Late July

It's the time of chicory and Queen Anne's Lace on the roadsides. The last of the swamp azalea's aroma is still in the wet places,  but the sweet pepper (Clethra Alnifolia) is straining to bloom soon.  After hunting for Nantucket's wood lily,  I was excited to see on at Squam Farm on Sunday July 26 during the birding group's outing.  

Stump Pond on July 24

Morning Beauty at Windswept Bog on July 24
Rhexia Virginica

Monarch on verbena bonariensis in the garden

Wood Lily, at Squam Farm on July 26

Inland

   I hiked  the Milestone Cranberry Bog with the birding group on July 19,  and Squam Farm on July 16.  The highlight of the bog walk was seeing this polyphemous moth  on the ground  

Daisy Fleabane, Erigeron strigosus

Bird's Foot Trefoil, Lotus corniculatus

Tufted Vetch, Vicia Cracca

Solanum dulcamara, Bittersweet nightshade

Chicory:  Cichorium intybus

 Milestone Bog: Polyphemous moth

Rambles

Josh and I hiked Eel Point on July 17,  and to Coskata on July 20.  I had heard that the shorebird migration is already starting, but we saw mostly the usual suspects:  Oystercatcher, great egrets, willets (and herring and black backed gulls and Canada geese) on our hike along the harbor out to Coskata in the late afternoon.    I remarked on the number of horseshoe crab shells -  surely 30 or so.

There were piping plovers at Eel Point,  and about 40 very loud willets,  probably calling alarm to protect their young. We also saw least sandpiper and oystercatchers. 

Oystercatcher at Head of the Harbor

Great Egret

So many horseshoe crab shells

Hiking to Coskata on the harborside

Piping Plover

Sanderling

Least Sandpiper

Willet

Willet at Eel Point 

Eel Point, July 17, 2020

 

Norwood Farm and Pout Ponds

Sickle-Leaved Asters are out on the moors,  a sure sign that summer is now waning.  How can that be?   The swamp azalea is still blooming at the Pout Ponds  .And the low-bush blueberries and false indigo are out.  The blueberries were near a field of narrow leaved white topped asters {Seriocarpus Linfolius).  Some early Queen Ann's Lace and Chicory are on the roadsides.    The St. Johnswort is still blooming on the moors,  along with the Yarrow (achillea).

Waterlilies in Norwood Farm Kettle Pond

  

Sickle-leaved Aster, Chrysopsis Falcata

Common Wood Nymph

Common Wood Nymphs abound on the moors

Crown Vetch, Coronilla Varia

wild Indigo- Baptisia tinctoria

Great Point and Coatue

On July 11, Josh and I drove out to the Galls and Coatue and were treated,  not just to the dead animals in the previous post,  but also new life:  herring gull chicks, oystercatcher chicks and great black backed gull chicks.  And there were certainly least tern chicks there as well,  but  we couldn't get close enough to see.

I also got a glimpse of the  sea poppy (Glaucium Flavum,  also known as the horn poppy).  Even though it is an alien,  I don't see it often.

Oystercatcher chick near Point 9 on Coatue

Hungry gull chicks at Point 9

Great Point Light

Glaucium flavum

Herring Gull chicks rush back to the grass

Names

I have been thinking about the relationship between  #SayHerName and my desire to know the names of the birds and plants that I love on Nantucket.  I think to say a name is to acknowledge another living being  in a deeper way than just seeing it.  I seek to learn about these other beings and the glory of their interrelationships. The hashtag summons that  desire powerfully for me.   I saw a sign at Raymond Park in Cambridge with a list of people to #sayhisname.  Saying the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor is powerful  to evoke relationship with them and their plight.

These animals were killed by natural forces.  We saw them on a hike to Great Point from the Galls on July 11.

Dead Northern Gannet - Sound side near Great Point

Decomposed seal with skull

Dead Seal

Dead seal

Dead Herring Gull Chick

 

Wigwam Ponds

I ventured out this morning to see if any Wood Lilies were in bloom on the Middle Moors.  Didn't find any,  but did enjoy the fragrant swamp azaleas (Rhododendron viscosum)  near Gibbs Pond.  The viburnum is looking a bit worn,  but there are still many Achillea and St, Johnswort.  There were a few pasture thistles and some rockroses (helianthum canadense)  and pasture roses (rosa carolina).  

I visited 3 Wigwam ponds and chased many many twelve-spotted skimmers.  I saw the beginning of late summer flowers: the  first sickle-leaved asters (Chrysopsis falcata)  in the road and the narrow-leave white topped asters (sericocarpus linifolius) getting ready to bloom.  I saw some Canadian St. Johnswort (Hypericum canadense)  near the ponds.

And of course,  there were towhees, common yellowthroats, yellow warblers, song sparrows, catbirds, jays and a kingbird to accompany me.

Wigwam Pond with waterlilies (Nyphaea Odorata)

Wigwam Pond or Vernal Pool?

Wigwam Pond

Rhododendron viscosum

 

Stump Pond

Josh and I hiked across Windswept Cranberry Bog and around Stump Pond this afternoon and were home in time for On the Isle's presentation of Bobby and Diane Lehmann!  The colicroot is abundant near the Eastern Edge trail,  and I even spied Indian Pipes and Roundleaf Pyrola.  There is dewberry (Rubus hispidus) blooming,  some St. Johnswort and a few second growth houstonia.

Colicroot , Aletris Farinosa

Colicroot field

Eastern Painted Turtle

Roundleaf:  Pyrola Rotundifolia

Indian Pipes, Monotropa uniflora