Purple Rockets, Green Dragons, and... Bumblebee Mimics?

Carpenter Park is perhaps the finest natural area in Sangamon County.  For a sense of scale, the man in the picture above is well over six feet tall.  Now that the size of trees has been established,  I should tell you that this trip focused mostly on smaller matters.

I had never seen Purple Rockets (Iodanthus pinnatifidus) before.  This is a Midwestern species found primarily in high-quality river floodplains, though I also found specimens in wetter microclimates above the floodplain.  Unusually for a plant in the mustard family, it's native, violet-white, and found in high-quality habitats.  By contrast, most of its relatives are weedy and/or non-native.

Carpenter Park is an entomologist's paradise.  If you hate bugs, however, don't visit.  I don't mean spiders, I mean all insects in general.  The odd-looking fellow above is a Leaf-footed Bug, genus and species unknown.  Every fall, one of these bugs of this species can be found on the screen of my bedroom window.  This has been the case every single year, with no exceptions.

Commonly found on paths at Carpenter Park is the familiar Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata), and this preserve has the largest population I have ever seen.  As this species likes to lay its eggs in sandy soils, and Carpenter Park's soils are some of the sandiest in the area, the tiger beetles are on every path in fairly decent numbers.

Frogs, too, are common, such as the Leopard Frog (Rana spp.) above.

Large snails were also present, though not widely.

Turning up in large numbers as we approached the floodplain, various Toads (Bufo spp.) appeared.  I could not tell you whether these were American or Foster's Toads, but there were at least two differing color forms.  One was as shown above, a species with a brown-sandy, mottled appearance.  I know that both species are variable as to the color forms, and that amphibians dislike handling.  If I recall correctly, the identifying trait is something obscure.  Either way, there were at least a good ten or so toads of various kinds, as well as four Leopard Frogs, by day's end.  Gray Treefrogs called non-stop all around us, though we saw none.

Bee-lieve it or not, this is actually a Bumblebee Mimic Robber Fly (Laphria spp.), with an unknown insect in its jaws.  It was one of several bumblebees and bumblebee-resembling insects we found.

Working our way down into the valley, a small prairie restoration appeared on our right.   Over the river flew this immature Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).  I'd be really curious to know whether this is the same individual whom I see at the lake occasionally, or if a second immature bald eagle lives solely along the Sangamon River.

Another sort of toad (Bufo spp.) appeared in a stream near the edge of the floodplain.  This was a much darker individual.   Nearby, we spooked a Belted Kingfisher,  but unfortunately it flew away too fast for pictures. 

Walking on,  I spotted a Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), above, and a female Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), below:


In case you  couldn't tell, birding is also excellent here.  Walking towards the river, I spotted my first ever Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens), calling in a nearby tree.

 All around me, the path was lined with  Butterweed (Packera glabella), a sea of yellow flowers.

Bizarre features abounded in such a place, such as this spiked Gray's Sedge (Carex grayi):

Coral Fungus, somewhat dried, grew on the side of a log:

Also growing nearby was a personal favorite of mine, the Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium):

The unusual flower is below:

 Lifting up the sheet of bark adjacent to the plant revealed another dark-colored toad:

After replacing the bark, I spotted this female Indigo Bunting amongst the Butterweed:

Soon, the bluffs drew nearer, and I walked back towards a nearby ravine: 

On the eastern edge of the ravine, the six petaled Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata) which has become one of my profile pictures hung on still... wait, this was actually a DIFFERENT location.  Evidently, there were TWO six-petaled Woodland Phlox flowers.

On the slopes nearby, I found this very hairy Spiderwort, living up to its name if you look carefully enough.  (That means there's a spider hiding on the plant, a very small spider that I didn't even see at the time.)  It is my suspicion that this is Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana), but I believe that the genus Tradescantia in Illinois warrants more examination.

To appreciate the tenacity of these plants, here is  an image of the sandstone slope they grow on:

Also in a nearby area grew both American Arisaema species side by side, Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) in the back and the Green Dragon in the front. All other species of this genus grow in eastern Asia, with only these two in Eastern North America.

At the base of the bluffs grew False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), a personal favorite.

The dry sandy soils at the top of the bluff provided habitat for several plants less common in Sangamon County, including this Pale Beardtongue (Penstemon pallida), named for the flower color and hairy flowerparts, respectively.  Curiously, in this part of the world most people say Beardstongue, not Beardtongue as the name is actually supposed to be said.

 Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata) grew out of a crack in the bluff itself...

...while Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) bloomed on the edge over the Sangamon River.

For some perspective, and because talking about plants can be boring to other people, here's a shot of the bluff itself.  It should be noted for people from out of state that the vast majority of Central Illinois is composed of some of the flattest ground in the United States.  Thus, cliffs are a rarity here.

 After crossing the cliff, we reached a fire road and hiked back up the wide path to the entrance of the preserve.

While on the way, the friend I was hiking with spotted a fox, but it ran away into the brush before I even saw it, let alone got a picture.  Still, it was an excellent end to a spectacular day of hiking.

"Bat Doves"?

Over the last week,  Tuesday the 17th to Tuesday the 24th, I went on a number of small trips, here and there,  all but one of which were insignificant enough to not merit a post of their own.  There was an excellent Carpenter Park trip, which I will be posting following this.  Most of my little trips were around Lake Springfield, but I did venture out to Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary and the surrounding countryside.   (Caution- Snakes Below)

I think I'm getting better at this whole photography thing.  It helps that Graham's Crayfish Snakes (Regina grahamii) are not particularly afraid of people.  This particular snake is about as large as this species gets, over three feet long.  Crayfish must be very common along Marina Point, as I've seen a number of these snakes in that area, and crayfish is their main food source, hence the name.

At this point, I've lost track of Northern/Midland Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) I've seen in the last week alone.  This is an incredibly common species around ponds and lakes in Illinois.  Northern Watersnakes seem to emerge late and suddenly appear in great numbers when the temperatures consistently stay in the 70s.

Snakes over, we move back to some semblance of order.  Among the resident gulls of Marine Point appeared this interloper:

 This appears to be the less-than-common-in-this-area Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan), especially considering the large eye ring (white coloration encircling the eye).  This was the first of several species I had never seen before.

Also,  I finally got a picture of the Forster's Tern... No, wait, that's a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo).  Oh, well, new species!  I tried to make a joke based on the Comintern (International Communism), and then this Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  decided to muscle his way onto the buoy instead.  So, I ask you, what political system does a Ring-billed Gull represent?

 However, I know what the next bird represents:

I had assumed the Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) had left since the winter, but evidently not.  As I watched this eagle catch fish, some man approached me and told me that on Bay Island, a pair of  "Bat-Doves" had started nesting there and attacked someone in town.  "Bat-Doves" do not exist, and I told this man that.  I returned to Marine Point today, and I saw a friend there.  He told me about how some guy had shown up and started talking about "Bat-Doves" which nested on Bay Island.  Evidently, at Marina Point, this person approaches people and tells them about "Bat-Doves".  I have to say, I find people far more strange than nature, sometimes.

Over at the Beach House, however, we have Asian Carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) trying to swim through a chain link fence.  So, yeah, nature's still weird.  Also, who came up with that Latin name?  I'm not sure if I could get all the syllables of that name out at once, or if I'd need surgery to do so.

If you like swallows (the group of birds), the Beach House is an ideal place to visit.  The unused beach (abandoned since someone drowned there) is an excellent area for birds in general, but swallows, like the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) above, are especially prevalent.

Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), in particular, nest under the adjacent bridge, and in order to gather mud for their nests, they come to the beach in flocks and resemble butterflies puddling.  (That description will fall flat for at least half of you, so I'll just leave it at saying google "Butterflies puddling" and that it was a cool effect.)  While filming the Cliff Swallows for a future video, this fellow below ran by in the background:

 Spotted Sandpipers (Actitis macularius)  are almost invariably found patrolling the empty beach.

Nearby the Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) watches for flies.  If you ask me, there are far better birds deserving of the crown (not unlike an actual monarchy).  

Later in the week, I took a country drive, and took my first photo of a Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), a species I only see while driving.  I was still driving when I saw this bird, but I had ample room to stop and pull over for the picture.  Horned Larks are hard to see, as they are the same color as the ground and sit still when they know there is someone watching.

I then went off to Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary, where I found this Meadow Rue (Thalictrum spp.)

The prairie ponds had a full compliment of Irises blooming around them (Iris spp.).  I read that term "a full compliment" in an old book, and I feel as if I may have misapplied it here. There were a lot of irises, is what I mean to say.

Also on the ponds was a pair of Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), fleeing as usual.

I was unable to visit all of Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary.  Evidently, Northern Harriers and Barn Owls are attempting to nest at Nipper, and a portion of the preserve has been closed to traffic for this.

I contented myself with the wetlands and the finding of new species of plants (for me).

 Evidently, the bushes above and the flower below are False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), a plant of wetlands and pond edges which I have failed to notice on any prior hiking trips whatsoever.

Also at Nipper was a lifer species, the Dickcissel (Spiza americana). Yes. I know. First Woodcock, now Dickcissel.  Who names these birds?  I have some questions for you, whoever you are.

On the way to leave, this Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)  appeared suddenly.  One of the more threatened woodpeckers in Illinois, Red-headed Woodpeckers require savanna habitat, and thus are often found only in parks locally.  I used to insist that it's the jawbreaker of a Latin name which has led to this species' decline.  However, Asian Carp have a far worse time of it, so I'll accept the traditional explanation of habitat loss. ( I suffer from overdeveloped sarcasm.)

A second Red-headed Woodpecker joined the first, with food in its bill.  I think this is one of North America's most attractive birds, and it is unfortunate that this species is the only Illinois woodpecker to be listed as Near Threatened by the ICUN (for non-nature people, an organization which studies the rarity of species and classifies them accordingly).

I then drove over to Marina Point, as I mentioned earlier.  Despite a temperature in the upper 70s, it did not feel like the end of May, as I saw two Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis).  This species should have migrated through a month earlier.  It baffles me why these two were still here.

Even more confusing, a Redhead (Aythya americana) was also present.  I have never seen this species away from any other pochard ducks, yet here it was, easily a month since I'd last seen one.

The final bird is one I actually saw some time earlier, and it's last but not... Okay, it actually is least.  This is the Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) , a truly tiny bird, but one with little fear of me.  As a result, I got the best bird picture of my life.  Thank you, God! This seems ideal to just end on:

Update:  Evidently, a lot of people really, really, really did not like this post.  I edited out the most politically incorrect parts, but it did loose me all of my Blogger followers on the eve of commercialization.  Eh, well, I guess that means no ads.