Nature Happenings

• NABA National Butterfly count.

• Peak of River Bluet (dragonfly) flights

• Bison mating season

• First brood of immature hummingbirds begin to show up at nectar feeders early in the month.

• Thistle plants begin to seed; goldfinches gather thistledown for nesting material and begin nesting.

• Many species (robins, cardinals, bluebirds, etc.) may be in their second nesting.

• Mallards and Wood Ducks molt into "eclipse" plumage and are unable to fly for several weeks.

• Fall migration starts this month with shorebirds returning later in month.

• Katydids and Cicadas are in full chorus by late-month.

• Listen for the feeding screeches of young Barred and Great Horned Owls.

• Look for hummingbirds feeding on Trumpet Creeper and Jewelweed flowers.

• Many songbirds go into heavy molt.

• Great Blue Herons fledge.

• Delta Aquarids Meteor shower peaks in late-July.

 

 

Regal Fritillary

River Bluet Dragonfly & Damselfly

 

Immature Ruby-throated Hummingbird → Order your hummingbird feeder now!

American Goldfinch gathering nesting material from thistle.

 

Nesting Robin

 

Cardinals tending to their nest

 

Nesting Bluebird

 Molting Mallard Duck (Moulting is to shed old feathers, hair, or skin, or an old shell, to make way for a new growth.)

Male Wood Duck with eclipse plumage ( Eclipse plumage, typical of ducks but found in other birds as well, is dull, female-like plumage worn by the male for a month or more in summer after breeding. It “eclipses” his usual bright plumage. Ducks are unable to fly during this period.)

 

Missouri Katydid

 

Cicada

 

Immature Barred Owl

 Immature Great Horned Owl

 

Hummingbird on Trumpet Creeper

 

Molting Cardinal

 

Molting Finch

 Immature Great Blue Heron