Supporting National Moth Week

As some of you may know, this July 23-29 will be the first National Moth Week in North America. Hopefully this will become an annual event, with participation from around the continent. There are over 10,0o0 species in North America. Many are not well documented, either in their life histories or for their range, and more may remain to be discovered. Some moths are true pests, of clothing, of stored food, or of agriculture, but most are benign, or even beneficial. Moths, and particularly their caterpillars, are an important food source for birds as they migrate and raise their young. Caterpillars may keep plants from proliferating too quickly, and some species help break down leaf litter. Some adult moths, particularly sphinx moths, pollinate plants. Within those 10,000 species there is a tremendous diversity of size, shape, and pattern. Moths range in size from tiny micromoths to large silk moths that could almost fill an adult's hand. Many moths are drab shades of gray and brown, but some are quite colorful, and even the drab ones may show intricate patterns when viewed up close.

I have signed on as a supporter of National Moth Week, which means that I will posting occasional notices and reminders about upcoming events in the next few months. Plus there will be a linked logo over in the right-hand column.

On a related topic, yesterday evening I received a copy of the brand new Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie. This is the long-awaited replacement for the venerable guide by Charles Covell, which has been out-of-print for years. I will try to post a review as soon as possible. If you are in central New Jersey, there will be an opportunity to meet one of the authors, Seabrooke Leckie, at a moth night in East Brunswick on May 10. If you live too far away for that event, you can see her other book tour stops here.

Spring Birds at Negri-Nepote

Unlike like my last trip to Negri-Nepote, when it was extremely foggy, yesterday was clear and sunny and a bit warm, though not unpleasantly so. A lot of birds were singing near the entrance, including Chipping Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, and House Wren. Many Tree Swallows were zipping around, but I did not see any other swallow species. At the small pond, there were Killdeer plus three sandpiper species (Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper). I heard at least five singing male Grasshopper Sparrows along the paths cutting through the center of the preserve. I was glad to hear these birds again, though unfortunately I did not get a look at any of them. A few Eastern Bluebirds perched on the telephone lines in the middle of the field. Continuing across the fields, I made my way to the woods, where there were some Field and Song Sparrows singing around the edges, as well as an Eastern Phoebe. In the woods were was a lot of activity, mostly from Eastern Towhees and White-throated Sparrows. Near the other side, there was a small flock of warblers that included Palm Warbler , Yellow-rumped Warbler, and my first Northern Parula of the year. As I crossed under the power lines on my way back, I spotted one of the preserve's American Kestrels flying past.

There were a lot of Spring Beauties in and around the woods, especially along the banks of a small stream that flows through the woods.

Loose Feathers #339

Male Greater Sage-Grouse struts for female at a lek / Photo by Jeannie Stafford (USFS)

News about birds and birding

• This week the ABA blog has been running an informative series of posts by Steve N.G. Howell on the problem of identifying subspecies. It is worth reading the series in full if you are interested in learning about subspecies: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4.
• New research adds to evidence that ravens are able to differentiate individuals and remember prior interactions. 
• Last year's generation of Whooping Cranes in the reintroduction program has begun migrating north on their own. You can follow their progress on the Operation Migration blog.
• Scientists have discovered a loon-like prehistoric waterbird called Brodavis americanus in Saskatchewan. It was active in the Cretaceous Period and is one of four members of the newly-discovered Brodavidae family.
• There are now ten Short-tailed Albatross individuals frequenting the Hawaiian Islands. Elsewhere in the archipelago, fencing around Kaena Point on Oahu has allowed a seabird colony to flourish free from the island's various invasive predators. Nesting birds include Laysan Albatrosses and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters.
• A British birder discusses the rewards of urban birdwatching while touring London's birding hotspots with a reporter. 
• Reduced water flow to the Lower Klamath NWR is disrupting the breeding season and may claim the lives of many birds.
• A man in a kayak was attacked by a Mute Swan and drowned when the swan blocked him from reaching shore. Mute Swans are notoriously aggressive, but fatal attacks like this one are rare.
• The oldest-known breeding Osprey has laid its 62nd egg. The bird has nested at Loch of the Lowes in Scotland for 22 consecutive years.
• In bird-related political news, Newt Gingrich was bitten by a Magellanic Penguin this week.

Nature blogging

• 10,000 Birds: Watching a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Sibley Guides: Bird Topography – How it helps identify birds
• Not Exactly Rocket Science: Scientists crawl into tower of poo to understand reasons for swift decline
• Extinction Countdown: Geese May Be Helping to Spread Frog-Killing Fungus
• Climate Desk: Will Obama’s New Rules Make Fracking Better for the Planet?
• DeSmogBlog: Unethicull Oil: What Alberta's Wolf Cull Plan Tells Us About Canada's Oil Addiction
• On the road: Blackburnians

Environment and biodiversity

• Today is the two-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This week some organizations reported on the spill's aftermath. Corexit, the dispersant used by BP to break up the oil slick, has hindered microbes that break down the oil. In addition, it is easily absorbed by human skin, a possible health hazard people who worked on the cleanup. According to a report by Al Jazeera, many common seafood species such as shrimp now lack eyes or have been found with lesions or other deformities. The good news is that ecological recovery has proceeded faster than expected.
• New Jersey's DEP is planning to remove over 200 trees (mainly sycamores) from Bull's Island in response to a fatal accident last June even though the campground will be shut down anyway. The activist cited in the article, Bill Wolfe, has been writing about the changes DEP is making at Bull's Island in a series of posts on his blog: Bulls Island Update – D&R Canal Commission Engaged; DEP Statements On Bulls Island Are Flat Out False; Bulls Island Update; Bulls Island – Weekly Update. Historically, Bull's Island has been home to bird species that are uncommon in New Jersey, including Cliff Swallow, Cerulean Warbler (which nest in sycamores), and Acadian Flycatcher. 
• Maryland is banning the use of arsenic in chicken feed.
• After two years of decline, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose in 2010.
• Technology companies have been moving their power-hungry data centers eastward to take advantage of cheaper (and dirtier) coal-based energy.
• Scientists have found regional dialects in the songs of rock hyraxes. The finding suggests that hyraxes have more complex vocalizations than previously realized.
• Two new (as yet unnamed) frog species and the Dinagat bushy-tailed cloud rat (Crateromys australis) have been found in the Philippines. Elsewhere, 36 new species of frogs were found among the 76 unique frogs observed in survey of Madagascar's Betampona Nature Reserve.

Juvenal's Duskywing

Duskywings are a difficult group of butterflies to sort from each other. Duskywings belong to the family Hesperiidae, i.e., the skippers. Unlike typical skippers they hold their wings spread out at rest (as opposed to the jet plane posture). As the name indicates, duskywings are dull brown, and they have remarkably similar wing markings. Two things point to this being a Juvenal's Duskywing, however. First, the pattern of small white spots, especially on the undersides of the wings, is closer to what would be expected of a Juvenal's Duskywing than similar species. Second, the uppersides of the wings are covered with fine white hairlike scales, a trait that is not true of the very similar Hoarce's Duskywing. In its larval form, this species feeds on oaks. This individual was sipping moisture or minerals at a mud puddle.

Red Maple Samaras

I have posted on Red Maples a few times before, particularly on their spring flowers and fall coloration. This post adds another piece of their life cycle. These are the seed pods of a Red Maple tree. Like other maples, Red Maples have winged seed pods, also known as samaras or maple keys, which aid in dispersal. I photographed the samaras on this tree at Griggstown Grasslands on Saturday.