Tag Archives: prairie

CORRECTION to Photo of the Week

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Earlier today, I posted about my very fortunate encounter with a hawk in the Nebraska Sandhills.  At the time I took the photos, a couple biologists with me identified the bird as a juvenile ferruginous hawk, and I (being mostly a bug and flower kind of guy) went along happily with their identification.  After I posted the photos, however, several people correctly pointed out the features that indicate that it was actually a juvenile red-tailed hawk.  I’ve edited the post to reflect the correct identification and added a brief clarification as well.

Thank you to those of you who responded (and did so politely!) to let me know of the error.  Although I’m pretty good at identifying most prairie birds, I have certainly never claimed to be an expert at hawks, especially the buteos (broad-winged soaring hawks).  In fact, and this is particularly ironic, because of the abundance of red-tailed hawks around here, I usually just call everything a red-tailed hawk unless it’s clearly a Swainson’s or rough-legged hawk, because those are the only other two I can identify!

Here is an additional photo of the RED-TAILED HAWK.  Regardless of species, it was a pretty amazing experience to get so close to such a large and beautiful bird.

This bird is obviously a juvenile red-tailed hawk, judging by its band of spots across its belly and the lack of feathers on its legs. Any prairie ecologist worth his salt would recognize it as such...

This bird is obviously a juvenile red-tailed hawk, judging by its bill size, band of spots across its belly and the lack of feathers on its lower legs. Any prairie ecologist worth his salt would recognize it as such…

Photo of the Week – September 1, 2016

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Two weeks ago, I posted about Yellow Season in prairies.  That annual phenomenon continues, and at our family prairie this week, stiff goldenrod was front and center.  Pollinators and pollen-eating insects seemed to approve.

Eastern-tailed blue

Eastern-tailed blue butterflies were abundant on stiff goldenrod flowers.  They were tricky to photograph, however, because at the slightest hint of danger, they flew from the flower and onto a nearby grass leaf where they sat facing directly away from the sun.  I’m not sure if that was always a risk aversion tactic (hard to see them in the shadows when their wings weren’t catching sunlight) or also a heat management tactic (turning their giant solar panel wings away from the sun to cool off).

Blister beetles were enjoying meals of goldenrod pollen, but it's not clear whether they were actually pollinating flowers.

Blister beetles were enjoying meals of goldenrod pollen, but it’s not clear whether they were actually pollinating flowers.  Some beetles eat parts of the flowers themselves, not just the pollen.  I couldn’t tell if blister beetles were doing that or not.

Cucumber beetles

Cucumber beetles (here) and soldier beetles (not shown) were also all over the place.  Not much pollen sticks to these smooth beetles, so they probably don’t carry much from flower to flower.

Moths of various species were numerous, but wary, quick, and thus difficult to photograph.

Moths of various species were numerous, but wary, quick, and thus difficult to photograph.  This is the only one I caught.  (You can also see a bit of a soldier beetle in the lower left corner of the image.)

Gray hairstreaks were even more abundant than eastern-tailed blues this week.

Gray hairstreaks were even more abundant than eastern-tailed blues this week.  They also held still better, which was nice.  You can see the long tongue at work on this one.

Bee flies have a rigid

Bee flies are part of a family of flies called Bombyliidae, and and many have a long rigid proboscis and feed on pollen and nectar.  Unlike a butterfly tongue, the fly’s proboscis doesn’t retract, so it just sticks straight out as the bee fly zips around.  The best nickname I’ve heard for these creatures is “beewhal” (get it?  it’s like “narwhal” but for a bee) which is just tremendous.

Often, when I post lots of pollinator pictures from a prairie walk, I also include a photo of a crab spider laying in wait. This week I couldn't find a single one! However, there was this big Chinese mantid, which will have to do.

Often, when I post lots of pollinator pictures from a prairie walk, I also include a photo of a crab spider laying in wait for an unwary insect. This week I couldn’t find a single one! However, this big Chinese mantid was lurking about amongst the goldenrod plants, so that will have to do.