The Millpond’s Congress of Canada Geese

September 3rd, 2010 § 0

Families of Geese Fly In for the Night

Last spring’s goslings have grown strong. They fly with ease and scour the surrounding area for tasty patches of grass or vegetation with their parents. As evening approaches, families of Canada geese fly in to roost with their brethren at the millpond. Well meaning humans toss them treats even though the city asks them not do it. Humans seem to have a need to connect with wildlife. At this time of year as the goose population peaks and they are preparing for their late fall migration, the geese are happy to oblige them.

Some of the geese become so acclimated to human handouts that, if you stop near them, they come up to you with that hang-dog, hungry look they’ve discovered triggers human sentiments. This one (below) tried that with me. It didn’t work. But I wished I had some bread in my pockets. Hey, I’m human.

A Begging Canada Goose

This Carp Isn’t Carping

September 2nd, 2010 § 0

A millpond carp surfaces to catch the morning light

As morning light entered the millpond, this 24″ carp came to the surface to float in its warmth. As a verb, “to carp” means “to find fault in a disagreeable way; complain fretfully.” Not this guy. He couldn’t be more content. He has few enemies and plenty of food on this cloudless summer day at the millpond as a patch of sunlight comes through the trees and paints him with gold.

Honeybees: Drinking with Friends

September 1st, 2010 § 0

Honeybees on Unidentified Late Summer Flower

On the same unidentified wildflower visited by bumblebees (posted two days ago), honeybees drink nectar for long periods of time. They don’t just stop for a second, take a sip, and then leave. They linger like late night patrons at a neighborhood tavern.

Honeybees are having a tough time in Michigan. Since 1988, we’ve lost almost one-third of our hives due to Colony Collapse Disorder, a not-well-understood condition found throughout the nation. The cause is probably the culmination of many factors including viruses, mites, pesticides and other bee stressors. But the two bees shown in this picture seem to be deliriously happy and healthy.

A Princess Has Lost Her Slipper

August 31st, 2010 § 0

A Pink Flip-Flop Floats on the Brighton Millpond

A toddling princess dropped her pink flip-flop into the millpond earlier this summer. It might take years for this incongruous addition to be reclaimed by the elements. I fully expect to find it again after next year’s spring thaw. If she’s a native Brightonian, maybe the princess will see it year after year as she grows up. It will slowly be bleached by UV rays and acquire pond-dwelling mosses, but it might float for decades. :-)

Hairy Bee’s Knees, Shiny Bumblebutts

August 30th, 2010 § 0

Bumblebee on Unidentified Flower

While I’ll run from a yellow jacket, bumblebees are so unaggressive that I don’t feel the least bit uncomfortable hanging around them. Several were spending time on this unidentified wildflower which looks like a sweet pea of some sort on the banks of the Brighton millpond. I’ll post more pictures of the flower on another day.

Note there is no pollen sacs on these fellows. I think they come to this particular flower for the nectar but it must not produce much pollen. What I found most interesting is the way its large eyes look in the upper photo. At first, I thought the pattern in them were just reflections, but then I realized the coloration is coming from within them. Bees have compound eyes. I guess the color is from reflective surfaces within the eyes themselves.

In the lower image, I like the way the blue sky and buildings behind me are reflected in the shiny black chitin (the material of its exoskeleton) of the bee’s rear section (the abdomen). I think my reflection is there, too, but I can discern it. Click either image to download the larger version. Both have lots of detail.

The World Reflected in the Butt of a Bumblebee

Muskrats Farm the Shoreline

August 28th, 2010 § 0

A Farming Muskrat

Muskrats don’t restrict their diets to pond weeds. I’ve seen them climb up the pond’s embankment, collect huge mouthfuls of crabgrass and cart them home. This past week, I saw this one at the north end of the pond select a delicious looking plant almost twice its size, rip it out of the ground and haul it to the water’s edge (somewhat obscured in underbrush, above). Muskrats weigh up to 4 pounds. I’m glad we don’t have beavers in town. I’ve heard tales they roam the Huron River, the destination of the millpond’s water. They can weigh more than 50 pounds and tear down tall trees and construct dams that truly reshape the land.

Once in the water, it drags the weeds home

The trip home is about 100 yards and this farmer shows no sign of fatigue. Once in the water, it’s nonstop to the burrow at a good clip.

Onward to the Burrow

Green Bacon

August 27th, 2010 § 0

Muskrat bringing home the green bacon

The muskrats are tireless. If they aren’t eating, they’re bringing home the bacon. This one has a huge mouthful of pond weeds that are twice as long as he is. He’s effortlessly dragging it to his burrow. Since he and his partner do this day in and day out, it makes me wonder how large their burrow is. They can’t be consuming it as quickly as they’re amassing it considering the additional hours they spend munching the fresh produce. The winters are long here so they need to store their food supply yet I can’t imagine where they hide it all.

Duckling Update

August 26th, 2010 § 0

10 Ducklings are Doing Fine

Still prevailing champion of the 2010 Fertility Tournament, Duck Division, the hen of the above tribe lets her brood wander a few feet from her now that they’ve grown a bit. Even though she’s lost one of her eleven within the past week, she a very protective mom. None of the other ducks on the pond have more youngsters to watch or does a better job of it.

The news on the HussyHen, however, isn’t as good. She lost one of her two remaining chicks. The sole survivor seems to be a fighter and looks healthy, but he’s going to have to raise himself. She pays little attention to him and leaves him in harm’s way much of the time. At night, she often hangs with her buddies and leaves him in the pond alone. Predators and hypothermia are major killers of young ducks. If she doesn’t snuggle up to him during the forecoming cool nights, he may not be able to keep himself warm.

The HussyHen's Lone Surviving Duckling

Growing Curiosities

August 25th, 2010 § 0

Close Up of a Flower

flower_1171_220Gardeners are an adventurous bunch. They’ll see a bulb in a store or catalog and buy it just to see what will happen when (and if) it pops out of the ground. I suspect this plant might be one of those purchases.

I’ve never seen anything like this plant. It’s about 18″ tall and the blooms are packed tight on its stalk (right).  Leaves surround the base (not shown) as well as provide a disheveled umbrella above the blooms. See the larger version to admire the structure of each bloom, not to mention the color or ants drinking the nectar. It was a surprise found in the Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce garden maintained by those hardy souls in the Brighton Garden Club.

Railroad Yin and Yang

August 24th, 2010 § 0

A Discarded Railroad Cast Iron Plate

Even though this discarded rubber railroad plate is essentially monochromatic, there is enough going on on its surface to make it visually interesting and an assymetrically balanced composition. The darker scrapes through the grime informally tie it all together.

Midwestern Mammalian Mugwump

August 23rd, 2010 § 2

Midewestern Mammalian Mugwump

postcard_mwOn walks with my dad when I was a kid, I’d ask him, “What kind of bird is that?” and, if he didn’t know what it was, he’d tell me it was a Mugwump. He told me that it’s a bird that sits on a fence with its mug on one side and its wump on the other. At the time, I didn’t know the political history of Mugwumps, the fact it was an Algonquian word for “important person” nor do I remember seeing the 1950s postcard (right) with the humorous definition. I just thought my dad was silly, and I’d giggle.

But why limit Mugwumps to birds? Even though I know this mammal well, I’d say he’s also a Mugwump. His charming mug is on one side of the branch and his ring-tailed wump is on the other. He didn’t seem disturbed by my camera’s flash although he was ready to skedaddle from his very old cottonwood tree perch at any moment.

Imagine Raindrops Bigger Than You

August 22nd, 2010 § 0

Ant inside a hibiscus after the rain

Put yourself into the head of this ant on a hibiscus bloom in downtown Brighton. After the rainstorm, it had to walk around the raindrops to get to the flower’s nectar. Imagine if humans had to do that. It would sure stymie our day-to-day schedules. See the larger version for the whole flower.

Survival of the Tallest

August 22nd, 2010 § 0

A Chive-like Plant

Tucked under another perennial, this plant has the genetic code it needs to survive. Once it sprouts, it heads straight to the sky leaving the other plant behind. Although I don’t know its name, it’s surely in the chive family. The flower clusters at the tips are just getting ready to open and stretch out.

A Chive-Like Flower

Floral Tapestries

August 21st, 2010 § 0

Sedum Just About to Bloom

The pastel yellow-green buds on this 18″ mound are just beginning to change color and roar into bloom. It’s a sedum but I don’t know the variety. This close up looks like a close up of an oriental rug with it’s tight placement and muted tones. Click the image or this link to see a larger image which includes the entire 8″ flower cluster.

From Quartet to Duet in 6 Days

August 20th, 2010 § 3

Only Two Ducklings Left

The Brighton Millpond might appear an idyllic place to grow up but it’s a actually an aquatic jungle filled with danger for tiny ducklings. This is especially true for those receiving inadequate care from their mother, the white hen with the sorted past. I’m not sure if she’s too young to know how to protect the tykes or simply lacks motherly instincts. The fuzzy quartet has lost two of its cute members during the first week of their lives. The two survivors paddle around the pond alone (above) while the hen hangs out with her friends. Their future looks bleak. Below is the last portrait I took of their most recently departed sibling just two nights ago. Click both images to see larger ones for more detail.

The Last Night of a Duckling's Live

Lacy Pockets

August 20th, 2010 § 0

Queen Anne's Lace

Think of how many times in your life, you’ve found something forgotten in a coat or pants pocket that’s been hanging in your closet for a season or two. I feel the same way about forgotten patches in this small city. I find things in them that are either interesting or beautiful but essentially forgotten or ignored. The small unmowed nook shown above has this exurberant Queen Anne’s Lace plant blooming its heart out in the summer heat.

There’s always one complainer …

August 19th, 2010 § 0

There's always one complainer ...

Try as she might, there is no way she can get her 11 ducklings under her wings to keep them all warm on a cool night. This hen is very protective and wary as you can tell from her defensive stance as I approach. If I get too close, the whole troop will head for the water in a split second.

Railroad Rubble

August 19th, 2010 § 0

A Pile of Railroad Rubble

I got several interesting compositions of a pile of rubble near the railroad tracks. I posted the first one on August 16th and there will be others posted soon. The stack has hard rubber plates that used to guard the tracks where they cross Main Street in Brighton. They replaced and resurfaced the road there recently. Unified by the black rubber’s mat finish, the details on the plates are highlighted by remnants of Michigan clay on their surfaces. This brings interest as well as color to this composition.

The Missing Bicycle

August 18th, 2010 § 0

The Missing Bicycle

Near the railroad tracks at Midnight, an antique (reproduction) lamppost usually has a 10-speed bicycle chained to it. It’s not there on this Saturday night. I like the curves of the old bike cable and the surprise of the much newer red lock. The crisp focus and color of the lock seems to be balanced by the out-of-focus railroad crossing gate on the other side of the post.

Where Sugar Swirls Treats for All

August 17th, 2010 § 0

The Swirling Hands of a Candy Maker

As skilled as a potter’s hands and just as mesmerizing to watch, these hands create delicious art at Oh My Lolli in downtown Brighton, Michigan. Boiling hot sugar is mixed with natural flavors and colors as it’s kneaded by hand (above) to cool it. Lollipops are formed before it reaches room temperature to the delight of customers. Visitors can watch the entire process throughout the day and nibble on a free sample to boot.

But sometimes, youngsters forget where they leave their treats when they are distracted or the candy shatters when it slips from tiny fingers. Not to worry. Nature calls in its own army so nothing this tasty goes to waste. This ballalion (below) of 13 carpenter ants and two sow bugs will have something fantastic to tell their colleagues once they finish their maneuvers on the millpond boardwalk’s railing.

Carpenter Ants Munching on a Treat

Winner: Fertility Tournament, Duck Division

August 16th, 2010 § 1

11 Mallard Ducklings at Brighton Millpond

Eleven Mallard Ducklings and Their Appointed MomWhile it’s still early enough in the 2010 season for another hen to claim the title, it looks like this is the odds-on favorite at the Brighton Millpond. Eleven ducklings! Click either image to see larger, more detailed versions.

The winner, however, may have cheated. Some hens “ducknap” ducklings from other disinterested moms. To complicate matters, 1) some hens lay eggs in nests that don’t belong to them, 2) ducklings just start following other ducklings they think are their siblings and 3) adopted moms don’t know how to count so they accept wayward ones if they join the party before moms learn to recognize their call or features.

Creching” is typical in Canada Geese. I think the behavior happens in mallards, too. In the Fertility Tournament, it doesn’t matter how the brood is established. The rules are created by the participants. Personally, I think the distinct colors of the ducklings tell the story. I see at least three, or possibly four, broods in this assemblage. I’m not telling the judges.

Action Around the Edges

August 16th, 2010 § 1

A Metal Plate from the Railroad

I’ve been spending time beside the railroad tracks at night lately. I know. I need a life. I tried that once. It didn’t take. :-)

Richard Diebenkorn No. 129I always liked the paintings of Richard Diebenkorn (1922 – 1993). Many of his paintings like Ocean Park No. 129 (right) are fields of color where very little is happening in the visual focal points of the work. The action is around the edges.

I thought of his paintings when I found this thick rubber plate (top) near the tracks in Brighton. Another plate overlaps the top edge, there are a couple of cutout squares and curved edges on the left and right, and the bottom two corners have a hint of activity. The scattering of counter-sunk holes across its face gives it just enough central interest to move the eye around the surface. I also enjoy the grimy texture from years in the elements. Parts of it look like aged wood and the shine back from my flash gives it a golden glow like a sacred tablet from a tomb. Ah.

Click the images to see larger versions.

Public Debut for Family Portrait

August 16th, 2010 § 0

HussyHen with Her Four Ducklings

HussyHen with her brood taking a restAfter three days in a secluded bay of the Brighton Millpond where she reestablished contact with her duck buddies, the HussyHen introduced her brood to human visitors and began training the tykes in the fine art of begging for food.

She’s not a particularly attentive mom. Most hens keep their very young chicks close to their sides for the first week or so. This one lets her kids wander. It’s difficult to get all four in the same shot. Seems like her pals (the four drakes and a couple of others) are helping her guard them but that isn’t typical duck behavior.  Below, the HussyHen brings up the rear of a feathered parade. Note how the small ones are informally corralled. Maybe it protects them from “ducknapping” by other hens (see next post) as much as the pond’s hungry turtles.

Parading the New Ducklings

Pop Quiz 8: Where’s The Animal?

August 15th, 2010 § 0

Find the Animal

This one is easy, but the time it takes you to answer is more important. There’s an animal in this scene of submerged weeds in the Brighton millpond. How long does it take you to spot it? Long enough to become its lunch on this sunny afternoon? You might want to see the larger version then, once you spot it, visit the answer page to see another photo taken minutes later.

Midwifing a Cicada

August 14th, 2010 § 2

Cicada coming out of its ectoskeleton

Cicada resting after emerging from its nymphal skinOn the sidewalk next to the Brighton City Hall, I saw something odd illuminated by a nearby lantern at 11:30 Thursday night. “Good God, what is THAT?!” was my first reaction. After I got down on my hands and knees, I was pleasantly surprised to find a cicada just emerging from its nymphal skin (above), a process called eclosing. According to the brood chart, Michigan won’t have a major cicada emergence until 2021 so this fellow is probably a Tibicen. Find out more about the these fascinating insects at CicadaMania.com. [Note: Dan Mozgai, creator of CicadaMania.com, confirmed it is a male Tibicen. Thanks, Dan!]

I nudged him and thought he was dead. Then I saw a slight movement so I left him alone and came back 30 minutes later to find he had fully emerged. His wings had expanded from tiny green and pink nubs, and it had crawled to the base of the nearest city hall post to finish its transformation. (right)

I tapped him on his nose to encourage him to climb on my finger so I could photographhim and spent the next hour watching his wings expand. Then I placed him on the nearest tree trunk and wished him well in finding a mate during its short life while buzzing in the treetops.

Here is its semi-transparent brown nymphal skin (below), called the exuvia. Note the slice along the back where the adult emerged. My fingertip gives you an idea of its size. I’m not sure what the two light-colored strands are at the head. They might be grass or part of the skin:

The Cicada's Shell, its exuvia

We became acquainted (below) while the wings were still soft and pliable. Soon, they will be rigid and he wouldn’t be content to perch on my fingertip. Every body part is shiny, clean, and beautiful at this moment in its life:

Close up of the Cicada's Face and body

Below is my favorite photograph of this encounter because of the composition as well as the neon green at the base of the wings becoming clear at the tips with a milky, iridescence. Once it reaches full maturation in a few hours, I’m sure it will look like the one I photographed August 8th. All of the colors will darken so it doesn’t become lunch for a bird.

The beauty of a just-emerged cicada while its wings are still soft and colorful

By the time I placed it on the large tree trunk an hour later, his wings were still growing to full length. Click any of the images to see larger versions for more detail.

Cicada still drying after emerging

Nightgardens: Mounds Overhead

August 14th, 2010 § 0

Nightgardens Entry

I don’t know what this plant is named, but huge balls of small flowers hover overhead on stalks at least seven feet high. It’s a welcome addition to my Nightgardens series. I suppose the color of the blooms would be called “dusty rose.” This plant grows in front of V.I.N.A. Community Dental Center in Brighton that serves limited income residents of Livingston County.

Night Prowling Monster

August 14th, 2010 § 0

Snapping Turtle

Another large turtle combs the bottom of the pond looking for something to nibble on. Snapping turtles often lie in wait for their prey to swim by, but they also are good at doing maintenance work. They clean up the pond by eating dead things they find in their vicinity through their vision and excellent sense of smell.

HussyHen Reappears with Fuzzy Quartet

August 13th, 2010 § 1

The HussyHen's 4 Ducklings

The HussyHen with her Day-Old BroodFor the past two weeks, I’ve been looking under every bush for the HussyHen. I suspected she was sitting on a nest somewhere near the millpond and hoped to find her during one of her 2-3 daily trips to the pond to bathe. Ducks do that to grab a bite and rewet their belly feathers so the moisture transfers to the eggs. I never spotted her.

She was an inattentive nester during her first attempt this summer as detailed in this blog, but she apparently learned her lesson. I never saw her cavorting with other ducks during the nesting period. But as predicted, I saw her for the first time in more than a month last night with four tiny day-old ducklings trailing behind her.

The markings on the ducks are an interesting mix. Each is distinctive at this stage. I hope, as they grow, they continue to have unique markings so I can watch and record their maturation. Let’s hope the large turtles don’t snatch any of them, but I’ll be surprised if all four survive to adulthood. The morbidity rate of newborn ducks is very high. I’ll keep you posted.

A Good Year for Wild Grapes

August 13th, 2010 § 0

Wild Grapes are Ready to Harvest

Normally, the wild grapes I see near the millpond are a sorry lot. They don’t grow in large clusters. There are usually just a few along each vine. But this plant has done exceptionally well and the grapes look full and delicious. Too bad this wild stock isn’t growing near one of Michigan’s Wineries. It might hold a gene that could jazz up the commercial root stocks. Our state is the 8th largest producer of wine with more than 2,000 acres in production. At the 2010 Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition, 221 medals were awarded (PDF). Michigan is also receiving recognition at many national competitions.

Meet Stubby, The Chipmunk

August 12th, 2010 § 0

A Chipmunk with a Shortened Tail

I’m surprised I don’t see more chipmunks along the millpond trail. The public likes to feed them and in other nearby parks, they are abundant. This is one of the few I’ve seen and he’ll be easy to identify in the future. He’s had an unfortunate encounter with another beast or a slammed door. His tail has been clipped. But he looks very healthy otherwise and was kind enough to pose for me … until he discovered I didn’t have any treats for him.