Setting down Roots in Thomas Woods

  Field Observations           As I walked around the wetland to my habitat, I noticed as I approached Thomas Woods that the patch of Rosinweed was much taller than me now. The mosquitoes have also made a pesky return, and they buzz around my ears, making me regret not applying some bug spray before my walk today.                However, I do not regret coming out here this afternoon, as I enjoy the shade of my trees preventing the late afternoon sun from blinding me as I look up at the tree tops, trying to see the shape of leaves of trees I wish to try to identify. I also look down at the ground as well, to see if there are any new plants flowering, and low and behold I see a new yellow flower that I have not previously seen this summer. Growing at the edge of the woods, the little sunflower turns out to be a Woodland Sunflower, at least that is where I ended up at in Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. I have grow...

Field Observations       This week, I decided to focus on birds since I had no classes on Friday which provided me an opportunity to go out in the early morning for some birding. I remember going out at 5:40 in the morning in my ornithology course in undergrad, but I was not able to bring myself to wake up quite that early. My morning outdoors began at 8 am, which is more like lunchtime for the birds who have been awake for as long as the sun has. I was struck by how the different my woods looked with the morning sun's rays glowing through the trees, and the mist hanging above the Kesling Wetland. It was 55 degrees F out but the sun made it quite pleasant but not too hot. The birds too, seemed to be enjoying this nice, cooler summer weather as they flew about from tree to tree, or over the prairies and fields. I heard so much more birdsong than my previous excursions later in the day. The morning belongs to the birds.      One male Goldfinch in particular k...