed plants. On July 29th I started looking to see if she had laid eggs. Monarchs usually lay them on the underside of milkweed leaves. I found one! I started taking notes and pictures. Five days later a caterpillar was crawling on the underside of the leaf. The next day I could see a hole chewed out of the leaf. Each day bigger holes and a bigger caterpillar! By August 4th the caterpillar was easy to see and I didn't use a hand lens. Take a look at the transformation.