Conservation Resources

A December Not to Remember!!

1/12/2024

Transitioning from one home to another.

I’m glad December is over with. It was mostly okay. However, there were a few days that were terrible. The nightmare bits revolved around losing my home.

Back in the late 1990s, my husband and I leased a hunk of farmland. We leveled and smoothed it out, hooked up our mobile home, and planted grass, trees, and a few bushes. Over time, we transformed the former cornfield into a lovely little homestead.

After Bob passed away in July 2020, it was no longer the same. Everywhere I looked reminded me of my loss. I wanted to move. I dreamed of buying a place to plant many native flowers, shrubs, and trees - my own pollinator paradise. Unfortunately, that was a fantasy my budget prohibited from ever coming true.

A girl can dream, though. I shared this dream with friends, and one of them decided to help me turn my wish into a reality. A few months ago, we joined forces to look for land where we could each set up a home. I was so excited! We searched for acreage with various types of habitat – wetland, wooded, and cleared – and planned how to create our own wildlife sanctuary. It would take time, but we were in no hurry.

Then came the bad news. The land where my little trailer has sat for over 20 years was being sold, and I had 30 days to vacate the premises. I couldn’t believe anyone could heartlessly throw a 65-year-old widow out of her home, especially over Christmas. Money and greed bring out the worst in people, I reckon.

Well, long story short, we found a place. It won’t be ready within 30 days, but I really don’t care. Like I told the landowner; I’m doing the best I can with what I got. What can they do, evict me?

Late December in my garden: the asters are still blooming and the swamp sunflowers and evening prmrose offer lots of seed for birds to munch on as well as foliage for insects to nest in.

The Creatures Who Live Around Me
During December, I wasn’t the only one looking for a home. Most of my time was spent sorting through 30 years’ worth of stuff, sorting out the keepers, things to give away, and the useless garbage nobody wants. However, I didn’t let the time constraint keep me from my daily walks.
It was easy to see I wasn’t the only one madly rushing around looking for a home.

Birds didn’t take very kindly to me disturbing them as they prepared their overwintering grounds in the woodlands surrounding the fallow fields. They were busy taking advantage of summer’s vegetation as it wilted away, cushioning the interior of their shelters and covering the ground, protecting all who retreated to those safe havens.

Goldenrod, asters, and other late-blooming plants provided pollen for the insects stocking up for the winter as they instinctively worked toward preparing a nice warm spot for themselves with plenty of food for their offspring.

Hopefully, the bees, butterflies, wasps, moths, fireflies, ladybugs, and ground beetles will take advantage of the leftover plant stems, fallen leaves, and bare ground in the garden beds for their nesting. I’ve also left plenty of leaf litter and brush piles to provide shelter from predators and the elements for any bird, possum, rabbit, pollinator, snail, worm, millipede, or other critter that needs it.

Mother Nature has taught me a valuable lesson. No creature, whether it has two, four, six, eight, or no legs, should ever be homeless. Every living being deserves the basics of food, water, and shelter.

Contributing to nature means so much to me. Little things that you and I can do make a big difference to the living beings with whom we share this planet. Just leaving a pile of leaves or brush, not removing dead flowers from the garden, and leaving snags and decaying trees where they are create homes for insects, birds, and animals. It doesn’t cost anything, and the rewards for them and us are priceless.

The Gift I Finally Uncovered
In closing, I realize this wasn’t a December not to remember. My life has turned a corner, and I will be safe and warm this winter. Plus, I have been able to provide shelter for the creatures with whom I have been sharing this precious piece of land before I leave.

Despite what often feels like chaos, if we hold onto the faith in our dreams, Life will shift circumstances until what felt imbalanced morphs into balance. This is what a miracle looks like. The Universe responded to the level of my belief and manifested more than I could ever have imagined! I’m fortunate to have everything I need and honored to be able to share it with creatures around me.

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All Creatures Have a Reason to Celebrate Thanksgiving

11/17/2023

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Mother Nature is very forgiving. No matter how much humanity abuses her, she still provides for us. Thanksgiving wouldn’t be very tasty if not for her pollinators supplying everything from the veggies that complement the turkey and dressing to the seasonings that make all the dishes delicious.

We’re not alone in being blessed by nature’s bounty. We share this planet with other creatures that instinctively appreciate the flowers, shrubs, and trees that supply the food and shelter they need to thrive. Of course, they don’t express their gratitude as we do. Instead, they show their thanks by playing their role in caring for and propagating the vegetation, thereby keeping the process in motion. Isn’t it amazing how plants and insects work harmoniously toward a common goal?

When the natural balance between native flora and fauna is allowed to continue as it has for many millennia, all living things benefit.

Winter could be a challenging time for wildlife if not for nature’s way of planning ahead. For hibernating insects, a diverse selection of plants blooms every autumn to provide a smorgasbord of rich, tasty, nutritious pollen and nectar. Native bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, and even ants work tirelessly, gathering pollen and seeds to fatten themselves up and/or store to feed their offspring during the cold months ahead.

I’m fascinated by all the activity around the yellow, white, and blue blossoms of goldenrods, asters, sunflowers, blue mistflowers, bearded beggarticks, and bitter sneezeweed. They all know what to do, and even though it’s rush-hour, there are no bottlenecks, arguments, or collisions.

For the birds and animals that stay active during the winter, braving the bitter temps and freezing precipitation, nature supports them as well. At first glance, the landscape may appear like all the vegetation has died off. But looking closely, you can see the berries, fruits, seeds, and nuts Mother Nature left behind to feed the hungry critters during the lean months.

Here are a few woodland goodies I’ve found while exploring the countryside:

Winged Sumac
Sumac serves primarily as a winter emergency food for wildlife. Ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and about 300 species of songbirds include sumac fruit in their diet. It is also known to be important in the winter diets of ruffed grouse and sharp-tailed grouse. Fox, squirrels, and cottontail rabbits eat the sumac bark. White-tail deer like the fruit and stems.

American Beautyberry
The fruit is high in moisture content and is an important food source for more than forty species of songbirds, including the American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Purple Finch, and Eastern Towhee. The drupes or clusters are eaten by armadillos, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and squirrels. White-tailed deer consume the fruit in the fall after leaf drop.

Dogwood
Chemical analyses of dogwood berries have revealed that the seeds are high in calcium and fat, making them a valuable food for both migrating birds and resident wildlife alike. Wildlife food habit studies have shown that at least 75 animal species consume dogwood berries.
Many birds, including songbirds, forest edge species, and upland game birds (wild turkey) consume the seeds. The eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse, gray fox, gray squirrel, black bear, beaver, white-tailed deer, and skunk readily consume flowering dogwood seeds as well.

Pokeweed
Pokeweed berries are eaten by various songbirds that hang out in thickets and woodland areas, as well as mammals, including raccoons, opossums, and gray foxes. ⚠ Please note that the berries are poisonous to humans.

Carolina Horse nettle
⚠ Humans and most animals should not eat horse nettle, as the entire plant is poisonous. For wildlife, the mature yellow fruits may be eaten by quail, wild turkeys, and some small mammals.

Common Persimmon
Persimmon fruits are high in vitamin C and are eaten by more than 28 species of wildlife, including opossums, rodents, raccoons, foxes, black bears, and skunks. The birds that dine on the fruit include wild turkeys, yellow-rumped warblers, cedar waxwings, catbirds, robins, pileated woodpeckers, and mockingbirds.

Redbay Persea
Redbay is reported to be a significant food source for wildlife and is browsed heavily in fall and winter. In order of volumetric importance, redbay fruits were in 15th place in a list of 63 food items. (USDA fact sheet)

Many birds, including bluebirds, mockingbirds, brown thrashers, fish crows, robins, quail, and turkeys consume redbay fruit. Rodents also eat the fruit, while deer and black bears feed on the fruit and leaves. The redbay also provides a home for squirrels.

Dotted Smartweed
This wetland plant is essential to many kinds of native wildlife and is an excellent food for waterfowl. Twenty species of ducks, geese, bobwhites, mourning doves, ring-necked pheasants, and four species of rails eat the seeds. Dense stands supply cover for young waterfowl, marsh birds, and wintering pheasants. Thirty nongame birds, mice, muskrats, raccoons, fox squirrels, and dozens of other species of mammals also eat the seeds.

Sassafras
Many birds, including bobwhite, woodpeckers, mockingbirds and catbirds, flycatchers, and wild turkey relish sassafras berries. Deer and porcupines feed on the tree’s twigs and leaves, and rabbits nibble on the bark in winter. Black bears, beavers, rabbits, and squirrels eat the fruit, bark, and wood.

Muscadines
White-tailed deer browse the grapes and the vines themselves. Other mammals include black bears, raccoons, coyotes, red and gray foxes, opossums, cottontails, gray and fox squirrels, and striped skunks.

Wild turkeys, quail, wood ducks, and more than three dozen species of birds such as mourning dove, red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers, great crested flycatcher, tufted titmouse, northern mockingbird, brown thrasher, gray catbird, eastern bluebird, Baltimore and orchard orioles, wood, hermit and gray-cheeked thrushes, yellow-breasted chat, summer and scarlet tanagers, eastern towhees eat the fruit. Muscadine vines also provide birds with nesting sites and nesting material, as well as cover for animals trying to escape predators and severe weather.

All creatures, whether they have two, four, six, eight, or no legs, have much to be grateful for. Aren’t we lucky to have such a loving mother?

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Nature – Always in the Mood for Halloween

10/27/2023

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Did you know the fear of Halloween is called Samhainophobia? Yes, some folks don't need ghosts, goblins, haunted houses, or horror movies to be frightened of All Hollow's Eve.
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I don't understand why so many things associated with Halloween's scary side are nature-related, like worms, spiders, owls, bats, snakes, crows and ravens, and the poor lowly toads. These are actually good guys. In fact, they're quite beneficial — not only to the environment but to humans as well. The world would be a much scarier place without them.

Spiders’ eight legs and creepy go hand in hand. However, in reality, they're a crucial part of the ecosystem. Spiders eat insects and keep those bugs under control. Some build nests while others, such as the wolf spider, actively hunt down their prey. Crab spiders, on the other hand, sit tight and patiently wait for the mark to come to them. Welcome them to your garden and let them eat all the pests they want!

Owls have haunting calls. Some have a high-pitched screech, while others have a deep-throated who-who. Large eyes and their ability to turn their heads 270 degrees complete our eerie mindset. The barn owl's white ghost-like face adds to the sinister, dark, and foreboding character linked with the night hunters. Regardless, we need owls. Their excellent hearing guides them to find mice, rats, and other vermin hiding in the underbrush.

Worms, notably earthworms, are harmless, beneficial neighbors. Earthworms support plant growth by breaking down dead and decaying organic matter into rich humus soil. They also dig tiny channels and make holes that aerate the soil and improve drainage.

Interesting fact: Earthworms are hermaphrodites (male and female in one body) and have five "hearts" but don't have lungs or eyes. Instead, they breathe through their skin and use receptors in their skin to sense light and touch.

Statler

Bats are terribly misunderstood. They do not want to drink your blood! Dracula and other false tales have given these nocturnal creatures a bad rap. Only three bat species feed on blood, and being under four inches (10 cm) big, they probably wouldn't take very much anyway. The only frightening thing about bats is the massive population losses due to disease, pesticides, and hunting.

Living up to 30 years or longer, these mammals are fruit eaters or bug eaters and benefit the environment by pollination, seed dispersal, and pest patrol. One bat will eat 2,000 to 6,000 insects per night.

Do you remember Statler, the internet’s favorite elderly bat? We wrote about him in 2020. He passed away in 2021 at 34 years of age at the Bat World Sanctuary in Weatherford, Texas.

Snakes are another example of misunderstood wildlife. There's no slime, and even though some are poisonous, none will attack unless provoked. Snakes are great at controlling rodent populations but are best left undisturbed and admired from a safe distance.

According to NC Wildlife, A common species that stands out as being particularly festive for Halloween is the ring-necked snake, a small species that rarely exceeds 10 inches in length. It eats primarily earthworms and is known for its shiny orange and black coloration. Another fall favorite is the corn snake, which can vary in color from red to orange to brown. Their name is deceiving; the corn snake isn't named for the vegetable but because their belly scales resemble Indian corn.

Toads aren't slimy either and don't cause warts. Eye of toad isn't an ingredient in any potions I know of so don't believe the rumors. Their reputations have been wrecked by myths, folklore, and ghost stories insinuating they associate with witches and demons. In fact, they'd rather hang around your garden or in the woods or grasslands slurping up slugs and snails. Unlike frogs, toads don't hop or visit ponds except during breeding season. Sadly, their populations are declining, so if you see toads walking around your yard, they won't cause any damage. Leave them be.

Crows and Ravens are considered the companions of witches, but we all know that's not true. They're too bright for that. Crows are actually one of the world's smartest creatures. They can communicate with each other with their different "caws," use tools, and plan ahead. They recognize each other as well as some people and can hold a grudge if you mess with them.

Ravens are intelligent, too. They can solve complex problems and tell other ravens about events and objects they can't immediately see. They've even been known to notify wolves of carcasses so the wolves can open the carcass up for them.

Their evil persona is partly due to their black, sleek bodies and less-than-pleasant carrion diet (dead animals). Yet if these carnivores didn't make such a good cleanup crew, our environment would be littered with nasty, disease-ridden carcasses that would be very hazardous to our health.

Pumpkins are not a live creature; however, they make a wonderful treat for the critters. When you're ready to dispose of your Jack-o-Lantern, toss it outside for the animals to eat. They love it, and it's good for them. Leave the pumpkin in a wooded area for wildlife or give it to a farmer to feed his livestock.

Give the Scary Creatures a Break!
Halloween is a fun and sometimes spooky time for the whole family. But it's also a time to appreciate the fascinating and complex creatures that share this world with us. These "scary" creatures pose no real threat to humans, and many suffer from habitat loss, pollution, and more.
If you want to keep Halloween safe for wildlife, consider the following recommendations:

Keep candy where wildlife won't find it. Also, be sure to dispose of candy wrappers properly to avoid littering or creating a choking hazard for an animal.
Birds and bats can get tangled in fake spiderwebs. Use these decorations where wildlife won't be flying through.
Be alert for nocturnal wildlife while trick-or-treating.

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Fabulous Way to Start the Day!

9/25/2023

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It's Autumn! The temps are actually cool enough to wear my sweatshirt. Well, in the morning anyway. I'm back in my T-shirt for the rest of the day.

I love my walks. It's a fabulous way to start my day, especially this time of year! It's incredible to witness the transition from summer wildflowers to the diverse selection of autumn plants that will nourish and shelter insects as they prepare for the winter. The berries and fruits on bushes, trees, and flowers will continue ripening as the vegetation around them withers away. Soon, the birds and wildlife will have a new feast to sustain them through the winter.

Berries and fruit from the American Beautyberry, Flowering Dogwood, Pokeweed, and Maypops (Passion Flowers).

A wonderful surprise greeted me yesterday. The farm roads have been bush-hogged, opening the way for the tractors to access "the back 40" and harvest the corn.

It also allows me to walk around the fields again. Most of the paths are still overgrown, but a few are walkable. Once the harvest is complete, I'll have full access to the fields and the surrounding woodlands.

Every day will be a new adventure. I'm looking forward to it!

Wild Turkeys enjoying breakfast.

Interesting. A couple of trees lived and died side-by-side. All the insides have rotted away and left the bark shell. This will make a great home for critters this winter.

The corn is ready to harvest. The deer will be sorry to see it go. They have been feasting on this easy to find free meal every night

An interesting mushroom.

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All Creatures Great and Small

9/8/2023

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There's more to conservation than flowers and bugs. We share this planet with countless creatures we will never meet or even know they exist. However, they're just as important as the more visible beings we're around every day. All creatures, great and small, must be treated with respect and dignity.

I never knew there was such a thing as a spotted turtle until I came across the little guy in the middle of our road. The sandy surface may have offered a comfortable spot to relax in the shade, but it wasn't safe. The way some frustrated wanna-be race drivers consider secondary roads as their private dirt track didn't bode well for me to leave the turtle where it was.

Astonishingly, it wasn't as shy as the common box or snapping turtles I generally see hanging out along the roadside. They usually retreat into their shells and allow me to pick them up and move them into the grass without any fuss.

Not this guy. He watched every move I made as I snapped pictures and complimented him on the nice paint job on his shell. When I reached down to pick him up, he refused to come quietly. Instead, the turtle gave me the evil eye as I grasped the sides of his shell. Then he squirmed out of my hands and ran away. That surprised me! Not the evil eye so much but the agility and speed at which he moved. He was quite fast.

I took the hint and didn't try a second time. Since the turtle didn't want to be carried, a few taps with my foot gently persuaded him to move to the shoulder. After the little guy disappeared amongst the overgrown vegetation bordering the ditch, I waved goodbye and continued on my way.

Later on, my research on Spotted Turtles yielded some very interesting information. "Spotted turtles are small, aquatic turtles, named for the yellow polka dots scattered across their dark shells. The species occur in wetlands throughout the east coast and in the Great Lakes region of the United States and is threatened by the loss, alteration, and fragmentation of this habitat. Climate change has the potential to impact the hydrology of the wetlands the species depends upon over time. Poaching and collection for the foreign and domestic pet trade also pose a threat for spotted turtle populations." (US Fish and Wildlife Service) https://www.fws.gov/species/spotted-turtle-clemmys-guttata

I wished I'd spent more time taking pictures of this threatened turtle. Wow! I feel privileged to have seen, talked to, and photographed a beautiful creature people rarely encounter.

I must admit, I'd never been a big fan of the deep ditches crisscrossing the local countryside mainly because they're prime mosquito-breeding territory. When I realized how many other creatures depend on the waterways though, I changed my way of thinking. Predatory insects such as dragonflies require the same wet, marshy conditions and eat the skeeters, as do the fish and frogs living in the ditches. We can't forget the herons and other waterfowl that drop by to feed on the insects, frogs, and fish.

That habitat is vital for turtles as well. They need clean, shallow bodies of standing or slow-flowing water with muddy or mucky bottoms and aquatic vegetation. At night and during hot weather, they burrow under vegetation or into the soil or muddy bottoms of the wetland or crawl into mammal burrows. They overwinter in shallow water, mud, mammal burrows, or lodges.

Even though they are aquatic, turtles, including the spotted variety, also spend time on land, especially during mating and nesting seasons. That's when they're more vulnerable to forces outside of nature, i.e., crossing paths with humans and our mechanized contraptions.

Conservation biologist James Gibb says, "Turtle populations in the Northeast, Southeast, and Great Lakes region suffer at least a 10 percent annual kill rate from road kills, and some of these regions likely have up to 20 percent mortality rates due to traffic encounters." Unfortunately, at those rates, turtle species are vanishing in some regions.

We've got to look out for these innocent creatures as they navigate across the terrain. They're clueless about roads and traffic. Please, keep an eye out for turtles (and other critters) while you're driving. Here are some tips for helping a turtle cross the road.

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Greta Burroughs

Through the Lens of a Nature-Lover

No creature, whether it has two, four, six, eight, or no legs, should ever be homeless. Every living being deserves the basics of food, water, and shelter. By planting native plants, trees, and shrubs, I can do something toward providing the food and shelter these creatures need.

It's amazing how plants and insects evolved to interact with each other, and how one could always instinctively rely upon the other for survival.

That's what Mother Nature intended.

Unfortunately, humanity's carelessness and greed disrupted her master plan.

I'm on a quest to help restore Nature's balance by collecting seeds from, transplanting, or propagating the indigenous plants I find along the roadsides and fields before they are mown down or poisoned with pesticides.

Then, if my gardening skills don't fail me, my yard will eventually provide a year-round oasis of native flowers, trees, and shrubs that'll provide the food and shelter insects need to thrive and never be homeless again.

Through the Lens of a Nature-Lover will share my journey as I discover, photograph, and rescue the plants and bugs no one else notices.

Please join me in my quest to end homelessness. Thank you for caring.

A December Not to Remember!!

All Creatures Have a Reason to Celebrate Thanksgiving

Nature – Always in the Mood for Halloween

Fabulous Way to Start the Day!

All Creatures Great and Small

Greta Burroughs

Through the Lens of a Nature-Lover

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A December Not to Remember!!

All Creatures Have a Reason to Celebrate Thanksgiving

Nature – Always in the Mood for Halloween

Fabulous Way to Start the Day!

All Creatures Great and Small

Greta BurroughsThrough the Lens of a Nature-Lover​

Archives

Categories

Greta Burroughs

Through the Lens of a Nature-Lover