Herons defend their turf

Birding was slow last month with a few exceptions, as it often is in mid-summer months. Last year, I had the incident involving a prostitute trying to scalp a client at the edge of the park to write about. Nothing sensational or troubling like that this year. Instead I can write about butterflies, birds and nature during a hot and dry August.

I have seen some Monarch butterflies in the park but no large migrating groups so far. The back yard, on the other hand, has been great with an almost constant presence of butterflies and bees during daylight. The butterfly garden is bigger and better this year. Tiger Swallowtails and Cabbage Butterflies are occasional visitors and today there were at least nine Monarchs at once on the Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis). This perennial native prairie flower is recommended for attracting butterflies by Carrol Henderson of the Nongame Wildlife Program, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Butterflies also visit the Mexican Sunflowers and Zinnias. At times, it looks like a picture from a nature book, but it is real and in our great neighborhood. I assume this is happening in many more yards, as interest in gardening seems greater every year.

The same butterfly garden should attract Hummingbirds this month, as it has in two of the last three years.

Along with the usual flock of young Starlings and English Sparrows, an immature Cardinal and a family of Chickadees visit the backyard and a Nuthatch made an unusual August visit, nine days later in the month than another Nuthatch visit in 2001.

The regular Wood Ducks and Mallards seem to be doing fine at the park. During some years, Canada Geese start returning to the lake by late August, but I have not seen any so far this year.

The Great Blue Heron has been on the lake every time I have walked in the park in August. It is most often on the island, either in plain sight on shore or fairly well hidden high in trees. On one occasion, early in the month, another Great Blue Heron landed on the east end of the island. The "regular" Great Blue Heron immediately started heading toward the interloping bird with its head pulled back in what must be a sign of aggression. The "regular" bird chased the "new" bird all the way around the island on foot. The new arrival stayed ahead of the other bird by a few feet during this slow speed chase. After completing a circle of the island, the new bird gave up and flew to the mainland shore to fish in peace. I have since seen the second bird several times. It apparently is OK if one bird stays up in a tree, but if both birds are on the shore, trouble ensues. I think the regular bird always wins the confrontations.

A Green Heron was on the island August 19. This is the only time I have seen one in the park for several months.

The only other shorebird for August was a Spotted Sandpiper on the 22nd. Of course, this Spotted Sandpiper had no spots, which means it was either a juvenile or a non-breeding adult. I think it was a non-breeding adult on its way to the gulf coast or Mexico. Three years ago, three spotted Sandpipers came through on almost the same date, one on the 25th and two on the 28th.

An Eastern Phoebe, a member of the flycatcher family, was around the northwest corner of the lake on August 11, also probably headed for the gulf coast or Mexico. A few Phoebes have been staying in the park for a short time during spring migration for the last few years. I don't recall seeing any in late summer.

Around the middle of the month, on two occasions, there were small groups of Eastern Kingbirds and Baltimore Orioles, catching flying insects near the long stairway to the lake. I think these were two family groups with at least 3 Kingbirds and more than 3 Orioles. Both kinds of birds were in the same trees at the same time, probably catching the same kinds of insects.

Another family group was a school of very small Bullheads. They resemble a black ball just below the surface of the water. Close examination reveals the "ball" is made up of hundreds of little fish constantly moving in a tight formation.

"And now for something completely different," as Monty Python would say. I normally write about living animals, but in the last two days, I have seen two dead Crows in the park. If this continues, I guess I, or someone, should pick up the dead Crows and take them to the State Health Department for West Nile Virus testing. Once we had the results, I don't know what we would do with the information, but I guess the more knowledge, the better.

Back to living things. Hopefully, by next month, I will have Hummingbirds and more new migrants to write about.

Comments and observations are always welcome. Send them to me, in care of the Southside Pride. Thank you.