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Daily Bucket - What's in the Wash [1]

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Date: 2024-06-12  

I expected there would be bird activity at the puddle in the bottom of the wash. I was wonderfully surprised at the number and variety of species that arrived on a hot mid June day. Two limbs were convenient perches for the birds before dropping into the bottom to drink or bathe. Some species checked out the wash from the surrounding trees before entering.

Here is an outward perspective to the location of the wash. Let’s start with the Mississippi Waterfowl Wildlife Refuge satellite image. Sardis Lake is the larger body of water north of all the forest and developed waterfowl retention ponds (top right of image).

Photo taken when Sardis Lake levels were still low

The structure on the right is the maintenance buildings and where I park. There is a large field (bottom right) and wide paths (lower middle) that are planted with wildlife foraging plants.

The wash is surrounded by old hardwood trees. Erosion has distorted a natural path that rain followed on it’s way to the lake.

Here is a sample of the species I watched (for over three hours). I’ll show some of the ones that landed in the trees first. I chose not to film Red-headed or Downy Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Fish Crows or Cardinals.

Eastern Phoebe

male Summer Tanager

imm. male Wild Turkey on the path

Fowler’s Toad (not perched in a tree)

Box Turtle climbing out of the puddle

Blue Racer slid by

Here is what I saw land on the perches shown in the photo of the wash.

female Summer Tanager

frog in the puddle

Carolina Chickadee

male Eastern Wood Pewee

male Hooded Warbler

male Yellow-throated Warbler

male Northern Parula Warbler

male Kentucky Warbler

male Wood Thrush

female Tufted Titmouse

immature Indigo Bunting

Red-eyed Vireo

On my way back to the truck, I spotted these two blue hunters on the power lines (but missed the Orchard Oriole, Prothonotary and Blue-winged Warbler).

Bluebird with lunch

Blue Grossbeak

The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream,visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on follow.

My Bug of the Day is a novelty and I am thrilled to see since I encountered one last year. This is a Jade Clubtail — Arigomphus submedianus. It is a larger dragonfly with a body color and tail design that defines it’s common name. The Latin name describes it’s living habits and breeding choices (burrowing underground and laying eggs).

I hope you will share your early Summer discoveries.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/6/12/2244863/-Daily-Bucket-What-s-in-the-Wash?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

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