3 Canadian Goslings - May 4, 2008

These 3 goslings are by the roadway at camp. Their parents leave as I approach in my car and then realize the goslings aren’t with them and they come back honking and hissing the whole away.

Miner Bees Mating - April 6, 2008

Miner Bees Mating - April 6, 2008, originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

As I’m walking by the base of Turtle Hill to check out the wetland burn at main camp I spy these miner bees in what I guess to be a mating ball.

The hole to the right is a miner bee’s burrow.

Winter seeds ready for Spring - Feb 5, 2008

 Here a wafer ash seed.  This tree is located at the base of Turtle Hill.

Here’s a rose hip.

Insect larva in a mud home with 2 caterpillars for food - August 25, 2007

Insects in a mud home with 2 caterpillars, originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

I find these “gems” in a 1/2 inch wide mud “home” that is attached to a tent that is left outside to dry. The caterpillars are still alive but can’t move very well. I assume that they are stund by a wasp like creature to be food for the small green larva (in the center of the picture). The mud structure looks like a vase. It’s pretty amazing! The small black piles are probably fras(insect waste) from the caterpillars. When I broke this “vase” open I had no idea that I would find this!

Here what the opening of the mud structure looks like.  The bottom and right side are broken from me removing the structure from the tent.  It reminds me of potter shards that would be found at an archaeological dig. 

Spider with Eggs - June 9 2007

This spider is on the inside of my garage door.  I don’t know what it’s doing to her eggs?

IMG_0166, originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Spider with Egg Sack - April 28, 2007

Spider with Egg Sack #2

Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

This spider is carring what I assume is an egg sack? The egg sack sways back and forth and the spider moves.

Eastern Box Turtles Mating - April 21, 2007

Box_turtle_Mating_crop

Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

I hear some comotion as I’m walking on Marsh trail. I find these two eastern box turtles mating. The male has so much more yellow than the female. I don’t think this is always true.

Mating Garter Snakes near nature center March 22 2007

Mating Garter Snakes near nature center March 22 2007Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Tis the season. These garter snakes are behind the nature center near the open water of the fen. It’s interesting how much bigger the female is compared with the male.

High Bush Cranberries - Girls Cabin Area - Jan 24, 2007

IMG_6102

Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

These highbush cranberries give some needed winter color to camp.

“Native high bush cranberry fruit…is a preferred food only of ruffed grouse and cedar waxwing, but fruit is also eaten by over 20 other species. More importantly, fruits hang on throughout the winter and serve as critical emergency food when other sources are not available. Because the tips die over the winter, plants become very bushy as they get older. They provide valuable cover and are used as nesting sites by several species of birds.”
from http://www.macphailwoods.org/shrub/hbcran.html

Milkweed Seeds - Massasauga trail - Oct 8 2006

Nov_Dec_2006 038

Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Here are some milkweed seeds that are ready to fly.