No Please No Not Again...Wooly Caterpillar 2011

Winter of 2010 on our road

Well it "seems" to be official at least to the weather men and women that winter is about to give us a prophetic sample of what is ahead; I keep hoping that this is all a bad dream and that it will start to warm up instead.

The weather man's forecast is for a long harsh winter. I have heard from and seen a number of people who have said the same thing. A Pittsville Wisconsin woman told me that her trees have produced more acorns than she normally sees and that she seen a lot of squirrels gathering up the acorns. Judy (the woman from Pittsville) uses acorns and squirrels as her winter weather predictor; I say good enough for me.

I was in Eland on Saturday and picked up a "wooly" and he only had four rings the black on the front and the back were about the same which means that both Fall and Spring were going to be fairly normal.

So my prediction is that we are going to have winter this year but it will last a relatively short 4 months. 

Please bear in mind that it is not really a snowfall or the beginning of winter unless you can track a cat or any other fairly small animal in the snow. So the wet sloppy accumulations I get this week may not classify as the beginning of winter. Last year the wooly caterpillar nailed winter with it's forecast; and I will guess that this year it will be the same. With absolutely no meteorological training this little guy can guess with the best of them, and so can I.

No wooly bear caterpillars were harmed in the posting of this blog.

Check out last years prediction. Wooly Bear 2010 

Whatsthis? (3 reveal)

Good guesses everyone but the answer is Typha; remember the catail, bullrush thing? This is what it looks like just before it gets ready to be blown by the wind, which is how it's seeds get scattered.

Typha

Worms On the Sidewalk

The saying goes "April showers bring May flowers." So here we are smack dab in the middle of April and we have had some rain already, but more to come I am sure. Have you ever noticed after a rain that worms are stretched out across the sidewalk and slowly making their way to; who knows where? What are they thinking? Little girls with new Easter shoes try to avoid stepping on the "ucky" worms, even big girls will do all they can short of dancing to avoid the worms. But really what are they doing on the sidewalk?

I used to think that the worms were trying to avoid being drowned by the water, that is no doubt saturating their tunnels, but worms can live for days in watery, soaking wet surroundings. Earthworms breath through their skins and need water, so that can't be the reason. Some people believe that earthworms are actually migrating to a new piece of property. Worms use the less restrictive wet conditions to slime their way across the drive way or road; it  it gets to be a very long trip when they get mixed up and go "down" the road instead of "across" the road. I wonder if there is a Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled by a worm or crawler?

So what happens in a drought if worms need moist soil conditions to live? They simply dig in a little deeper and find the moist soil they need to survive. Did you know that earthworms will form herds? Scientists believe that worms may indeed use touch to communicate and interact with each other; they may swarm together to make group decisions...decisions about what?

Please enjoy the spring and do pick up every worm you find and give him a helping hand. If you won't do it for a worm at least do it for a friend in need.

You know what is really sad about worms on the sidewalk? When the sun comes out and dries the sidewalk the worms turn into...a  bacon sort of looking thing. Think of that next time you are out having breakfast at IHOP.

Alrightnowyoutellme (6)

Alrightnowyoutellme, what is this? This image is part of a much larger one, my question is what is it part of. I took this photo in Trempealeau Co. here in Wisconsin, it was at a state park. When I was a kid I was very afraid of this.
"No more clues for you!" (I am the clue Nazi)

Alrightnowyoutellme 5 (reveal) Northern Crescent Butterfly

Yes thank you very much. For letting me know that my clues meant absolutely nothing. I was wrong in my  guess of what type of butterfly this was; it was Mary's fault...thats my story and I am sticking to it. Thank you Hank and Leah for pointing out my mistakes, I am certain that I am a better person now because of you.

The butterfly is somewhat of a question in butterfly circles. Even people who know butterflies (and I don't) have difficulty determining between the Northern Crescent Butterfly and the Pearl Crescent Butterfly.

I found another photo of this butterfly

"The Pearl Crescent is one of the most common and widespread butterflies in the eastern United States. It is also one of the hardest butterflies to identify with certainty, because of two very similar butterflies, the Northern and Tawny Crescents. The Northern Crescent was only separated from the Pearl Crescent in the last 25 years, and therefore distribution maps where these two overlap are somewhat suspect. In Michigan, the distribution maps in the 1999 edition ofMichigan Butterflies & Skippers show the Northern Crescent as mainly a northern species, while the Pearl is a more southern species and there is little overlap. In Wisconsin, I think that there is a much broader overlap of these two species and throughout central Wisconsin their identification brings many headaches." 
Wisconsin Butterflies.org http://wisconsinbutterflies.org/butterfly/species/77-pearl-crescent


See in central Wisconsin "their identification brings many headaches." Yes this butterfly identification has given me a rather embarrassing headache. What is most embarrassing is that I did not confuse it with a Pearl Crescent but a completely different type of butterfly.


The Northern Crescent is fairly new butterfly for identification. It is classified as a True Bushfoot type of butterfly. The other types True Bushfoot Crescents are the Pearl Crescent, and the Tawny Crescent butterflies. These butterflies cover a rather large area of North America and it appears that central Wisconsin may part of a range that overlaps the species types.


You should have read the post about the Painted Lady Butterfly, which is what we thought this was; it was an awesome article, but I tossed it out. So anyway thank you, the name of this series of posts Alrightnowyoutellme; and you did. I am smarter because of it. Really, thank you.

The Northern Flicker State Birds (week 9)

A Flicker in our yard. We have a lot of ants, and Flickers love ants.

Wow, I have forgotten all about the State Bird posts. It has been a long time since I have written about any of them. So this week we are going to talk about the only state to have a woodpecker as a state bird. It has a rather unusual nickname; the Yellowhammer. We know the bird better by it's more common name; the Northern Flicker. A beautiful and colorful speckled woodpecker.


Alabama is the only state to have a member of the woodpecker family as a state bird. According to Civil War legend, a company of new soldiers from Huntsville was spotted with bits of brilliant yellow cloth on their sleeves, collars, and coattails. This resulted in some of the older soldiers comparing their appearance to that of the bright and cheerful yellowhammer bird. In time, all Alabama soldiers became known as "Yellowhammers." 


Unlike most woodpeckers, Flickers forage on the ground. They think grasshoppers, ants and crickets are a tasty treat, but they will visit your birdfeeder if suet is available. The Northern Flicker is a beautiful bird with easily identifiable markings. They are fairly common throughout the United States with the Red-shafted Flicker to the west and the Yellow-shafted Flicker to the east. 

A Flicker on the prowl

There are two different subspecies of the northern or common flicker: Colaptes auratus auratus (yellow-shafted) and Colaptes auratus cafer (red-shafted). Both subspecies are brown-and-black barred on the back and wings, and a buff-colored or whitish breast with black spots. A wide black “necklace” is also characteristic of both subspecies. Northern flicker’s have a conspicuous white rump that can be seen when the bird is in its deeply undulating flight.
The yellow-shafted flicker has a red patch on the nape of the neck. They have a gray crown. Under the tail and wings, a bright yellow can be seen giving the flicker the name yellow-shafted. The males have a black mustache or line at the base of the bill.
The red-shafted flicker has a brown crown and doesn’t possess the red patch on the nape of the neck. Red-shafted flickers are reddish under the tail and wings. Also, the males have a red mustache.
DISTRIBUTION: The yellow-shafted flicker is found from southern Alaska and Canada south to the Gulf States. They can be found throughout the eastern United States and Cuba. There are migrants in the northern parts of their range.
Red-shafted flickers are found from southeastern Alaska and southwestern Canada down through the western United States to Guatemala. Migrants, usually hybrids may occur in the western part of the eastern United States.
HABITAT: Flickers inhabit areas that are open, such as woodlands and groves that contain dead trees or poles for nest cavities. They will also make their homes in towns and parks.
FEEDING HABITS: Flickers spend a majority of their feeding time on the ground probing for ants. They also eat other insects, fruits, berries, and seeds. Flickers can often be seen at bird feeders where they eat suet, and seeds such as sunflower, or peanuts.
LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY: The male flicker chooses the site for a nesting cavity in a dead tree, stump, or pole. Flickers may even use nest boxes. Once the male has chosen the site, he begins to excavate the cavity with some help from the female. It usually takes from 15 to 28 days to complete the nesting cavity. The cavities are typically high above the ground. Breeding season begins in March and continues through early to mid – July. Eggs are laid daily with an average clutch size ranging from six to eight. However, clutches can range from 3 to 14 eggs. Eggs are solid white with a smooth surface and high gloss. Incubation responsibilities are shared by both sexes with the male sitting at night. The eggs are incubated for 11to 13 days. Flicker nestlings are fed regurgitated food from both parents, but are brooded by the male for the first three weeks. The young will begin climbing in the nest cavity at 17 to 18 days after hatching, and are fed at the entrance by three weeks of age. The young will leave the nest at 25 to 28 days of age.
(Courtesy of http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Birds/woodpeckers/nf.cfm )


Check out more info at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id

Alrightnowyoutellme (5)

I took this picture not far from a little town called Dancey, near a power dam on the Wisconsin River.

Let's see what kind of clue can I give...this butterfly is a pretty little lady. The reveal is next week. So sign in again next week when I will paint yet another revelation to an Alrightnowyoutellme mystery.

(It is not a Monarch Butterfly)

Homemade Suet...Winter Birds Love It

A suet cage from the store...my suet

A plastic mesh bag from oranges

This week we made some suet at home. It is really simple and the birds that stay through the winter really need the fat. Birds convert the fat that they get when they eat various seeds into heat to help them survive the cold winter days. The other night it was -21 degrees that is very cold; but some birds were created to not only survive, but to thrive, in this temperature. God gave them a super efficient furnace to keep them going.

Already this morning I have seen Goldfinches, Pine Siskens, and Chickadees all out eating from our feeders; these are all relatively small birds so they really need the heat. There have also been Cardinals and Woodpeckers out there. they are a little larger and need more food to keep a larger body warm. I do not understand it all. I know that some birds are able to lower their body temperatures in the winter to survive; amazing.

But equally important to food, especially fatty foods like suet, birds need water. That is why we have a large flower pot tray filled with water and a small heater to keep the water from freezing up.

A jumbo turkey bag tied up

Homemade Suet

1          cup          Lard or Shortening (I use lard)
1          cup          Peanut Butter (I use chunky, but any kind will work)
(melt the fats together over medium heat)

2          cups        Corn Meal
1          cup          Oatmeal (I use the quick cooking)
1          cup          Bird Food
(stir together until a coarse batter forms)

(optional stuff)
you can add some raisins, or old peanuts, cranberries or other stuff you think the birds might like for an added suet treat.

A homemade suet holder...thanks Aaliyah

You can line a cake pan with aluminum foil and pour the in the suet. Place in the freezer or outside in the cold until it is hard; cut them into squares the size that will fit into your suet holder. You can also place some suet onto a sheet of foil and make a ball shaped suet treat. This would be a great school project. Have Fun!

Alrightnowyoutellme 4 (reveal) The Cicada

This Cicada was found in our front yard

Yes it is a cicada. These stout and broad faced bugs with almost transparent wings, spend years underground. Large numbers of them will emerge from the ground within just a few days of each other to begin the breeding process. How do they all know when to simultaneously emerge? No one really knows, but they truly are a wonder of creation. There could be thousands of them in a small area of land once they emerge from the soil. Cicadas are best known for for their buzzing (males) and clicking (females) which are actually the calls of the male and females for breeding purposes.

There are over 2500 species of cicada around the world. The most common type in North America is the Magicicada, which has a very long life cycle and emerge from the ground after 13 to 17 years. An amazing noisy bug.

Good Job.

Vulpes Vulpes; A Crafty Beast

I am certain that most all of us have heard of the, "sly old fox". When I was describing the fox snake it never occurred to me that my grandson might not "get" the clue, because we do not often read or talk about how sly and sneaky that the fox really is. The Fox is a tremendous hunter, this photo was taken on Hwy 51 just south of Hazelhurst, WI; we never left the car. My brother-in-law David, loves this part of Wisconsin and would like to live there someday...I hope he does.


This is from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website; EEK for Kids. http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/mammal/redfox.htm

"You can find foxes all over Wisconsin, especially in the southern, central and western parts of the state. Fox families each have their own clearly marked home ranges that they defend from intruders, but they don’t usually fight. A group chase or a “threat display”—charging, growling, etc.—will generally do the trick. A fox family has a hunting range of about 150-400 acres, but in less diverse habitats, like farmland, one family might need up to 2-3 square miles. Can you think of reasons why this might be?

Red foxes don’t live in dens most of the year, but do set up nurseries in abandoned badger or woodchuck burrows when it’s time to have babies. Male and female foxes breed in mid-January and have 5 or 6 pups in mid-March. Young foxes are called kits. They start hunting with their parents when they’re 3 months old, and are ready to strike out on their own after only 7-8 months."

A couple of years ago we were in a small town in south western Wisconsin near LaCrosse called Cashton. In this area there are beautiful rolling hills and very deep valleys caused by the glaciers during the Ice Age...(no comment). The area is beautiful and near the Cashton area is an Amish community, and in this community there are families that sell things like furniture, bakery, baskets and quilts. It was a very interesting day. But as we were driving we came across a small Red Fox that must have rolled down the hill and landed in the mud. It was raining, the road was very curvy, as we rounded a corner we found this little guy shaking and weaving in the middle of the road. It was sort of sad but we did not want to take any chances, so we left him as we found him.


What a cute little "Crafty Beast".

Fox hunting (Hazelhurst, WI)

This fox was hurt (Hazelhurst, WI)

Alrightnowyoutellme 4

A photo from a trip through Oklahoma

Alrightnowyoutellme. This is a bug that we saw in Oklahoma. We have them here in Wisconsin but this one was quite large and very noisy. I remember hearing them when I was a kid walking to the swimming pool, and for some reason I thought it was the buzz of the power lines. What can you tell me about this little fella? I can tell you that he spends up to 17 years underground before he sees the light of day.

A photo taken in our front yard

Erethizon Dorsatum...The Misunderstood Rodant

I know we have seen pictures or heard stories about the dogs that have taken on the porcupine and lost, the poor animal has a muzzle full of quills and will no doubt be yelping until the quills are extracted. Many times the porcupine is branded as a cruel monster, but in reality they are pretty quiet and mind there own business.


Anyone who takes on the porcupine in a tussle loses, from bears to berry bushes everyone comes up a loser, except one; the fisher (no it is not a man with tackle box). A fisher is a fairly large weasel who is able to attack the nose and face of the porcupine and inflict fatal damage. If a porcupine ever finds himself needing to defend himself, he will remain still and turn his back and tail toward the danger the enemy poses. He will raise up his bristles and his quill studded tail to protect himself and his tender belly and underside with up to 30,000 barbed quills. Now that is a lot of pain; poor puppy...(i'll bet you never do that again). One morning my dad and I were bird hunting near Sugar Bush Hill in Forest County and came across a porcupine, and he did exactly what I described; we ran up to him and the quills began to spread and raise. My dad then touched his tail and back with the gun barrel and you could really see how the blanket of quills on his back would rise and fall in each area that the gun barrel touched as he was trying to defend himself. Truly a wonder of creation. 


This photo was taken in Forest County just west of Crandon. This porcupine was foraging for food in the fall and did not seem to be alarmed or threatened by me taking his picture. Porcupines like most other rodents are vegetarian so they eat bark, bushes, needles and buds They are sloppy eaters so if you are ever walking in the woods and see chips and shavings under a tree it could be that a porcupine was upstairs having lunch. 


With winter upon us the places that they live in are easy to find. Porcupines live in small caves and hollow trees and logs, they always travel the same trail, so there will be a path in the snow, and the scat will smell like concentrated urine. 


Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for porcupines, and the fact that I have I have never had a face full of quills.

Alrightnowyoutellme (3 reveal)

It is now time for the reveal. The snake was a Fox snake. I know that my hint might have been a little lame but I mean really, aren't all snakes a little sneaky and sly? They do not have a lot going for them otherwise, it's not like they are going to get up and chase down a rabbit on two legs, so they slither and slink silently until they strike.

Thank you to everyone who responded back about "Frankie the Fox Snake". You know he is the one who doesn't have a lot going for him he just slinks around and...writes his blog... oh Good grief.

Pages from my 40 year old, "Reptiles and Amphibians" Golden Nature Guide

Alrightnowyoutellme (3)

I know it is another snake, I do not mind snakes that much, as long as they are on the road and I can run if I feel threatened. I took this photo in Wisconsin. It seems to have a smaller head than what you might expect I am guessing that this snake was well over two feet long. The photo was taken a couple of years ago but I am sure that they are still around. Here is a clue to help you name the snake; "he seems rather sly".

 Alrightnowyoutellme a couple of things that you have found out about this sssssnake.

Maybe you can find some info here...or not.
http://goofysmartkids.com/index.html

Assinins, MI and the Indian Cemetary

This 1881 orphanage complex, now in ruins, once housed 900 orphans and other children whose parents could not support them. Only about half were Indians.

A photo we took at the cemetary

Assinins was the last mission Father Frederic Baraga, the "snowshoe priest" from Slovenia, established before becoming bishop of the Upper Peninsula. He came here in 1843 and used the mission he built as a base for missionary work elsewhere on the Keweenaw Peninsula, often reached by snowshoeing.

Father Baraga came to the area at the request of Chief Assinins, who was the first to be baptized here. The little school here was built under Father Baraga's direction; the nails used seem to be the ones he arranged to get from Europe. The partly rebuilt school was one element of what The school was the first element of what became an extensive mission center. Its biggest building was an orphanage, more benign and not so destructive to Indian children's sense of themselves and their culture as some, to hear local people talk about it. Many orphanage children were non-Indians, too. If one parent died, the other might have to leave the children at an orphanage for extended periods of time while the parent worked elsewhere.

Today Assinins consists of some homes and the cemetery along the high road that parallels U.S. 41, the mission school, the Most Holy Name of Jesus Church, and a former convent that serves as its parish hall. Mass is at 6 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. A crucifix and white statues of Father Baraga and an Ojibwa man and girl can be seen from the highway.

Orphanage photo and story are from "Hunts' Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula".      http://hunts-upguide.com/assinins.html

Alrightnowyoutellme 2 (Reveal)

Yes it is an Argiope Aurantia, otherwise known as a Black and Yellow Garden Spider. The females will get up to three times larger than a male. The Black and Yellow Garden Spider is harmless to humans, which is a good thing because if you ever see one it can be a very...AGHHH (that is my scream like a little girl word)...experience. The spider is found all over the country; the picture posted here was taken in Texas. Spiders give me the "creeps", but there is something interesting about them at the same time.

This spider will place its eggs in a sack and they will hatch in the fall, the babies will live in that sack through the winter. In the spring the little ones will make a web string and let the wind carry it off to distant places. Each egg sack that the mother makes will hold up to 1000 baby spiders, the female may make more than one egg sack.

That is a lot of spiders.

For more info check out:
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_and_yellow_argiope.htm

Sally's Broiled Cheese Hot Dog Sandwich

Well it is time once again to look into the 40 year old Peanuts cookbook; this month let's delve into the culinary expertise of Sally Brown. This months recipe is a must for anyone who has an appreciation for an all American favorite; the hot dog. I am not certain that hot dogs were any more healthy  40 years ago compared to now, but I do like to have a hot dog every once in a while.

The skills that this recipe requires is minimal so have fun. Go crazy with the toppings and make Sally proud. I love catsup, (or is it ketchup or maybe, catch-up) and horseradish and if I have them chopped onions on my hot dog. When I was a kid we always, and I MEAN ALWAYS, ate our hotdogs with a slice of bread wrapped around the dog as far as it would reach; (we were poor I guess because we never bought buns) With the top of the hot dog exposed you could balance all of the toppings on a round hot dog and hope that it would all stay in place until it reached your mouth. Too funny.

So how do you like your hot dog?
Do you ever use bread?

The Eastern Bluebird State Birds (week 8)

I took photo in Missouri

The Bluebird is the state bird for New York, and Missouri. Now that we have that out of the way there are actually a few types of Bluebirds to choose from. The Eastern Bluebird which is most common to this part of the country. The Western Bluebird, and the Mountain Bluebird are found in the Southwestern states and along the Pacific coast; the Mountain Bluebird is also found in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S.A and up into Canada. So with the understanding that neither the Mountain or Western Bluebird is common to New York or Missouri lets talk about the Eastern Bluebird.

The Mountain Bluebird is the state bird for the states of Idaho and Nevada. We can talk about him another day perhaps.

The Eastern Bluebird is Blue (who knew) with a rusty red throat and breast, and a tummy that is white the female is much less colored. It is about 7 inches in length, so a little smaller than the American Robin, and thinner. The Bluebird likes to live in in open areas like farm fields or large yards, with scattered trees and along roadsides. Bluebirds will readily accept a Bluebird nesting box as home for breeding. Bluebirds love bugs like grasshoppers, crickets and beetles. They also love invertebrates (things without a backbone)  like worms, spiders, bugs, and snails. Bluebirds will also eat berries and fruit.

This was taken on our deck, here is a mom and her fledgling

I gotta say right now that a Bluebird is a very crabby looking bird, almost as crabby looking as swallows. Oh well you can't help the way you look. Bluebirds only visit us in the Summer, they winter in the south, around west Texas. And can be found all year long in the south eastern states and in to Mexico.

A Bluebird house is very basic and would be easy to build, you may be surprised and get a Bluebird family; if they come it is very likely that you will have Bluebirds every year. We have had a couple pairs every year for over 15 years.

Check out some extra info;
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id

Here are some nesting box plans if you want to build one:
http://www.nysbs.org/handouts/BluebirdNestingBoxes.pdf

Alrightnowyoutellme (2)

Well here we go again; there is an old song that says, " I don't like spiders and snakes". Last time it was a snake this time it is a spider. All right now you tell me; what kind of spider this? Also tell me 1 fact about the spider besides it's name.

Need a clue? Be sure you take notice of his (or her) "color", you might be able to find it in a "garden". So if you do a search on colorful spiders from the garden you might find it. Oh by the way this little guy was found out by Eland, not very far from where the Eastern Garter Snake was found.

I will give the answer next week.

Question. If you were going to dropped into a hole and given a choice, what would you want at the bottom? Spiders or snakes...or marshmallows?

The Purple Finch State Birds (week 7)

The Purple Finch is the state bird of New Hampshire. It is a strawberry colored bird about the size of a sparrow, with a forked tail, (sort of like a scissor tail, but much shorter.), and a thick cone shaped bill. They nest and breed in coniferous (trees with needles or pine trees) and mixed forests. Males will sing from the tree tops, and build nests on the outer reaches of the pine tree branches. Purple Finches eat seeds, berries, blossoms and fruit; so you will likely see them at a bird feeder if you are patient. It would not be uncommon to see a Purple finch in our area in the winter, however during the winter some will migrate all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Purple Finches colors vary slightly from red and purple to brown. The female has a much drabber look and are less colored and will lay from 3 to 5 light green blue eggs, marked with black and brown. Eggs are laid in a cup of grass, twigs, and hair that the finches make on the outer branches of the pine tree, the female will sit in the nest, or incubate, the eggs for 13 days before the babies hatch. Purple Finch populations have dwindled over the past number of years because of a competition for habitat with the very similar looking House finch.

Both pictures were taken in our yard.

For more info and the Finches, and their call check out:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Purple_Finch/id

If you want to know more about nesting, building a nesting box and feeding a Purple Finch check out:
http://www.birdhouses101.com/Purple-Finch.asp