The Nature of Delaware

By Helen Fischel, Associate Director, Education

Several years ago I certified our backyard as a habitat through the Delaware Nature Society/National Wildlife Federation program. Not only does water, shelter, and a place to raise young exist in the spaces surrounding the house, but there is also tremendous diversity of life that surprises me season after season and year after year.  

During one of my latest lawn mowing sessions the following was observed: honey bees collecting pollen (check out the back legs), ants grooming aphids, and paper wasps all on blooming native plants.  These photos show my wildlife discoveries amidst all the flowers.

These spectacular sights continue to intrigue me. I love to mow the lawn since it is one more way to spend time outside looking for the diversity of life in the Fischel backyard landscape. 

Consider giving yourself the gift of a Certified Backyard Habitat this year.  The Delaware Nature Society will be happy to assist you in your efforts to bring more beauty to the backyard!

Prize Alert!  The first person to correctly identify the insect in the last (bottom) photo will win a Backyard Habitat Consultation and a free tree to help attract wildlife.  Use the “Comments” section to submit your guess.

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By Derek Stoner, Conservation Project Coordinator

A mature white-tailed deer sporting large antlers stares at the camera. Image by Derek Stoner, October 23, 2011.

November in the world of the white-tailed deer is full of excitement and purpose.  The shortening of daylight triggers a surge in testosterone in the male deer (bucks) and the onset of estrous (breeding condition) in the females (does). 

Mother Nature times this event carefully so that 6 months from now, all of the baby deer (fawns) will be born at the same time in mid-May to early June.  The period of white-tailed deer breeding activity is known as the rut, a fascinating time in the life of the most-studied species of animal in the world.

Two white-tailed bucks run around during the rut, searching for does to breed. Image by Derek Stoner.

Be on the lookout for lots of deer running around over the next few weeks. Night and day, there will be chases and pursuits as the bucks search for females to breed.  The unfortunate result of all this racing around is that a lot of deer are hit by cars while crossing roads.  This is a time of year that car insurance companies dread! 

Have an interesting deer sighting or encounter to share with us? Please write in the “Comments” section and tell us your story.

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By Derek Stoner, Conservation Project Coordinator

The fresh-fallen snow contrast with the flaming yellow leaves of the Tuliptrees on Sunday, October 30, 2011. Image by Derek Stoner.

Welcome to the Month of November!  Here at the Delaware Nature Society, this is our Membership Month, when we celebrate our wonderful members and continue to grow the ranks of Delaware Nature Society supporters.

Here at The Nature of Delaware blog, we are going to offer up a unique opportunity to get to know the Dealware Nature Society better: a Blog Blitz for Membership Month!

Every weekday for the whole month, we will feature stories and images that highlight the many facets of the organization.   There are so many great things going on at our various sites and through our literally hundreds of programs. 

A classic Brandywine Valley Scene: Split-rail fence, a pasture, and beautiful woodlands. Image by Derek Stoner, October 31, 2011.

So strap on your seat belts and get ready for a great ride as we take you on a tour of the Delaware Nature Society. Membership Month is here and we thank you for joining us!

As part of the Blog Blitz for Membership Month, there will be special prizes and opportunities.  Stay tuned every day so you don’t miss out!

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By Derek Stoner, Conservation Project Coordinator

On Sunday, September 4th, the culmination of more than eight months of hard work and volunteer effort will be celebrated with the Grand Opening of the Middle Run Birding Trail.  Eagle Scout candidate Joel Rice planned and organized the project which enhanced the early-successional habitat at Middle Run and created a specially-designed trail that showcases the very best locations for viewing birds and other wildlife.

Tours of the Trail will be offered at 9:30am and 11:30am, and a Ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 11:00am.  Throughout the whole morning, visitors will be taking part in the Third Annual Bio-Blitz as they document the birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other creatures to be found along the trail. 

Here is a preview of what is around right now to be found:

A White-eyed Vireo loads up on fruit (Autumn Olive) at Middle Run Natural Area, at Trail Marker #5 on the Middle Run Birding Trail. Image by Derek Stoner, August 30, 2011.

 

Fall migration is in full swing right now for a variety of songbirds and raptors.   Hikes along the Middle Run Birding Trail in the past week brought sightings of birds like American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Eastern Wood-peewee, Bobolink, Blu-gray Gnatcatcher, and this….

An adult male Scarlet Tanager molting from breeding (red) plumage to non-breeding (yellow) plumage. Image by Derek Stoner, August 30, 2011.

… a gorgeous male Scarlet Tanager in a very interesting transitional plumage.  Brilliant red mottled with patches of yellow, this bird is in the process of molting out of its breeding plumage to its non-breeding colors that it will wear through the winter it will spend somewhere in South America. 

A Great-Spangled Fritillary and a Tiger Swallowtail enjoy the nectar of a Bull Thistle at Middle Run. Image by Derek Stoner, August 26, 2011.

Butterflies are out in force at Middle Run right now, taking advantage of the many sources of late summer nectar: Bull Thistle, Goldenrod, Aster, Butterflyweed, and Milkweed.  In the past few days, butterflies like Buckeye, Red-banded Hairstreak, and Wild Indigo Duskywing are the notables among the more common species like Monarch, Great-spangled Fritillary and Tiger Swalowtail. 

Come out and help us find more butterflies, birds, and other interesting animals along the Middle Run Birding Trail!

The Grand Opening of the Middle Run Birding Trail will take place at the main parking lot of Middle Run Natural Area off of Possum Hollow Road in Newark, DE.  Look for the yellow signs and follow the gravel driveway to the parking area at the end of the driveway. 

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By John Harrod, Manager, DuPont Environmental Education Center

DEEC has had a resident groundhog this summer. While groundhogs are fairly common, this one is worth noting because of its unique color: black.

Groundhog with increased levels of melanin. Photo by John Harrod

Its black fur is due to excess amounts of melanin, a pigment that gives skin, hair, feathers and fur their dark color. This occurrence is known as melanism, while the opposite is albinism, which occurs because of a lack of melanin or other types of pigment.

 Visit DEEC and try to spot our unique resident. While there, join us on a free nature walk or register on the spot for a netting in the marsh.

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By Joe Sebastiani, Seasonal Program Team Leader

If we could send a cool breeze through your computer screen this week, we would.  Nature is adapting to the hot conditions outdoors at Ashland these days through a number of means.  For instance, I took a quick walk by a small creek yesterday and spooked up a huge number of Gray Catbirds and American Robins that were bathing and taking advantage of the cooler micro-climate.  If you see a bird in your yard on a hot day, take a look…it might be panting like a dog.  Other animals like White-tailed Deer and Red Fox become very nocturnal.  Birds like a Red-tailed Hawk might take a flight into high altitudes to cool off. 

Here are a few photos from a colder season to help you deal with the heat this week.  I will still take summertime!

Delaware Nature Society Teen Naturalists after a hike to The Pinnacle in the Pennsylvania Appalachian Mountains a few years back.

Remember the days when we had to snowshoe in order to take a hike at Ashland?

Maybe you are wishing you were freezing in Nebraska...like we did on our trip there in March, 2009.

How about a December birding trip to the Delaware City Waterfront, complete with sideways icicles?

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