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What was happening at the FWG in September
25 September - And even more fungi at the FWG. Photos by Christine Hanrahan.  |  |  |
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| 23 September - More fungi found in the Ash Woodlot. Photos by Sandy Garland. |  |  |
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 |  21 September - It's the time of year when fungi flourish in woods and other damp, shady places. These photos were taken by Christine Hanrahan in the Ash Woods, birch grove, and New Woodlot at the FWG. The ones in the bottom row were taken near the Butterfly Meadow. | |
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 September 7 - From Christine Hanrahan: I was at FWG this morning early to take advantage of the mist lying low everywhere. It was quite enchanting, but it didn't last long so I was snapping furiously. I wanted to share some of the photos with you because FWG is such an amazing place and sometimes we forget what a little paradise we have helped to create in the middle of the city. And it is nice to forget the problems of invasives for a short while too :-) (although I did spend the rest of the morning pulling DSV).
A belted kingfisher circled over the BYG several times, calling away. A flicker was wandering across the grass near the baseball diamond with a flock of 7 juvenile robins, looking for insects. A couple of female rose-breasted grosbeaks were making a fuss in front of the IC and several catbirds were flying back and forth by the Bill HOlland sign. Quite a few chickadees, cardinals, song sparrows, mourning doves and of course, goldfinches as well. Two treefrogs were again sitting in the opening of a bird box in the old field, just peering out at the world.
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There were a number of argiope spiders around the garden and there were
different types of spider webs EVERYWHERE which were gorgeous with the
dew on them. Hidden amongst the goldenrod were dozens of bumblebees
sleeping, waiting for the sun to warm them. Sorry about the quality of
one of the spider shots ... I had trouble because of the way the light
was shining on it.
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The insects were the most interesting today and the goldenrod was mostly
where it was at! There were literally hundreds of bumblebees (Bombus
sp), several bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula), hundreds of Polistes
wasps, scores of ambush bugs (Phymata sp.), lots of pennsylvania
leatherwings (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus, a soldier beetle [below, left]), 3 or 4
locust borer beetles, one of the flower longhorns (Megacyllene robiniae)
which had an altercation with a polistes wasp and won (in the photo, above right, you
can also see an ambush bug that wisely ignored the longhorn beetle which
stepped right on top of it), a praying mantis (Mantis religiosa [left]), about
4 monarchs (below, middle), 4 or 5 each of clouded sulphur and cabbage white, and one These remaining warm days are precious now, aren't they? Already everything has taken on an autumnal tinge and fall is certainly in the air. | ||
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September 5 - From Christine Hanrahan: It was a beautiful morning at FWG with lots to see. There weren't as
many birds as a few days ago, but there were lots of insects. In the
bird department in addition to the usual around at this time (song
sparrow, cardinal, and so forth) there was a beautiful male magnolia
warbler in the ash woods and three catbirds sitting together in the
thickets around the old field, as well as a hummingbird.
very worn and tattered female eastern tailed blue. There was also an
argiope spider with what looked like a wasp nicely wrapped up. As well,
there were countless Syrphids (flower flies, hover flies) of at least 4
different species. Most of this non-avian activity was in the old field
and the open areas of the new woods. And lastly, there was the colony of
Polistes dominula (or dominulus, depending on which source you use), in
the Bill Holland trail sign posts (below, left). Happily ensconced in their highrise,
you can see them lounging about (at least that is what it looks like but
I am sure is not) or peering out the holes when someone stops and tries
to take photos. They are remarkably tolerant :-)|
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September 5 - From Colin Freebury: The damp weather this morning was great for lichens (and for photographers
of lichens), as you will see in the attached picture of one of the Flecher's
lovely Rock Elms.
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September 1 - White Baneberry berries are called Doll's Eyes. You can see why in this luminescent photo by Colin Freebury