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We will list the animals happenings,
birds witnessed, and other natural
occurrences that we have seen and are
excited to share with you.
Come back often to participate in the
experiences that nature shares with all
of us at LBL.....
The most recent entry is immediately
below this line.
Read from the bottom of the page to
experience calendar year 2009 thru 2011. The most
recent comments are at the top.
Dear Readers,
March 23rd,2011
Unusually warm
spring days have brought about many
natural happening much earlier in the
year that we would have expected.
It is rather nice to see the
greening up of nature all around us
after a dreary winter.
Migrant birds are making their
way through, flower buds are beginning
to bust open, and bees and butterflies
are busy flying about.
A nice start to the year but
hopefully the summer will not be too
hot.
March 11th,
we had about six purple martins finally
settle in and start using the gourds
rather than just flying through like the
ones we saw February 28th.
It is very cool to hear their
laser sounding vocalizations around the
Nature Station once more.
Redbuds also started to bloom
this day which is a little early for
them.
Another bird event here that was
pretty neat was the pair of northern
shovelers swimming in observation pond.
They looked somewhat panicked
after an osprey flew very low over their
heads which was also cool for us to see
but not nice for the ducks.
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Redbud photo courtesy of author
A couple of us
naturalists decided to hit the trail on
March 17th, one a day hike
near Jenny Ridge and myself an overnight
backpacking trip on the North/South
Trail.
We both saw toothwort, spring
beauty, and rue anemone blooming marking
the beginning of the season of
wildflowers.
I also saw several species of
butterflies such as mourning cloak,
spring azure, and question marks and
neither of them stayed long enough to
for me to take their photo.
Oh, I almost forgot, the ticks
are back so get out the spray.
The next day brought about the
trilling of American toads and blooming
of spicebush.
I also saw the minute umbrellas
of mayapple pushing through the ground.
Spring Beauty photo courtesy of author
I spotted foliage
on of trillium, trout lily also known as
dogtooth violet, and Virginia bluebell
on March 19th.
I am sure that we will seen their
blooms within the next few days or maybe
sometime next week but it will be very
soon either way.
The beautiful white wispy flowers
of the serviceberry shrubs could be seen
in the forest alongside Mulberry Flats
Road on the drive up to the Nature
Station.
The beginnings of new life are
starting to be seen such as Canada Geese
on eggs and toad eggs in the pond, so
this is the time to start looking for
baby animals.
American Toad eggs photo courtesy of author
Be sure to get
outside and experience the beauty of
spring.
And maybe, just maybe make a trip
to visit us here at the Nature Station.
Brooke Gilley,
Naturalist
Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers
March 7th, 2011
The Nature Station
is officially open to the public and
almost gone are the gloomy over cast
days of winter and the days of gentle
spring rain seem to be here.
And with the coming of the rain
flowers will bloom and frogs will sing.
Here are some of the natural
happenings that we have seen and heard
the past few months.
It makes me excited about future
natural events this year.
We had an amazing
sighting of fourteen trumpeter swans on
Honker Lake, January 22nd,
when we were out during an Eagle Tour.
It was somewhat of a rarity to
see them in that location and the reason
for them being here maybe due to us
lowering the lake level to appeal to
other waterfowl species.
We hope they return here on a
more regular basis.
Daffodil photo courtesy of author
A true a sign of
spring was the sound of upland chorus
frogs singing their little hearts out in
hopes to find a mate.
We heard them as early as
February 16, 2011 and they have
continued to serenade us for several
weeks.
On February 18 were heard pine
warblers and eastern phoebes were heard
in the backyard of the Nature Station.
February 19 was huge surprise for
us because we spotted purple martins and
on February 28th a female and
male looked like they may have been
using a nesting gourd.
Another early return was an
osprey on March 3rd.
Some other bird species we have
seen in this area was a red-breasted
nuthatch on March 4th and
chipping sparrow on March 5th.
For all you
amphibian enthusiasts not only have the
before mention chorus frogs been singing
but the spring peepers and southern
leopard frogs have been calling too.
On February 24th I
happen to find a rather long smallmouth
salamander in of all places the parking
lot.
Yes, it is definitely spring when
frogs and salamanders are roaming about.
Smallmouth
Salamander photo courtesy of author
Now that we have
received such a large amount of rain of
late watch for those spring wildflowers
to pop up as we have seen the daffodils
blooming all along the trace as of March
1st.
Also, keep your eyes peeled for
migratory birds that will soon be coming
this way as they have been with the
purple martins and osprey.
And make sure you get outside to
experience your own natural happenings.
Brooke Gilley,
Naturalist
Woodlands Nature
Station
Dear Readers,
January 17, 2011
The morning air is beginning to
be crisper and the spider webs look like
miniature strings of pearls with the
layer of frost that graces them. Even
though animals are seem to be slowing
down and the landscape seems like a
frozen sculpture things I assure you are
still happening in the outdoors, even in
winter Mother Nature never stops.
For those that are willing to
bundle up in their warm attire and go
outside the world is your oyster as you
may seeing things that many others may
not be able to behold, such as the
interesting frost flowers that grace the
Trace and roads leading to the Nature
Station.
For example the birds are busy at
the feeders as well as in the woods and
on the lakes.
We at the Nature Station have
been fortunate to glimpse the Red-headed
Woodpeckers seen as early as Oct. 31st.
They are more than likely taking
advantage of the red oak acorns which
they will eat.
That same day we spotted a
Yellow-rumped Warbler (also known as
butter butt) in the backyard of the
Nature Station. One of my fellow
naturalists spotted Hooded Mergansers
and Pied-billed Grebes on Honker Lake.
Frost Flower Photo Courtesy of
Author
On Nov. 6th we had
four Bald Eagles fly over the Nature
Station three of which were matures and
one fully brown immature.
I think that they were reminding
us that eagle season was soon
approaching us.
Here at Land Between the Lakes we
get on average 150-200 eagles that over
winter here and take advantage of the
unfrozen lakes full of fish. We also
have 15-18 nesting pairs that stay with
us year round.
Last year we had 215 eagles that
wintered here and that gave us lots of
opportunities to share with the public
these majestic birds during our Eagle
Van Tours and Eagle Yacht Tours that we
feature in the December through
February.
Eagle Photo Courtesy of Author
Nov. 9th I went out to
hike Hematite Lake to get myself more
familiarized with certain bird species.
I was not disappointed that day
as a plethora of waterfowl were bobbing
on the lake’s surface. I saw many, many
Gadwall, a few Northern Shovelers as
well as a few American Wigeons.
It was very cool to see so much
waterfowl at Hematite that day.
Nov. 24th a few of my
co-workers overheard the eerie sound of
the Sandhill Cranes flying over Honker
Lake.
They are such a cool bird to hear
and to see.
A trip to scout Honker Dam was a
successful one as we viewed plenty of
Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, American
White Pelicans, Ruddy Ducks, and
Ring-necked Ducks all on the 2nd
of December.
We also saw two more eagles
flying overhead that day.
The following day we viewed a
large amount of Horned Grebes near
Woodson Chapel.
December 4th, we
spotted two lovely male Purple Finches
on our feeders in the backyard at the
Nature Station.
As you can see by all that Nature
Station staff has seen there is plenty
for the nature lover to view and
appreciate.
So, even when the days are at
their coldest there are still many
beautiful, majestic, and wondrous
natural happenings taking place for
those that want to leave the comfort of
their homes to make their way outdoors
to see what nature has to offer.
Brooke Gilley, Naturalist
Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers,
Oct 31, 2010
I hope that you
have all been out enjoying the crisp
autumn mornings and the beautiful array
of colors that the trees have been
showing off as of late.
But that’s not all that has been
happening during the fall.
For flowers we are
still seeing the last few blooms even
with some frosts.
It is not before long they will
be done.
Here are some of the flowers we
have observed.
On Sept 15th, Obedient
Plant also known as false Dragonhead was
starting to show off its pink blooms
along with the Blue Lobelia.
Goldenrod was sure in abundance
on the roadsides and many of the asters
such as New England Aster were going
strong with their beautiful and hardy
lavender flowers.
And how can I not forget the
White Wingstem which brought so many
butterflies, such as the Viceroy seen on
Sept 22nd, 2010, to feed off
of the nectar.
We captured a lot of Monarchs for
our tagging program this year hanging
out on the White Wingstem.
In total we tagged 125 monarchs
out of 200 tags that we had.
Tagged Monarch photo courtesy of author
For you birders out
there, you should be seeing more winter
migrants making their way through the
area.
On Sept 26th one of my
fellow naturalists spotted Pine, Black
and White, and Black Throated Warblers
on Honker Trail.
We also had a Red-breasted
Nuthatch in the backyard of the Nature
Station.
We had a few Gray Catbirds
hanging around also in the backyard on
Oct 4th and had our last
sighting of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird
for the year.
Seen on Honker Lake also on Oct 4th
where Greater Yellowlegs, Green Winged
Teals, and American Coots.
On Oct 12th, we saw
the first Dark-eyed Juncos for the
season as well as White-throated
Sparrows and a Lesser Yellowlegs was
seen at Honker Lake Access.
The very next day after that
American White Pelicans and a Dowitcher
were seen on Lake Barkley.
Then on Oct 26th a new
sight for many of the staff was that of
the Common Snipe.
New England Aster photo courtesy of author
Soon, we should be
seeing many more winter bird species
coming into our area as well as Bald
Eagles so stayed in touch for more
natural happenings.
And be sure to make time to enjoy
the season of fall in all its glory.
Take Care,
Brooke Gilley, Naturalist
Dear Readers,
September 13, 2010
Our Hummingbird
Festival is done and over and school is
back in session, a sure sign that autumn
is just around the corner.
But that doesn’t mean there are
not awesome natural happenings just
waiting to be experienced so please come
and visit us at the Woodlands Nature
Station.
For example, one
really cool experience for me were the
many butterflies that were covering my
Swamp Milkweed on Aug 2nd and when I got
closer to look at some of the smaller
species I saw one that I had never seen
before, the “Olive” Juniper Hairstreak.
They are not as common as some of
the other species and it was just neat
to see this very small emerald green
looking insect. We all have our special
and almost spiritual moments in nature
and I guess that was one of mine.
Another species I saw the
following day on blooming Western
Sunflower was the Hoary Edge butterfly.
While hiking on Woodland Walk I
got a good look at Question Mark
butterfly on Aug 16th.
On Aug 24, I saw a Gemmed Satyr
and Tawny Emperor down by our wolf pen.
Also, near the wolf pen on Aug 20th,
there was a congregation of Walnut
caterpillars on a hickory tree.
Don’t ask me why they were there.
Despite their name they also eat
hickory.
“Olive” Juniper Hairstreak photo
courtesy of author
Another, amazing
natural happening that we got to
experience on Aug 6th was the
blooming of Spider Lilies in one of our
gardens, also behind the screech owl
perch and on our wildflower/fern trail.
It is such a cool flower the way
it is shaped and so very delicate.
The blooms seem to not last
longer than a day and then they are
done.
So, sad to see them gone but it
is something to look forward to next
year during this time.
Also in bloom are the Rose
Turtlehead, Mist Flower, and Cardinal
Flower all making a bright showing on
Aug 30th. Also, on Aug 30th,
our poor screech owl was in full head
molt and fortunately is growing feathers
back in as we speak so he can look
beautiful for fall and winter.
Our Fallow buck is also getting
ready for fall and the rut in by losing
his velvet on Aug 31st.
Fallow Deer photo courtesy of author
Trees are putting
out nuts, seeds, and fruits.
Pawpaw fruit where out Sept 3rd
and there were still some on the trail
when I went out today.
And as of Sept 6th,
there are lots of hickory nuts and
dogwood berries are turning red.
I am sure many animals are taking
advantage of this bounty so they can
prepare for the winter ahead of us,
especially animals like groundhogs,
raccoons, and white tail deer.
I am sure you will see many of
these animals out amongst your travels
certainly wild turkeys and white tail
deer.
This brings me to our white tail
buck that shed his velvet Sept 10th and
is now sporting a beautiful atypical set
of antlers.
It is enough to make the ladies
go wild and the hunters too.
Buckeye photo courtesy of author
With the blooming
of the White Wingstem and Nodding Wild
Onion there are many species of
butterflies taking advantage of their
flowers such as the Dog Face, Snout,
Eastern Tailed Blue, Little Yellow,
Cloudless Sulfur, Clouded Sulfur,
Red-Banded Hairstreak, Gray Hairstreak,
and plethora of Buckeyes.
So,
if you are a fan of butterflies like me
now is the time to get out especially
with our Monarchs migrating.
Some things that
will be happening shortly are the more
frequent elk bugles, white tails and
fallow deer in rut, the last few of our
hummingbirds will go south, and we
should be seeing American White Pelicans
and Sandhill Cranes coming through this
area.
So, be sure to get out and
experience your own natural happenings
and come visit us at the Woodlands
Nature Station.
Take Care,
Brooke Gilley,
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers,
July 23, 2010
Summer is in full swing and we at the
Nature Station are getting ready for
something very, very special.
What are we getting ready for?
Our annual Hummingbird Festival
in which we welcome our friends the
Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds coming back
through on their migration back to
Central America.
The event takes place on August 7th
and 8th.
Please come and join us to
celebrate their return.
Ruby –Throated Hummingbird photo
courtesy of author
The hummingbirds are enjoying the nectar
from many of our flowers in bloom such
as Trumpet Creeper that started to bloom
on the Trace June 7th as well
as Royal Catchfly which also started to
bloom the same day.
Some other flowers they are
taking advantage of are the Rose Mallow,
Purple Coneflower, Iron Weed, and
Blazing Star which can also be viewed on
the Trace and Silver Trail road near the
Nature Station.
Be careful while you watch them,
they might zip into you as they flit
around in search of that sweet stuff.
Royal Catchfly photo
courtesy of author
Another cool natural happening was that
of the mass of butterflies that covered
our Button Bush which started to bloom
on June 7th. There were
mainly Tiger Swallowtails but also a few
Pipevine Swallowtails, Zebra
Swallowtails, and Spicebush
Swallowtails.
The bees were excited as well as
two species of moth for this bush to be
in bloom.
One June 24 the American Lotus was in
bloom on Lakes Honker and Hematite.
It is such a serene and beautiful
thing to floating amongst the giant,
creamy yellow blossoms.
I like to dip my paddle in to
play with the dinner plate sized leaves
that hug the water’s surface.
They pop back up from being
pushed down into the water and have
beads of liquid on leaf.
It reminds me of mercury.
So,
awesome!
Forgive me for my gleefulness over
caterpillars and butterflies.
I always feel like a kid in a
candy store when I find a new
caterpillar that I’ve never seen before
or see a butterfly hovering over a
flower. I love these insects so much; I
feel the need to highlight them once
more.
So, we discovered two
caterpillars milling about on July 7th.
They were a Milkweed Tussock moth
seen on a milkweed plant and Catalpa
Sphinx moth larvae located near Virginia
Creeper climbing up a tree near our Red
Wolves.
I saw my first Red-Spotted Purple
butterfly of the season on July 9th.
But what made me smile the most
is when I caught sight of one of our
largest butterfly in North America, the
Giant Swallowtail.
I can’t tell you how breathtaking
it was to see this impressive species
gently moving among the gardens of the
Nature Station.
It especially loved the purple
coneflowers.
Giant Swallowtail photo courtesy of
author
I hope that you are all enjoying your
summer and getting outside to view your
own natural happenings.
If you have not yet made a trip
to the Woodlands Nature Station please
come and visit us.
Take Care,
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers,
June 4th,
2010
School is out for
the season and summer soon approaches
us.
It is a good time to visit us at
the Nature Station as we experience
changes in blooming flowers, sightings
of birds, and other wildlife.
We are certainly seeing more
reptiles and amphibians of late.
For example, we saw of first
Copperhead on April 24th
and May 2nd right
before the big flood, we heard Green and
Cope’s Gray tree frogs singing there
heart out.
I think they could sense the
impending rain, however, I don’t think
the frogs or anyone else had any idea on
how much rain we would actually receive.
May definitely seems the month
for the Eastern Box Turtles to be on the
move to find a mate.
We still are seeing them on the
Trace in June so please be cautious of
these small but beautiful turtles while
driving.
Green Tree Frog photo courtesy of author
Also, on May 2nd
we had a male Indigo Bunting visit our
backyard feeders and have been seeing
him making regular visits.
The following day we saw a Summer
Tanager and Purple Finch.
May 7th the Southern
Blue Flag Iris started blooming near the
Red Wolf pen.
It was an exciting day for me on
the 8th of May because I
spotted my first Monarch caterpillar
filling his belly on Common Milkweed.
I was rather sad when the first
Monarch egg that I saw on April 30th
got washed away with the rains.
After that loss it was so
refreshing to see the caterpillar
munching away.
Also, on May 8th a
male Orchard Oriole was seen feeding on
our hummingbird feeders.
It was the first of many
sightings.
There is at least one pair of
Orchard Oriole’s nesting around the
backyard of the Nature Station although
we have not figured out the where the
nest is.
On the Center Furnace Trail a
Swainson ’s thrush was spotted on May 9th.
May 11th
the False Solomon’s Seal was blooming
soon to be followed by the Solomon’s
Seal.
I got a really nice view of a
Common Yellowthroat warbler in one of
our gardens on May 12th.
We had a Copperbelly Water Snake
in one of gardens and two Black Racers
in another garden both non-venomous this
previous month.
I was startled to see lightning
bugs one night after a canoe trip.
I thought it was perhaps a little
early for them to be seen but still a
nice sighting and certainly a sign that
summer is fast approaching.
Black Racer photo
courtesy of author
As for our gardens,
they are looking great.
The Swamp, Common, and Butterfly
milkweeds are in bloom and many
butterflies and bees are taking
advantage.
Some butterflies we are seeing
are Grey Hairstreak, Great Spangled
Fritillary, Monarch, Pipevine
Swallowtail, Zebra Swallowtail, Tiger
Swallowtail, the occasional Spicebush
Swallowtail, and many varieties of
Skippers.
There are nearly a hundred or so
Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars eating
Dutchman’s Pipe back behind a few of our
owl perches.
I can’t wait to see the
chrysalises.
We also got to view a very lovely
scene one evening leaving work, a little
Whitetail fawn and mom, a very nice way
to end the day.
Pipevine
Swallowtail caterpillars and butterfly
photo courtesy of author
I look forward to
what summer brings and sharing with you
all the signs of the season.
Be sure to get outside and view
your own natural happenings and maybe
make a visit to the Woodlands Nature
Station.
Please check our calendar of
events for any special programs during
the summer months.
Take Care,
Brooke Gilley,
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers,
April 25th,
2010
Spring is in full
swing with various wildflowers still
making their appearance as well as the
migration of many species of birds.
It is the
perfect time of year to go out and
observe nature.
One of my
co-workers did just that and hiked a
portion of the North South Trail here at
Land Between the Lakes.
She saw a
variety of wildflowers such as Bellwort,
Violet Wood Sorrel, Wild Blue Phlox,
Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and a Louisiana
Waterthrush all on April 6th.
Jack-in the-Pulpit and White Trillium
pictures courtesy of author
On April 7th
we saw the arrival of little brown bats
in our large bat house.
The bat
house consists of mainly females which
will form a maternal colony within. I
always enjoy the arrival of bats to keep
up with the bugs, plus they are just
cool.
I have
tremendous respect for an animal that
can eat the human equivalent of eighteen
pizzas per night in insects and can have
babies up to twenty percent of its
weight.
So, that is
like a hundred pound woman having a
twenty pound baby, ouch.
All the nature
station staff smiled when we saw the
return of our Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds
on April 10th.
Since then
we have seen roughly three males making
usage of our feeders and our Wild
Columbine.
On the same
day we spotted a Falcate Orange Tip
Butterfly, Barn Swallow, and Common
Yellow Throat warbler.
Some
flowers also blooming the same time
period are the Dwarf Larkspur, Blue-eyed
grass, Pawpaw, White Trillium, Mayapple,
Spring Cress and one of my personal
favorites the Dwarf Crested Iris.
Dwarf Larkspur and Dwarf Crested Iris
courtesy of author
Some other bird species spotted and
heard where the Northern Parula and
Prothonotary Warbler hear on April 11th.
Prothonotary Warblers have
actually started nesting in some of the
boxes around the backyard of the nature
station and a very viewable to visitors,
so if you would like to see these
gorgeous yellow birds please come visit
us.
On April 12th a Scarlet
Tanager, Prairie Warbler,
Yellow-throated Vireo, and Northern
Waterthrush were spotted on the North
South Trail near Sugar Bay.
The blooms of Scorpion Grass and
Yellow Star Grass were also observed.
Prairie
Warbler and Scarlet Tanager photos
courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology
(educational use)
Like nervous and
excited parents, we were all thrilled to
have the first reported Purple Martin
egg laid in one of our nesting gourds on
April 15th.
Our poor
Fallow deer buck is experiencing some
separation anxiety since the loss of his
antlers which dropped on April 20th
and 21st.
Now he looks
like a large white goat.
Please come
to see him in all his glory in the fall
when he is in rut and has those
beautiful moose-like antlers.
For birders and
wildflower enthusiasts, now is the
perfect time to be outdoors.
Please come
to visit us here at the center and maybe
hike Honker or Hemitite trails to take
full advantage of spring. More natural
events are approaching so please watch
for updates of happening here at Land
Between the Lakes.
Take Care,
Brooke Gilley,
Naturalist,
Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers,
April
11,
2010
It is a perfect
time of year to visit the Nature Station
and maybe hit the trails.
There are so many beautiful
sights to see as we experience an
explosion of color with our spring
wildflowers, the return of song birds,
and one of my personal favorites,
butterflies.
Tiger Swallowtail on Virginia Blue
Bells
Photo Courtesy of
Author
As I stated in my
last journal entry, we were waiting for
the return of the Purple Martins and
Osprey.
Purple Martins finally arrived to
our colony of gourds on March 14th.
On March 12th while
driving over the bridge on the way to
work we noticed that the nests on the
bridge girders were occupied by osprey.
It is always a neat drive in on
68/80 and seeing an osprey flying with
fish or sticks in its talons.
They often fly alongside the car.
As of March 23rd,
Jacob’s ladder was in bloom as well as
Toothwort and Bloodroot.
A few days later I spotted some
Rue Anemone in the Children’s Garden.
One of my fellow naturalists took
a hike on the Hematite Trail and spotted
Spring Beauty, Star Chickweed, Rue
Anemone, False Garlic, and Spicebush
blooming.
As, we were making our drive to
the Nature Station is always so awesome
to see the trees and bushes flowering
such as Downy Serviceberry, Red Bud, and
Flowering Dogwood.
Courtesy The Mary T.
and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation
www.all-creatures.org
If you walk the
small trail just behind where we have
our birds of prey, you can see Recurved
Trilliums, Purple Trilliums, Spring
Beauty, Dogtooth Violet, and Virginia
Bluebells.
You never know what will be
flowering next here.
The butterflies and bees are
definitely taking advantage of all the
flowers as they search for nectar to
fill their bellies.
I’ve seen tiny blue Spring
Azures, Tiger Swallowtails, Zebra
Swallowtails and the first Monarch of
the season on April 5th.
Some other flowers
that can be seen blooming this time
period are Yellow Violet, Bird’s foot
Violet, Bluets, and Pussytoes.
One of my co-workers spotted
several bird species on a hike such as
Broad-winged Hawks, Northern Parula,
Black and White Warbler, Yellow Throated
Warbler and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.
She also got a glimpse of a
Cope’s Gray Tree frog; pretty good catch
there since they are camouflaged so
well, they look just like the bark of a
tree.
It
will soon be time for hummingbirds to
return so watch for future writings for
updates.
Be sure to visit us at the Nature
Station to see all these cool sightings
or just get outdoors to view your own
natural happenings.
Take Care,
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
Dear Readers,
March 10, 2010
After a seemingly long winter the Nature
Station is officially open for visitors,
so come and join us.
To give you some insight as to
what has been happening all winter for
us during our three months of being
closed, we have had a lot of snow this
year.
It was great to see that fresh
snow with so many animal tracks and play
the game “who made that foot print?”
Some prints that we saw were
squirrel, skunk, and bird in the
backyard.
On trails such as Honker Trail, I
saw fox prints.
Pretty cool stuff.
Photo
Courtesy of Author
Some new features to the Nature Station
are owl shelters to keep our birds of
prey from the harsh sun and rain since
many trees that once shaded them fell
during the ice storm.
We also installed new nets for
our vultures and bald eagle exhibits.
I tell you our Bald Eagle is very
happy with her higher perches, I know
our visitors are too.
Photo
Courtesy of the Author
Signs of spring are starting to appear
such as the call of the Upland Chorus
Frog heard on February 26 and Southern
Leopard Frogs on March 7th. A
customer and her three daughters pointed
out to me some salamander eggs in one of
our ponds.
Photo Courtesy of the Author
I personally viewed either a checkerspot
or pearl crescent butterfly (both are
small orange looking butterflies) on my
hike of the Canal Loop Trail on March 8th.
But my favorite sighting of all
was the fly over of Sandhill Cranes
making their migration to the states of
the Great Lakes region.
Their sound reminds me of a child
learning the trumpet and it was funny to
have a patron ask me what this bizarre
sound was coming from the parking lot.
As I went out to answer his
inquiry about the sound, I heard it and
knew it was the Sandhill Crane from
growing up in Wisconsin where they
congregate in farmers fields.
It was a friendly sound to hear
once more.
Photo Courtesy of the
International Crane Foundation
I look forward to more signs of spring
such as more migratory birds flying
through, spring wildflowers, the return
of the purple martin and osprey.
I invite you to the Woodlands
Nature Station to share and experience
your own natural happenings.
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
November 16, 2009
Dear Readers,
Winter is just
around the corner although you would
hardly know it given the unusually warm
weather we are currently experiencing.
Even with the weather being the way it
is, a variety of birds are moving
through the area. On October 5th
we spotted a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet and a
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo. October 10th
a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and
Hummingbirds were still being seen in
the backyard. Redheaded duck flocks
were moving into the area on October 11th
and Blue Jays, Blue-headed, and
White-eyed Vireo were seen as well.
Yellow-rumped Warblers visited the
backyard of the Nature Station on
October 12th. White Pelicans
can currently be seen on either Lake
Barkley or Kentucky Lake or even on
Honker Lake near the Nature Station.
Also, at the end of October, staff saw
White-throated Sparrow, Purple Finch,
Dark-eyed Junco, and Golden- Crowned
Kinglet.
 
Redhead and Ruby-crowned Kinglet photos
courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology
(educational use)
During the early
part of November, a Red-breasted
Nuthatch and a Pine Siskin were seen.
Surprisingly, a Monarch butterfly fly
was spotted fluttering around on
November 13th. Maybe the
butterfly found the Lanceleaf Coreopsis
that still is in bloom. Another event
that recently took place at the Nature
Station was a prescribed burn. The burn
took place on November 10th
and the reason for the burn is to get
rid on the fuel load that was left over
from the ice storm. If all that brush
remained without the prescribed burn it
could of led to a potential wildfire in
the future. The burn is monitored by
trained wild land fire fighters. The
burn itself also encourages growth of
various plants and hence adds to the
variety of wildlife that we find around
the area. So, if you make a visit to
the Nature Station any time soon you
will encounter a different landscape
than what you are accustomed to.
 
Red-breasted Nuthatch and Pine Siskin
photos courtesy of Cornell Lab of
Ornithology
(educational use)
Other events that
will be happening during winter time are
our annual eagle tours looking for the
100 to 150 eagles that come down from
the Great Lakes region to Land Between
the Lakes. For more information please
check our calendar of events at
www.lbl.org. If there are any
birders out there whether beginner or
advanced we are having a Christmas Bird
Count early in morning on Saturday,
December 19th. It is a great
opportunity to encounter many species of
birds; we counted nearly 100 species
last year. If you are interested in
attending please contact Aviva Yasgur at
the Nature Station for more details.
Remember you don’t have to be an expert
to help with the count.
Take care and be
sure to go outside to observe your own
naturals happenings.
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
Oct 6th, 2009
Autumn is officially here and the
morning air has definitely become
crisp. It is time for us all don our
warm clothing and get ready for winter.
The leaves are turning, plants and
animals are getting ready as well for
the colder days. For example, we are
starting to see more bird species moving
through the area such as the
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the Common
Loon. Our ospreys that have been with
us the whole summer have migrated south
to Central and South America. A birding
group that recently visited the Nature
Station spotted Say’s Phoebe which is an
anomaly here. It is more of a western
species than eastern.
 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Say’s Phoebe
Photos Courtesy of Cornell Lab of
Ornithology
(educational use)
Keep your eyes peeled for more
bird species coming our way since peak
migration is starting soon. Land
Between the Lakes is found in
Mississippi Flyway which is major route
for migrating birds to follow when
heading south. The Mississippi Flyway
is especially important for waterfowl.
The last of the flowers are in
bloom. Southern Blazing Star,
Goldenrods, Silky Aster, and Aromatic
Aster are all finishing blooming. Bees
are making the mad dash to collect the
last remainders of pollen for winter
stores. We are also seeing many types
of butterflies making good use of the
late blooms. There are the periodic
Monarchs still migrating through to
Mexico, Painted Ladies, Sulphurs,
Skippers, and Black Swallowtail
Butterflies. In addition to
butterflies, the elk are bugling in the
prairie and soon we should be hearing
the bellow of the Fallow Deer as they
males try to find a mate.
 
Painted Lady and Sulphur Butterfly
Photos Courtesy of
www.butterfliesandmoths.org
Enjoy your autumn days ahead with
all the magnificent colors and sounds.
And come out to visit us at the
Woodlands Nature Station, who knows what
you may learn or discover.
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
September 7, 2009
Fall
is just around the corner and the end of
summer is showing a last burst of color
with a variety of wildflowers. Some of
the flowers that have been observed
blooming on the Hematite Trail as of
August 12th; are the Rose
Mallow, Wild Potato Vine, Trumpet
Creeper, Elephants Foot, Black-eyed
Susan, Heal-All, Large-flowered
Skullcap, Dittany, Hoary Mountain Mint,
and Glade Bluets.
Flowers that can be seen along the trace
are Evening Primrose, Tall Coreopsis,
Scaly Blazing Star, Downy Lobelia, Mist
Flower, Orange Coneflowers, Cutleaf
Prairie Dock, Ozark and White Wingstem,
and Small-headed Sunflower.
  
Images Courtesy ToaScaly Blazing
Star (Mrs. W. D. Bransford) Lady Bird
Johnson Wildflower Center; Evening
Primrose (John Hixson) Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center; and Downy Lobelia
(Stefan Bloodworth) Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center
One
exciting thing that is happening is that
we have seen quite a few Monarch
caterpillars. We have even set up an
aquarium at the Nature Station in the
children’s area where you can watch the
lifecycle of the Monarch Butterfly. It
is really cool to watch the caterpillars
eat milkweed leaves and get bigger and
then attach themselves to a stick.
After hanging upside down for a short
while they will then shed their skin and
make a chrysalis. If that was not cool
enough, roughly sixteen days later a
beautiful butterfly will emerge out of
the chrysalis. It is pretty amazing to
watch the process of metamorphosis
happen right before your eyes. Soon
these orange and black butterflies will
make their migration to Mexico. Another
caterpillar we have seen is the larva to
the Io Moth. They are very pretty lime
green color and loved eating the Rose
Mallow in the backyard at the Nature
Station. We would see 4-6 of them on
one leaf eating since they like to eat
in groups. The moths that results from
these caterpillars are a very pretty
yellow or rust color with eye spots on
the wings. If you ever see one of the
caterpillars on a leaf please admire it
without touching, you can get a skin
irritation from touching one.
 
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia
One
other event that has happened is that
our Fallow deer buck at the Nature
Station has lost his velvet. It is only
a matter of time before our White-tail
deer has lost his velvet as well.
Velvet is what helps antlers grow. It
full of blood which flow until the
antlers grow to their full potential and
then the blood eventually stops
flowing. Then it is time for the velvet
to come off. Then it is time for the
rut which another name for the mating
season. Look for that in the coming
months. Take care and look for your own
natural happenings.
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
Aug
12, 2009
It’s
been a busy time here at the Nature
Station getting ready and holding our
annual Hummingbird Festival, celebrating
the migration of the Ruby-Throated
Hummingbird down to Central America. If
you happen to see a decline in
hummingbirds at your feeders it is
because of their migration south. We
will probably see the last hummingbird
here around late September or early
October. Some other bird news,
Prothonotary Warblers fledged in the
backyard on June 29th and our
Purple Martins left the gourds that they
came to nest in on July 22nd.
I saw
a Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillar
eating on Dutchman’s pipe in July. I am
hoping to see Monarch caterpillars on
the milkweed but I have not seen many
this year but have seen a few Monarch
Butterflies around. Tagging of the
Monarch Butterflies will begin soon in
September.
 
Pipevine Swallowtail
Caterpillar and Butterfly Picture taken
by staff at the Nature Station
Some plants that have
been in flower are Elderberry Bush,
Ironweed, Jewelweed, Blazing Star, Marsh
Milkweed and the beautiful Spider Lily.
And I just noticed that the Cardinal
Flower in our Children’s Garden is in
bloom. I also saw some hummingbirds
take advantage of those red flowers for
some nice sweet nectar.
 
Images
Courtesy as noted Spider Lily
(Campbell and Lynn Loughmiller) Lady
Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Cardinal Flower Picture
(Sally and Andy Wasowski) Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center
To
all, enjoy the rest of the summer and
see if you can go out and view your own
natural happenings. Hope to see you at
the Nature Station in the future.
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
June
8th, 2009
For
those of you who have not made a visit
to the Nature Station, you should make a
trip. Our gardens in the backyard are
coming up beautifully and many of the
plants are in bloom or getting ready to
bloom. For example, there is a pretty
blending of pink from the Downy Phlox
and yellow Coreopsis in our prairie
garden. Other flowers blooming are
Spiderwort, Showy Primrose, Indian Pink,
and Sundrops. One plant that was
blooming at the beginning of the month
of May was the beautiful Southern Blue
Flag and another that is just starting
to bloom is the Downy Wood Mint. If you
visit our gardens be sure to walk some
of the trails around the Nature
Station. You may see other wildflowers
such as the Hawkweed and many others.
 
Images Courtesy as noted Indian Pink
(Mrs. W. D. Bransford) Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center and Downy Wood Mint
(Sally and Andy Wasowski) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center
In
late April, we have seen the brilliant
blue of the Indigo Bunting. They are
still around even now. The last
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak had flown through
on April 22nd and could be seen at our
feeders. Other bird sightings were the
Summer Tanager, Baltimore Oriole both
seen April 21st, Orchard
Oriole, Tennessee Warbler,
Chestnut-Sided Warbler, White Crowned
Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler, and a
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo all spotted in the
month of May. In the early part of
June, a Pine Warbler was heard singing
its song along Woodland Walk Trail. A
co-worker and I also got to see a
Red-Eared Slider Turtle laying its eggs,
a very cool sight.
Orchard
Oriole and Chestnut-sided Warbler
Pictures Courtesy of Cornell Lab of
Ornithology
(educational use)
We
have also seen the arrival of baby
Canada Geese at the beginning of the
month of May. Prothonotary Warblers are
nesting in one of the boxes in the
backyard of the Nature Station.
Currently, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds
are starting to return to the feeders
again after being on the nest. It is
very awesome to watch them fly from
feeder to branch in the backyard at the
Nature Station.
Be
sure to stay tuned for more natural
happenings. Maybe think about keeping a
journal of your own of all the sightings
you see.
Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
April
20th, 2009
Right
now it is the time for birds,
butterflies, and blooms at the Woodlands
Nature Station. As of March 26th, we
have seen Tiger Swallowtail and Falcate
Orangetip Butterflies, Yellow-Throated
Warblers, 2 Muskrats, and heard a Gray
Tree Frog singing all at Honker Trail.
 Early
April, we saw the return of more birds
such as the Louisiana Waterthrush,
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Cliff Swallow,
Prothonotary Warbler, Northern Parula,
Black-throated Green Warbler, and
Yellow-throated Vireo. We were excited
to have seen our first Ruby-throated
Hummingbird on April 10th. Our feeders
are definitely out for these little
jewels of the bird world. It is a huge
source of entertainment for the staff at
the Nature Station and visitors to see
the hummingbirds flit around the
backyard. Although not a bird, I am
excited to see that the bats have come
back this year to the large bat house at
the Nature Station.
Prothonotary Warbler Photo Courtesy of
Cornell Lab of Ornithology (educational
use)
 Painted
Ladies and Monarch Butterflies have been
observed early April as well. When
viewing the many wildflowers, watch for
these brightly colored insects and maybe
a moth that mimics a bee. The Clearwing
Moth feeds during the daytime unlike
other moths who feed at night, they have
clear wings and their body has coloring
similar to a bumble bee. Don’t be fooled
by this moth, it will not sting, it just
flies from flower to flower dipping its’
proboscis (tongue) inside to collect the
sweet nectar.
Clearwing Moth Photo Courtesy of William
Vann
 There
is a great opportunity to see many
creatures and flowers while hiking the
many trails around the Woodlands Nature
Station. The flowers in bloom as of
April 8th, include, Spring Beauty,
Mayapple, Giant Chickweed, False Garlic,
Hairy Buttercup, Butterweed, Wild
Geranium, Recurved Trillium, Virginia
Bluebells, Bluets, Jacob’s Ladder,
Common Violet, Wild Blue Phlox,
Toadshade Trillium, and many others. I
love looking into the woods and seeing
the Dogwoods frosted over by white
flowers. I am looking forward to
observing other blooming flowers though
out summer and even fall.
Image Courtesy of
Toadshade Trillium (Stefan Bloodworth)
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Wild Blue Phlox
(Albert F. W. Vick) Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center
Be
sure to watch as the season progresses
to see what other natural happenings are
occurring, as other birds will be moving
thru and flowers will be blooming in the
future. Enjoy your day in nature.
-Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
March
20th, 2009
 It
is exciting times here at the Nature
Station with all the trees beginning to
get their leaves, many wildflowers are
starting to come up, and many creatures
are starting to return.
Recently, we have spotted butterflies in
the backyard, the Morning Cloak on March
7th. The Morning Cloak is one of the
earliest butterflies that can be seen
here. Another beautiful butterfly, the
Zebra Swallowtail caught the eye of a
fellow naturalist on March 17th.
Zebra Swallowtail photo courtesy of
Sherry Bailey
 For
those of you that are birders, stop in
our parking lot at the Woodlands Nature
Station. Here you can see gourd-like
bird houses set out for Purple Martins.
Yes, Purple Martins are here and arrived
on the scene March 18th. Osprey have
also returned to Honker Lake and can
frequently be seen soaring overhead. If
you listen close enough you can hear
their high pitch chirping. If you come
to Honker Lake to see the Osprey you
might be able to see White Pelicans on
the water. What a sight! Yellow-rumped
Warblers are passing through.
Photo courtesy of Vinnie Bacon
 If
you are out hiking the trails keep your
eyes out for blooming flowers such as
Toothwort, Spring Beauty, Bluebells, and
Spicebush. Serviceberry and Bloodroots
are blooming in the Tennessee part of
Land Between the Lakes. Many more are
sure to be blooming soon. While looking
for wildflowers, listen for the snoring
call of the Southern Leopard Frog. And
as you drive home from your day’s
adventures, look along the Trace for the
beginning of blooming Red Buds.
Bloodroot photo courtesy of Sally and
Andy Wasowski
Come
visit Woodlands Nature Station to
experience your own spring surprises.
-Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
March
8th, 2009
 It
is refreshing to experience all the
harbingers of spring after the recent
ice storm that occurred late January,
the light at the end of the tunnel. In
early February it warmed up just enough
for the Upland Chorus Frogs to start
calling. Chorus frogs sound a lot like a
finger moving against the teeth of comb.
This sound brought more than a few
smiles to the Nature Station Staff when
we first heard them.
Photo Courtesy of
www.herp-pix.com
The
two small ponds in the Nature Station
backyard are another source for spring
happenings. There you can find
gelatinous masses of Spotted Salamander
eggs. It won’t be too long before we see
tadpoles swimming about. As of March
7th, we heard the trilling song of the
American Toad.
 Photo
Courtesy of
www.herp-pix.com
Our
bees are getting busy as well. They are
starting to collect pollen from early
blooming flowers, mostly daffodils that
still remain on the property. I know the
bees and I are looking forward to other
beautiful flowers blooming as well.
Along with flowers, many birds are
returning to the area such as Pine
Warblers and Phoebes. We recently put
out gourd houses in anticipation of the
arrival of Purple Martins. Look out for
White Pelicans as they are known to
migrate through the area.
Please check back for more natural
happenings and please come visit us at
the Woodlands Nature Station.
-Brooke Gilley
Naturalist, Woodlands Nature Station
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