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June 30, 2010, at 1:20 pm
The last weekend in June was certainly a busy one compared to most, we had two Nature walks this weekend, both of them spectacular! Saturday night was the first time that the Arboretum hosted a summer night time excursion. The walk was entitled Bats, Bibites, and BedSheets!?!?! The main focus of the walk being some of those hard to find nocturnal creatures, in particular, you guessed it! Bats and Insects. The “Bedsheet” idea came from on of my favorite forms of insect traps known as a light trap. To explain it simply; a bed sheet or other white cloth is stretched between two posts and is illuminated with the help of some large flood lamps. This brings in all sorts of nocturnal flying insects including moths, beetles, and sometimes even a praying mantis or two! Aside from all of the neat invetebrates at the end, the walks itself had some expected and some very unexpected surprises. Aside from seeing a little brown bat flying at pretty close range, we were also able to observe a Northern Flying Squirrel, a Blue Spotted Salamander, a Red-Backed Salamander and a beautiful light show put on by those tiny little beetles, the Fireflies!
Sunday’s walk was entitled “Butterflies that Flutter-by” and was a way for Arboretum visitors to experience the amazing world of butterflies. We collected and observed a total of 16 species, a very respectible number considering that that is nearly half of all the known species to occur here to date! Some of the highlights were Hackberry Emperor, Northern Pearly-eye, Great Spangled Fritillary and Banded Hairstreak. With nets in hand we explored all of the best spots known to attract these beautiful creatures and were certainly treated to some impressive and even rare species.
 A Banded Hairstreak: A tiny butterfly that was certainly one of the highlights of the Butterfly walk
A special thank you to all who participated on the walks this passed weekend. If you are interested in seeing what’s coming up next at the Morgan Arboretum, please visit the Calendar Page!
Have fun out there!
CC
June 21, 2010, at 8:35 am
Saturday June 19th marked the first time that the Arboretum hosted a Dragonfly Walk. We couldn’t have asked for a better day, and certainly, the 16 guests were not disapointed! We collected a total of 8 Dragonfly species (1 being a damselfly) including some really spectacular species such as the Midland Clubtail, Prince Baskettail, and a new addition to the Morgan Arboretum Dragonfly list…the Widow Skimmer. We were also treated to some wonderful Butterflies including Tiger swallowtails, white admirals, Fritillaries, a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell and a beautiful Question Mark (see earlier post for images).
 A Male common Whitetail claiming a fence post as his own At the very end of the walk, all visitors were taken down to the pond on the Orange trail where we used a “dip net” to collect the aquatic nymphs of Dragonflies. Before finding the large nymph of the Green Darner (in all likelyhood) we also found an adult Eastern Newt which was quite a treat as it is not often that the adult forms are observed.
On behalf of the Morgan Arboretum, we would like to thank all participants who came along on this wonderful event and who support our guided nature walks. I would personally like to thank all of the children who came along and really made this walk a success. Their passion for the outdoors and for discovery is truly inspiring, and not to mention that they caught most of the Dragonflies! good job!
 Chris Cloutier, Naturalist at the Morgan Arboretum explains the finer points of Dragonfly identification (photo: Greg Rand) For those of you who wish to learn more about some of the groups of animals we simply saw at a glance, please keep your eyes on the calendar page. Coming up next weekend we have two Nature visits; One which focuses on Bats, Moths, and other nocturnal creatures (Saturday, June 26th at 8:00pm) and a Butterfly walk on Sunday June 27 at 10:00am.
Have fun out there!
CC
June 9, 2010, at 3:05 pm
When not avoiding mosquitoes, another pest you should avoid is certainy Poison Ivy. Although not a true ivy at all, this plant does somewhat resemble it. The problem with poison ivy is that it is often confused with many other plants, namely species like Virginia Creeper and Hog Peanut, both of which are totally harmless.
 Hog peanut, a harmless attractive climbing vine, notice the smooth edges and uniform green colour There are several sayings on avoiding this plant; “leaves of three let it be!” “where butterflies land, don’t place your hand!”, and for good reason. The oils contained within the tissues of this plant cause an allergic reaction in most people. Only about 20% of people are immune to the irritating effects of the oil, the rest of us can show some pretty serious reactions. I for one will show the rash after a few days of coming into contact with it; whereas I know several people that may need medical attention if they encounter it. As for myself and most of the population, an unsightly rash and a rather annoying itch are about the worst things which arrive through touching poison ivy. Typically an application of Calamine lotion does the trick and the reaction will stop after a few days or weeks. It is very important for everyone to be aware of their allergies before heading out, this applies to foods, insects and pollen as well. It is always better to be safe than sorry…another saying which has stuck pretty well for decades!
 "Leaves of three let it be" Poison Ivy showing it's three bundled leaves, toothed edges and red-coloured stems. Although this is typical, the leaves may or may not be toothed as strongly as this and the degree of redness on the stems can also vary Watch you step out there!
CC
June 2, 2010, at 7:41 am
As biazzare as it may look to us, for a mosquito, looking at a Dragonfly head-on like this is kind of like looking down the barrel of a gun! Although insects can sometimes creep us out simply because of how they look, if we begin to break down why they look this way, we often then to turn that fear into curiosity.
 A male Stream Crusier in the hand
Dragonflies like this Stream Cruiser are hunters, one of their favorite foods being mosquitoes and they are certainly built for the job. Dragonflies spend much of the day in flight, they do land periodically, but when foraging or staking claim to a territory there isn’t often time to rest. If you look at the head of this Dragonfly you can see how specialized it is for picking tiny flying insects right out of the air. Have a look at the eyes on the sides of it’s head. Each eye can be composed of nearly 30,000 lenses, each of which can detect a seperate image. This allows the insect to really focus in on potential prey. The antennae (seen just at the top of the head) are much smaller than that found in other insects, this is because dragonflies don’t use their antennae for detecting prey but only use them to help judge wind currents while at top speed. When most people get a chill from seeing insects and spiders it often comes from the long “unnatural” legs. Dragonflies like this one have very specialized legs that really help them feed. Note the long bristles found on each leg. While flying the dragonfly will hold it’s legs together and aligning these bristles to form a basket. It is with this spiny basket that the dragonfly will scoop up mozzies and stuff them into that large mouth found on the front of the head, often while still in the air!
Pretty impressive critters once you take a second to look at how they are made!
Have fun out there!
CC
May 30, 2010, at 10:55 am
It is very much the breeding season for birds right now and all around us there is enormous energy being expended in finding and defending territory, attracting a mate, laying eggs and raising the young.
After the last two weeks high spescies counts in the arboretum a 7am foray this morning turned up some 30 species, down from the 50 and 60 of earlier in the month indicating that the migrants heading further north have refuelled and pushed along. meanwhile the ones that are still with us are going to be residents – breeding residents we hope.
 Starling bringing food to his nest in the hollow of the tree in front of him  Song Sparrow on territory  Red-winged Blackbird asserts his rights to this piece of the meadow  Mallard flying over field beside the arboretum - there are at least two (? three) p[airs nesting amongst the hay crop alongside the Bobolinks Meanwhile, in the last seven days of hot, humid weather the flowers have grown amazingly fast – the iris are especially good at the moment
 High Summer
May 26, 2010, at 1:36 pm
The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is our largest butterfly. They are simply beautiful and fairly easy to recognize, even from a long distance. Have a look for these majestic flyers around open fields and meadow clearings where they flutter about in search of flowers where they obtain their nectar, or even hanging around large puddles where they like to congregate in order to sip the sediment soaked water.
 Canadian Tiger swallowtail cooperating nicely for a photo If you would like to try to attract large stunning butterflies such as these to your yard, make sure to plant their favorite foods. The adult butterflies feed on nectar mostly which they sip out of flower bases using thier long “straw-like” proboscis. The best approach is to mix as many colours as possible with as many different fragrances as you can. They are also attracted to rotting fruit like bruised mushy plums, apples, and especially bananas! Attracting butterflies all year round takes a little more research into each species. In order to have caterpillars living in your garden you have to plant very specific plant species…for the Tiger Swallowtails, parsley works wonders for Black Swallowtails, but the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail prefers trees like Birch and Aspen!!! As you can see, even among closely related butterflies, their preferences vary quite a bit!
If you wish to discover more about some of these garden insects, learn which are hazardous and which are beneficial, please join us for a wonderful workshop this Saturday May 29th at the Conservation Centre. This informative lecture will be given from 1:00-2:00 and will be hosted by our special guest, Stephanie Boucher, curator and entomologist at the Lymann Insect Museum of McGill’s Macdonal Campus. Stephanie has many years of experience dealing with garden pests, and the countless situations they bring about, come and participate for this free event (parking fees still applyfor non-members) and have all of your questions answered.
have fun out there!
CC
May 22, 2010, at 12:01 pm
We’ll come to the Bobolinks shortly, but first a few more words about the plethora of birds to be seen in the arboretum at the moment. The biologists from the MBO (McGill Banding Station) chose today to take part on their annual fund-raising event – the Baillie Birdathon – to raise funds to support their important research on bird migration and population studies. Being green minded people they choose to do this by foot, walking the trails of the arboretum and trying to see as many birds as possible in the day, each species being sponsored by supporter’s and so the more we see the more money is raised. How many? A total of 62 species before noon.
What is your record number os birds seen in the arboretum in a day? Come to that, seen in the arboretum ever?
Some of the birds we saw are shown below – all of them very easy to spot … especially the Cliff Swallows who are nesting under the radar tower by the entrance:
 Indigo Bunting  Chestnut-sided Warbler  Cliff Swallows And now for the Bobolinks.
We are very excited to have Boblinks around us – each year they nest (or try to – the hay cutting gives them big problems) in the fields immediately to the east that belong to the McGill Farm. This morning there were at least a half dozen pairs on territory and they are not at all hard to spot – go and have a look … the filed just east of Pullins Pasture is the best place to start.
Even more exciting was to be able to see a Bobolink checking out the field beside the Conservation Centre. There is no chance that they will nest there because there are simply too many people, cars and dogs around but it would make prime habitat for them if we were to all go gently and give them a wide berth. The Bobolinks (read about them here) are in severe decline because of habitat loss which is why it is so important that we and the farm do all we can to ensure that they can thrive with us.
Recently, Bird Studies Canada issued this press release …
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has recommended that Bobolink be added to Canada’s list of species at risk.
Over 25% of the Bobolink’s breeding range is in Canada. It met COSEWIC’s criteria for Threatened status owing to significant population declines (88% since 1968) that are due to habitat loss and degradation, high levels of nest failure resulting from increasingly intensive agricultural operations, and threats faced on its wintering grounds in South America. A familiar species across eastern North America, the Bobolink joins a lengthy and growing list of other birds, plants, insects, and other wildlife that are designated as at risk and that depend on grassland habitats.
Jon McCracken, BSC’s Director of National Programs, co-chairs COSEWIC’s Birds Specialist Subcommittee. “The addition of a hitherto common species like the Bobolink is particularly worrisome, but perhaps should come as no great surprise. As with nearly every other grassland species in North America, the declines are widespread and severe.”
May 16, 2010, at 11:26 am
During a guided birding walk through the Arboretum this beautiful morning a total of 47 species were recorded …. including SSVs (soul-satisfying views) of the famous and elusive Red-bellied Woodpecker and confirmation of the return of the Bobolinks for yet another year … despite the almost certain fact that the hay in their meadow will be cut too early once more! Twelve species of warblers were noted as well. Don’t let anyone tell you that they “never see birds in the arbo” – just tell them to open their eyes and ears.
Last year we saw/heard 51 species (see http://sparroworks.ca/journal/?p=1153 for a report) which included the same number of warbler species … note that last year we were one week further into the year then this. Pretty consistent.
Many thanks to Chris Cloutier and Greg Rand for helping Richard sort the wheat from the chaff and the birds from the trees.
SPECIES SEEN
HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS
Great Blue Heron
DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS
Mallard
HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES
Red-shouldered Hawk
GULLS
Ring-billed Gull
HUMMINGBIRDS
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
WOODPECKERS
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
SWALLOWS
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
KINGLETS
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS
Gray Catbird
THRUSHES
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
CHICKADEES AND TITS
Black-capped Chickadee
CROWS AND JAYS
Blue Jay
American Crow
STARLINGS
European Starling
VIREOS AND ALLIES
Red-eyed Vireo
WOOD WARBLERS
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Orange-crowned Warbler
TANAGERS AND ALLIES
Scarlet Tanager
SPARROWS, TOWHEES, JUNCOS
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
SALTATORS, CARDINALS AND ALLIES
Northern Cardinal
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, GRACKLES, ETC.
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
FINCHES, SISKINS, CROSSBILLS
American Goldfinch
May 15, 2010, at 11:47 am
Today, nearly 40 visitors were treated to a wonderful workshop at the Arboretum entitled “Taking Root”. This special workshop is hosted by John Watson, the forest operations manager of the Morgan Arboretum. John takes one day a year to host this workshop where he shares his near 30 years experience to help visitors solve their gardening dilemas. John demonstrates the proper use of tools, the proper ways of planting, how to groom trees and how to prepare beds. He also takes his group of garden enthusiasts on a personalized tour of the Arboretum collections.
 John Watson prepares some eager guests for a wonderful workshop on gardening and plant care
Although this workshop has already passed, John will be hosting a collections tour entitled “The Living Museum” on July 10th, 2010. This will be an excellent opportunity to discover the colourful history of the Arboretum as well as learn about many different tree plantations found throughout the property. If you are interested in attending this event, please see the “calendar” section of the webpage for further details.
Special thanks to everyone who participated in the event, and a big thank you to John Watson for sharing his expertise!
Have fun out there!
CC
May 13, 2010, at 12:19 pm
Blossom corner is by far the busiest place right now…The butterflies are flitting about and all of the spring warblers are singing their tunes. The fruit trees are simply glowing with colour and the fragrance is unbeatable. Next time you are there, simply take a seat on one of the many benches and let the wonderful sights, sounds and smells remind you of how truly wonderful this season is!
 The beautiful white blossoms of a Choke Cherry On the butterfly note: the newest species to date is the Question Mark, a member of the Angelwing butterflies and one of our largest spring fliers.
You can easily see why it is called the “Question Mark” simply by looking at the silvery scales on the upperside of it’s wings which slightly resemble the most familiar punctuation mark.
 The upper wing surface of a Question Mark butterfly showing the silvery "?" which gives this species it's name
Have fun out there!
CC
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Arbo-Nature A web journal of the wildlife and plants you can see in the Morgan Arboretum - you can report your observations to the office for inclusion here, photographs are always welcome.
Un journal Internet de la faune et les plantes que vous pouvez voir à l'Arboretum Morgan - vous pouvez signaler vos observations au bureau, les photos sont toujours les bienvenus.
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