Is an Eagle dangerous?

With three Bald Eagles in my vicinity one day last week, and with one suddenly bearing down on me in the forest, I asked myself a simple question. Should I be here around their babies alone, without a witness or anyone to warn me of danger? So I came back to the computer to learn that there are a few recorded incidents, but mostly with children. The sharp talons of an Eagle are capable of inflicting damage but an adult human is more able to incapacitate an Eagle than a small child.  It is highly unlikely that an Eagle would attack any human. Very few incidents have been recorded. Although the bird is huge, it does not weigh much. There are many incidents with an Eagle attacking small pets and they can carry rather heavy objects, a 15 pound dog, for example.

 

Seeing one flying directly towards you can give a person a strong rush! One is put into a state of awe while at the same time, sensing power and danger just moments away.  The bird is super fast in the air and is incredibly skilled in its flight, dodging tree branches and flying in relatively small spaces, as affords the typical forest. 

  The bird leaves its position on a branch with little warning and no sound. Literally a moment, just a blink, it has totally disappeared right before your eyes. I never feel actually threatened, but can be a little uncomfortable when I know the Eagle is looking directly at me and assessing every move.  So for my purpose here, I have to say that an Eagle is not dangerous. It knows man can hurt him and it prefers to stay out of the way. However, I would never ever threaten one of their babies!

Call of the Wild Eagle

The Woodlands Texas' Bald Eagles have returned again. We again have eaglets in the nest(s) and will continue this annual pattern as along as we have enough forest here to sustain them. Eagles require feeding areas and protection for their nest.

One of the majestic qualities of these extraordinary birds is their call.  Try the chirping sound below, because that is the most prevalent sound in the forest when they are nesting. It echoes among the trees which can generate an eerie sensation.

One also hears the sound of the call. I believe from my own experience that the call (below) is the warning of a possible threat. That is what I was greeted with this morning as I initially approached the nest site. First as I neared the nest, two eagles greeted me. I had been nearing the "call" for several minutes. Then suddenly I saw a yearling, one from last year's nest. That was a treat all by itself. What I was not expecting was that the yearling was flying with one of its parents, which followed it. Then the parent turned around to fly back over me, then "she" put on her brakes with her wings, a spectacular sight, and completely metamorphosed herself from a jet into a helicopter. I stood in awe! She was suspended in the air looking me over. I thought - they have me outnumbered and preparing to attack! I guess I passed the test though, because they disappeared over the horizon quickly and every once in a while, she returned, sometimes to check on me and other times paid no attention to me at all.  Once I did see both parents in flight concurrently.    

Sound 3 (repetitive chirp) is another call I hear frequently when in the forest. I get the feeling it is a signal announcing arrival. These recordings are provided by www.soundboard.com Your virus software might examine the site and warn of a potential virus at that website, but that is OK since the viruses are not in these files. I have verified that with two virus detection products.
 

Nature at its best - beautiful native plant host to a beautiful native butterfly

This Purple Passion Flower (Passiflora Incornata) is very special to me. I planted these vines years ago in The Woodlands Texas, as a native flower, just for their  beauty. Early in my married life, my wife and I planted some at our home south of Houston. The vine grows about anywhere it can attach and reach out to the sun. It thrived there also. Neighbors have come by the house here and asked, "where did you buy that flower?". My response - "I bought four plants at a nursery that no longer exists." I do recommend them in the yard and have no idea where you can buy one today. The vines will grow high into the trees and must be managed to enable the trees to get their sunlight. They are naturally part of the forest and thrive here. They will live through the winter and freely propagate by seed. This flower was hanging about six feet off the ground, hanging from a tree.

There is a huge bonus in having this plant in your backyard. It is very specialized, attracting the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis Vanillae) butterfly. Seeing the underside of this creature in the sun is truly spectacular. This one poses for the camera about 10 feet off the ground.

You might see them in a different pose however.This one is two feet off the ground enjoying the nectar of a  Red Salvia. I have the salvia placed in two places in the back yard. I have noticed that these butterflies also enjoy the Hummingbird bush (Hamelia).

Then again, the Gulf Fritillary seems to enjoy about every blooming plant out there.

Basically, if you plant for Hummingbirds, you have the food for the butterflies. I have six species of butterflies in the backyard this year. This one is dominating in numbers right now because I have the secret weapon - its favorite host plant, the Passion Vine.

 Although happy with my own landscaping some 10 years ago, I have started transplanting more salvia to improve the feeding areas for hummingbirds and butterflies.

Knowing more about the best approach for an excellent butterfly garden, I want to expand a few beds and add such plants as Joe Pye Weed or a Pipevine. One needs both hosts and feeders available to have a mixed population in the backyard.

Anole - some people call them lizards

"A little Anole is just a lizard, right?", someone asks in the tour group of Woodlands residents at Mercer Botanical gardens. Well, a lizard is generic for a number of creatures. We prefer to use the generic familiar names. This one is an Anole.  This term comes from the scientific genus name "anolis". Yes, this is what people generally refer to as a "lizard" and some are even called "chameleons", which is incorrect because they do not have the facility to actually change colors. Instead, the process is comprised of using three layers of pigmentation in the Green Anole.   It is a matter of turning "on" or "off" a layer. Many of them can change apparent coloration using this method and adapt to their surroundings. This one does so also, on a minor scale. It is not as adaptive as the Green Anole which can change from full brown to a full green. 

Among these flowers, there is plenty to eat. His long tongue can reach out  a couple of inches to grab its prey, usually an insect such as a butterfly or grasshopper. This species in an invasive one, generally spreading from south Florida where it first appeared, and displacing the Green Anole through the "survival of the fittest" competitive concept.   It his called the Brown Anole and does not change apparent colors as dramatically or completely as the Green Anole does. It as been in the USA for about 120 years.

The part under its chin is called a dewlap. It is colorful and expands as a courtship tool. Anoles lay one egg every couple of months. There are hundreds of varieties all over the warm world. They thrive in warm climates.

A huge day spider - commonly seen in The Woodlands and elsewhere

Here in The Woodlands, I have seen this spider of the family Araneae several times before. It is the Black & Yellow Argiope, or Argiope aurantia. It is very big and scary to many people. Go to swampy areas in Southest Texas and you might find these in abundance. These were found on plants next to a pond in a Woodlands park. This large one is the female. Although like most species of the family, its bite is venomous but not dangerous to a human. It eats small insects captured in its web.

The small one is the male.

The Black Vulture in The Woodlands Texas, soars with the Eagles

Over the past few months, I have observed these creatures hanging around the forest. Our Eagles consider them a threat while chicks and Eaglets are in the nest. So there is always one Eagle standing guard, chasing the vultures away from the nest at this vulnerable stage. Both the Bald Eagle and the Black Vulture will soar high above ground, looking for food. It is difficult for a human to ascertain which is which when they are so high. In fact, I can attest to this today. After viewing the young Eagles flying above the high pines of the forest, I left the area and went on to photograph other things, after all, it is spring, and there are no many stories being told in nature every day. This one, however, was not on my list.

As I got out my bazooka lens, I noticed two birds high in the sky. I said to myself, how convenient for them to come to me this time. Wrong! This is the same species of vulture that I have photographed in Colombia. In central Texas, we normally see the much uglier Turkey Vulture, with its red face and fully white wing feathers. The Black Vulture has only the wing tips in white and the face is dark or black.

And the Woodlands Eagles Fully Fledge

They have left the nest! Still nearby, but now enjoying their new-found freedom over the forest. Today, I came up on one perched on a tree limb fairly low to the ground. He was a little rustled by the strong winds, gripping the limb tightly with his talons. His sibling was flying over part of the forest nearby while he seemed to be just resting for the day. No parents were flying nearby for the short time I was observing them.
I did catch the first view of him flying but did not capture it well with the camera lens. He was flying at a very fast speed with the wind. I am presenting the photo anyway.

Both young birds were enjoying their mobility and showed signs of advanced training by soaring through the tree tops. They will be hunting soon.

Eaglets in The Woodlands

How fast do these guys grow anyway? I have seen two rather large eaglets in their nest this year. They appear black from the ground but are a dark brown. Soon we will see them flying around. So after about two months, they have grown by leaps and bounds and I would guess by their size, about two weeks from attempting to fly! Mama and papa bring various foods, from small animals to large fish for them.
One parent is always close to the nest to ward off predators or just to ensure danger is not imminent. The parents actually talk to their offspring, alerting them to danger or in other cases, what I believe to be an "all clear" message. After waiting some two hours for a glimpse of anything in the nest, I finally just gave up and started to leave. As soon as I walked away, I heard the sound - "all is clear". I turned around and one eaglet poked his head above the nest. He was looking over the area, quite interested in my departure. I reassembled my gear and quietly approached my observation point without any parental intervention. The eaglet was now more positioned over the nest, enough to compose a a few photographs, one of which I am sharing now. I almost stepped on a Brown Snake as I was watching the skies. These was taken near the end of February. Watch the skies, chances are that you will see or at least hear one or more of these majestic birds. I would also keep an eyes on the ground if out in a park or green area. Even though most snakes are not dangerous, you don't want to step on one. Almost all of them will bite, given the right circumstances.

Coming through - Red Winged Blackbird

Among several migrating species I observed today in The Woodlands, was the Red Winged Blackbird. I was not sure the bird was actually the Red Winged since there are other species and this one looked very similar to the Tricolored Blackbird of California. I am accustomed to seeing a brilliantly and distinctively colored wing on the Redwinged in the Texas valley. These birds are a bit shy. This male refused to stay out in the open. He hid in the branches of the tree so that he and I would not be able to see each other. Twice he momentarily was visible.

Afraid of snakes and you live near The Woodlands?

Even if you do not live near The Woodlands, this is probably for you. The East Texas piney woods is not a dangerous place for snakes. Here in The Woodlands, we cautiously look for only three venomous snakes and only one is really of much concern. Not bad considering there are some seventeen snake varieties expected to be seen in this area! Learn these three and you have it made. There is possibly a fourth venomous snake that might be seen, that is on the endangered list, but I really doubt any of us will ever see it. I will also describe it here nevertheless.

First be safe outdoors. When gardening, wear gloves when working in in and among vegetation. For clothing, wear long pants and shoes. Don't allow children to play outside barefooted. These are practical safety tips for everyone irregardless of what we do outside. Stepping on a rusty nail is probably more apt to occur than running across a snake. Snakes do bite and they can hurt but most of the time, that is all there is to it. Still, be safe and if you or your child is bitten, go to the clinic. Don't panic, just casually go there to have it looked at. The staff will want to know what the snake looked like. If you know your venomous snakes, you already know whether the snake is venomous or not. Chances are even if it is venomous, there is no venom in your wound.

Speaking of risk, do you know how many fatalities we have each year in Texas as a result of a snake bite? We average less than one per year for the entire state. Those usually occur in the hill country or in West Texas or on the coast. (Be careful in the dune grasses of Galveston or Padre Island - rattle snakes there are very dangerous). I don't believe we have had any deaths in east Texas. But people do get bitten. Many times when people are bitten by a venomous snake, the snake releases zero or only a small amount of venom. They are known to conserve their venom for catching prey. They know you are not food and they need to eat! A baby snake may be more apt to hurt you, because he probably has not learned yet to conserve his venom.
Courtesy of Troy ¹. Click on photo for detailed view. Copperhead.

Let's take a look at the venomous species. It behooves us to learn to identify these three common snakes. The most likely one you are to encounter is the Southern Copperhead. This one is the most populous of the venomous snakes in this area. The key identifying marks are the clear dark patterns that look like Hershey Kisses on the side of the snake, with the tip of the kiss on the top of the back, often touching the kiss on the other side. Another way to look at the markings is to envision an hour glass with the center of the hour glass on the top of the back. Hershey kisses are easy to remember. Characteristically, the snake will be light colored underneath, a light brown base on its sides and top, with fairly sizable kisses on the sides. Our first lesson - Don't kiss a Hershey Kiss snake! In fact, stay clear of it. They will not harm you unless you corner it or otherwise threaten it in some way. Let it be - all snakes have value in the forest. This snake might climb up into a bush looking for food.
Courtesy of Troy ¹. Click on photo for detailed view. Adult Cottonmouth.

The next likely problem snake would be the Western Cottonmouth. This one is less populous but very wide-spread and likely to be found on or near the water. This one is a little more difficult to identify. The head is the key to this snake. At some distance, you might see a fully black snake, or a very dark snake with barely visible brown rings or if a young lad, it might have irregular dark rings around a brown body. The rings fade as the snake ages. To confirm your sighting, you would examine the head.
Courtesy of Troy ¹. Click on photo for detailed view. Juvenile Cottonmouth.

It will have a dark stripe on the sides of its head, resembling the face of a raccoon. So remember, raccoons don't eat cotton; they just have in their mouth! It is dangerous. Inside the mouth of these slippery creatures are little pieces of tissue that look like cotton. This is not the only snake that has this in its mouth, so use the external head criteria to identify the snake. This snake likes to eat food near the water, such as frogs.

Courtesy of Troy ¹. Click on photo for detailed view. Coral Snake.

The less likely snake to run encounter is the most dangerous but not seen very often. Its venom is the strongest. The Coral Snake has a small mouth and has more difficulty than other snakes breaking the skin and even more of a problem trying to get through your clothing. However, its teeth are sharp and given sufficient time, can and will envenom a person. Consider this snake very dangerous and do not touch it or threaten it! This one is colorful, but there are several species that can appear to be a coral snake and are not. Every other ring is yellow. There is no other snake with that attribute, but there are others with yellow rings. The rings are red, yellow, black, yellow then the ring color pattern is repeated. If you see yellow bands in the day, this is it. If you see yellow bands at night, it is another species, such as the King Snake. So remember, yellow bands in the day are dangerous. Stay clear. Just let him be. There is no need ever to harm a snake. He wants to be left alone just as you do.

The only other possible dangerous snake is the Timber Rattlesnake. If you see rattles on the end of the tail, it is dangerous. Always! And the rattlers do make noise.

Other non-dangerous snakes you may see here include: nocturnal Milk Snake (every other band is black), Buttermilk Racer (also known as the Blue Racer), Rubber Snake, Eastern Hognose, Texas Rat Snake, Rough Green Snake, Texas Brown Snake, Rough Earth Snake, Yellow Belly Water Snake (raccoon mask on head 4-4.5 ft), Blotched Water Snake (black with some white), Diamondback Water Snake (5 ft checkered pattern), very common Broad Banded Water Snake (Black and white bands), Western Mud Snake (reds on it with rectangles underneath), Speckled King Snake (looks like small white dots all over it).

Other trivia to know: all snakes can and will swim in water. They know how to survive in bogs and swamps. Mothballs are good to repel snakes from an area.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Mike Howlett of Houston Herpetology Supply for presenting this material to us. He sells snakes and snake supplies at www.houstonherp.com in Spring, Texas.

¹Thanks to Troy Hobbitts for providing his 2006 copyrighted photos of the venomous species to help you visually identify snakes here in The Woodlands.

And thanks to several others who also shared their knowledge of snakes in this part of Texas.

This is an interesting video of a "land snake" swimming in water. A Rattle Snake!

Coyote - friend or foe? threat or help? Southeast Texas

Do you like to befriend animals? I know I do. My impression of the Coyote has been an elusive, wily and timid wild animal that helps control our local varmints. I see it as beneficial to the ecology about us. But is that an impression only from perception and not from fact? I decided to seek a better understanding of this animal and share it with my readers. Unfortunately, all my encounters have been without a camera, so I have no photos to show. However, there is a reference below with a photo of both a Coyote and a Red Wolf. ⁶

Human behavior should be different when it comes to a dog or to a Coyote. This is especially important in teaching our children how to behave in their presence. Humans should not be aggressive with dogs. A dog will be threatened and will protect itself or its human master if attacked. A Coyote will be intimidated and run. Therefore, it is recommended in various literature that a human not move in the presence of a growling dog, but let the animal calm down and slowly remove yourself from its presence to avoid being bitten. That behavior may entices the Coyote to approach the human.

As I write this article, the Coyote is at the beginning of its breeding season. This is the time one can hear the famous Coyote howl on very dark nights. We will see more of them during the day as well. This will continue through February into March.

Please allow me the opportunity to first tell you why I looked into this and why I want to share what I discovered. One day, a friend and I were on Spring Creek, on a Kayak fishing expedition. We came upon some children playing in the creek with adult supervision, so we said "hello" and after a few introductions, proceeded to hear a story they all wanted to tell. It was about this young Coyote they would see every morning when they came to the creek. That group traveled in a little two-wheel trailer pulled by a four-wheeler. We were interested and listened intently, asking questions. The adult instantly could tell that we had an interest in wildlife. The adult asked, "do you want to see this?" Our immediate response was "sure". We got in the back with the kids and rode up the trail with them. At some point, we turned around in the vicinity where they had last seen the Coyote. As we proceeded back, sure enough, the youngster suddenly appeared bouncing along beside us, some 100 feet away. This sure was a novel situation. I could see the fascination of viewing a wild animal of the forest as I looked into the eyes of the children. I was seeing the Coyote in a similar light as the children. I got this strange sense of a wild camaraderie between young humans and a young animal. There was no fear evidenced by either.

In retrospect, I understand now how I had felt that age-long connection between man's best friend (dog) and man. Perhaps that was in error. The children really do not have a grip on the difference between a dog and a Coyote, except the Coyote is found in the wild, and the dog is typically found in the home. We live in a society that wishes to retain all the wildness of nature that it can. That desire is currently packaged in a neat little box of "Green" and "Animal Conservation". The adult supervising the children was also in touch with the outdoors and felt a natural connection to nature by this close proximity to such a wild creature. This harmless dog-like animal maintained a distance of about 30 yards, running parallel with our 4-wheeler and did not threaten us, or so it seemed.

I have since had one other encounter. That was with a family of Coyotes about 5AM, just before daybreak. Standing only 40 feet from me next to the tree line, they were curious about me and appeared to be calmly studying me. They were not at all spooked. This was in The Woodlands proper, near a golf course. I froze and studied them also. They finally got bored and disappeared into the forest. They never made one move towards me nor did I take one step towards them.

Then one day I heard that our community was relocating our wild Coyotes before they could "turn urban", like those in California. Although that did not set well with me, I acquiesced and just let it all pass by without challenging the strategy. Recently, a new wave of concern surfaced with new but daylight sightings. So I researched the issue and asked an expert. This is what I found:

The number of threatening incidents in Texas is almost non-existent. Although we live amidst a forest where the Coyote thrives, we see little of them, and no one gets attacked. He eats small animals such as rabbits or rats. Tree rats are common here and provide a staple diet. Any small animal would be considered food by the Coyote. He will eat feral cats (domesticated also) and small dogs. He often hunts alone but may take his prey with the help of several members of his family. They also eat fruit, berries and insects. ⁵

He can be lured to a hunter with a caller that sounds like a squealing rabbit. I have witnessed the success of this tool in bringing a Coyote right into the back of a pickup truck! The only time this happened to me was with a friend of mine one time when he dared me to go. In west Texas, we waited for an animal to appear as we called. Nothing happened for a couple of hours. When we got tired, we waited a few minutes and a Coyote then jumped suddenly into back of the pickup. My friend and I were so startled that we jumped over the side to the ground, but we also saw the Coyote leave the bed of the truck on the other side. Neither he nor us wanted to have anything to do with each other. A close encounter, yet it proved nothing about the behavior of the animal. He did enter a human scent area, but he was only chasing what he thought was a normal meal.

Recently one local resident told me that the remains of her lost cat had been found nearby. Apparently a Coyote killed and ate it. This was disturbing, but we all know that our cats are at risk when outside during the night here. The cats are not supposed to be outside without a leash. Personally, I would never want to leash a cat. I have been through a thrashing machine before and don't want to experience that again.

We do have the coyote in our midst right here in The Woodlands. Do you respect his potential aggressiveness for the sake of your child's safety? Do your children know about this animal? If the statistics show a very low threat, why would I even ask? Urbanization of the Coyote habitat took place in the western area of our country long before it occurred here. We are in the early stages of habitat change. There are lessons to be learned from urban Californians and other western residents.

From studies there, over time, some of these creatures have learned not to fear man. There have been a number of threatening encounters out west and even small children dragged as apparent prey. "In some cases, our provision of ample resources to these urban coyotes (particularly in the form of intentional feeding) has resulted in their losing almost all fear of humans, and in some cases a few coyotes will become aggressive enough to attack pets and people." ¹

New York state recommends: "People should never try to get close to a coyote. Any coyote that shows unusual boldness or acts tame should be avoided. Coyote attacks directed towards people have occurred in the western United States, and aggressive coyote behavior has also been reported in the eastern United States and in New York State."²

In Texas, we need to understand the North American trend towards increased Coyote aggressiveness. While studies in other areas continue to to be conducted, we must not lay back and be complacent. We must take precautionary measures to keep our children safe, yet not be overly aggressive ourselves toward removing one of the inhabitants of our forest. Here are some practical measures that we as residents can take:

• Do not feed or befriend the Coyote. He should fear man. We can even appear aggressive and to him by using sudden moves and intimidating gestures such as throwing an object in his direction.
  
• We should not encourage his presence in any way, giving him opportunity for malicious behavior.
  
• We must not corner the animal, forcing self defense.
  
• We should not allow very small children to play unattended in our green areas. Assume there are Coyotes nearby and one of them is aggressive.
  
• We should keep our small pets indoors at night. Don't let cats pets roam loose outdoors, especially outside of fences. The small ones become potential food for the Coyote. A dog the size of a Coyote or larger is considered a trespasser in his territory. A Coyote group will gang up on him.
  
• We should keep our fences maintained, what I call "pet tight", where no Coyote can enter and your pet cannot escape. If you have problems with this, use chicken wire at the base of the fence to prevent digging and passing under base boards.
  
• We should report sightings to the community association.
  

There are a few practices that our community can take or has already taken:

• Receive and track reported sightings through an organized process. (taken)
  
• Remove animals to another location if they are sighted during daylight.
  
• Respond quickly to sightings near children. Treat the sighting as an emergency.
  
• Deploy portable remote animal photography units in selected green areas to monitor activity and population.
  

Additional facts

The Coyote is considered a varmint, along with Bobcats and other animals. Coyote and other varmints may be taken in any number, by any method, 365 days a year in Texas! It's pelt can even usually fetch a couple of bucks or a little more. It's lifespan is only about 7 or 8 years. They will mate for life and have frequent encounters with their mate throughout the year. The Coyote is not a native resident of our forest. We had its larger but look-a-like cousin, the Red Wolf before 1900. Gradually, the Coyote displaced the Red Wolf because man drove the Red Wolf to extinction in East Texas.⁶ Dogs are by far more dangerous to children and adults than the Coyote. It is important that we understand this. If we see a dog without a leash on the streets, I would be much more apt to report it than a Coyote. Many dogs are much larger and more dangerous than the Coyote.

So you can see that I do respect the Coyote. He is not my enemy. If he can stay on his diet of rodents and leave human flesh alone, he is welcome at my home, outside my fence. I regard him as a very minor threat to both my pets and my family. There have been no deaths in Texas or the southern part of the United States as a result of a Coyote attack and very few human incidents. Texas had two deaths in 2008 from dog attacks. There has already been a dog-related death for 2009 in Houston. This comparison is similar for every state of the nation. Let's cohabit the forest with the Coyote or even better yet, the Red Wolf. I am not optimistic that we will see any effort to being back the wolf however.

References

¹ Statement by known Coyote expert, 2009, Bob Timm.

² "Bad Dogs: Why Do Coyotes and Other Canids Become Unruly?" http://www.coyotebytes.org/urban_symposium.html

³ "Prevent Encounters with Black Bears and Avoid Conflicts with Coyotes" June 2006, http://www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/18907.html

⁴ "More Isle Coyote Sightings",Galveston County Health District, 2008 - http://www.gchd.org/press/2008/02Coyotesight.htm

⁵ "Behavior of Coyotes in Texas", undated, WILLIAM F. ANDELT, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University http://texnat.tamu.edu/symposia/coyote/p2.htm

⁶"Coyote Mammals of Texas", Texas A&M, 1994, http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/canilatr.htm

⁷"RESPONSE TO COYOTE PREDATION ON PETS, Dorinda Pulliam City of Austin,TX, USA, 2007, http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1069&context=icwdm_wdmconfproc


⁸"Coyote, Canis latrans", Texas Parks and Wildlife, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/coyote/

Moon Beams in the forest on the eve of the largest full moon

Not too many people knew this event occurred last night. I didn't until a neighbor brought it to my attention. One thing I like about The Woodlands - people get into nature. When I was a child, my dad and I generated many memories in the dark scary forests. When the moon was out bright, I could go outside in the middle of the night and find the ghosts of the forest along with the wolves and the bear (which were fabricated by stones my dad threw into the forest when I was not looking).

Last night the moon was not only a full moon, it was the largest full moon for the next 15 years. I'd call it Santa's moon this year. I could just see Rudolf and the reindeer practicing their flight under the backdrop of that spectacular moon. With its brightness, there was no need for a flashlight except in the very darkest part of the woods. What is it that makes a person feel eerie when in the woods at night? I shot a few woodsy photos where I could see the moon as a backdrop for the forest. One can see all sorts of strange images drawn by the leaves and branches.

Take a look at the link from Earth Sky about the event itself. The writer explains "perigee", when the moon is closest to the earth. That happens more frequently than every 16 years, but coinciding with the full moon orientation is another matter. You will need to mark your calendar for November 14, 2016, to see it again. Mine is marked. I will probably have to use a wheelchair then to get out to see it, but it is worth going outside in cold weather to view it.

Take a look at these photos and see what you can detect in them. What time of day do you believe these photos were taken?

Acorns or no acorns, the woodlands squirrels must eat

I have noticed that we have no acorns this year on any tree nearby. It first came to my attention when I observed a squirrel outside in the Yaupon eating the berries. Then I thought, if the squirrels are going to eat the berries all winter, what about the Robins in the Spring? What will they eat? Last year, this little guy was eating acorns at this time of year. He has been eating pine cone seeds until recently.

Well, if you noticed what I noticed last year, then there is a clue for you as well. We had a bumper crop of acorns last year. My White Oak produced so many that I thought I was going to go crazy with the acorns hitting the roof and lying all over the patio. Then too, the squirrels were burying the acorns all over the yard, so grass was damaged by their need to save the food for a "rainy day". The acorns were everywhere last year, all over the street, driveways, ... just everywhere and varying species of Oak all contributed to the abundance. There are zero acorns this year. The only ones I have seen were on a few limbs that were toppled by Hurricane Ike but had been in the tree all year as broken limbs, unable to break lose to fall to the ground. Those were all rotted out and useless for food.

So did the hurricane knock all of the acorns off the trees? No, that would be very doubtful. Actually, this is a cyclic pattern of Oak Trees. They usually produce a small amount of acorns in the off year cycle, but this year it appears to be nil. So what to do? Feed the little guys or just let nature do its thing? We will lose some to hunger I think, if we do not feed them. Yet this is the way nature takes care of its own. The birds will have to seek alternate food (worms for example) to continue their trek north in the Spring. They will compete for the berries in the winter, but I have not seen any Robins yet. Where are they? I heard that some of them are staying up north but winter looks pretty harsh this year, so I expect to see them soon.

I am going to provide them and the birds with some seeds in my feeder, but they will have to fare on their own for most of their food.

How did the forest fare from the winds?

Some folks believe that Hurricane Ike destroyed those trees not protected by the wind. One resident questioned why would we keep these trees which used to be in the forest but now are left exposed to fall on houses? In the same breath, the implication is that we do not live in the forest in The Woodlands. I want to assure everyone we do live in the forest. We have a program for reforestation to replace that which is deficient. We also maintain the forest through a management program for disease control, to maintain the integrity of the forest plant diversity, and the general health of the trees. Special attention is given to replacing invasive with native plants. Many seedlings as well as young trees are planted each year.

So here is the dilemma. We saw many trees fallen by the storm in our residential streets and yards. After all was over, the cleanup was very large. So some residents questioned the value of having the trees. We live in The Woodlands, a master planned community of the forest.The trees are and have always been part of our values here. They are the reason the community exists as it does, in a seemingly endless tangled web of paths and streets bounded and entwined with natural green areas. All green areas are intended to be part of the forest with the exception of the golf courses. Even those are supposed to have native trees and bushes.

So were the fallen trees more numerous in the green areas and the yards than in the forest? I took this question to the new county nature trail park on Flintridge. The Spring Creek Reserve area is a large protected section of forest, easily accessed by residents of The Woodlands. Any casual observer will note the large number of fallen trees. My conclusion is that the forest may have more fallen trees per given population than the ones in the homes. One reason for this is the interactions between the trees during the fury of the hurricane. For example, a tree that is uprooted by the storm is likely to fall on other trees during the storm, causing tons of weight to shift on the ground. That causes other nearby trees to be uprooted. Then there is also the "kiss" effect. One tree falling on another will damage the the other by reducing light and just pushing the other tree to an unstable or leaning posture. The density of the vegetation does not necessarily block the wind and protect the trees as some might conclude. IN fact it can have the opposite effect, like a fence. One pole can withstand heavy wind whereas the pole will fall with the fence if attached to the other boards. In other words, the lifting and pushing of a stand of trees and bushes can be considered just like a wall and gives way to the power of the wind where as a single tree lets the wind move around it, less surface and thereby less resistance. Although many fell, many of them will continue to survive for years in their new leaning and tangled positions.

So no, the trees of the forest are not more protected from the winds than the trees in the yards. And no, the trees are not as much a threat to homes as some would lead us to believe. We value our forest and can exclaim now that out trees did exceptionally well in riding out the storm. I sincerely believe that we dodged a bullet because we had healthy trees and vegetation. What we have has been through many many storms in the past. This is good reason to keep native trees and not displace them with invasive trees nor any trees that don't belong here. See related article for a different perspective.

Backyard Hummingbirds in The Woodlands

This little creature moves so fast that you may not know what it is. Is it a
bug? Is it a bumble bee? No! It is a Hummingbird! Darting hither and thither, one
can become crossed-eyed trying to follow its movement. Then suddenly, you see it
perching on the tiniest of twigs. It has to rest between feeding binges.
Watching these birds for several hours, one can see patterns emerge. This little male has several favorite perches. He prefers a tiny twig that is fairly long relative to his body size. The twig must give him a clear view of his domain. He is very possessive of his space. So he stays very busy chasing off would-be dinner guests. Thus the darting behavior.

Then came the female. She was allowed to feed when he was not in the neighborhood. It is my suspicion that he was out visiting his other girlfriend next door when I was able to catch some photos of this little lady.

For the next couple of days, she was running off the others until the guy returned and chased her off. She fed more inside of the Hummingbird plants than did the male. She did not get up on the perches and monitor the area like he did. She would just attack everything that came to the table while in the backyard, then would disappear for as long as an hour. The female tended to catch more insects than the male. She would be high in the air at times, obviously catching something about 20-30 feet off the ground. That could have been flies or mosquitoes.

These are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. They are the dominant and possibly only one of two species in this area. The other species is the Rufous. These Ruby-throated nest right here in our backyards. I suspect this one has a nest near here and is feeding her brood now, but she managed to keep me unaware of her nest. According to my bird book, she can be nesting as far away as 1.3 km and feeding here in my backyard. I noticed that each time she arrived, I could hear her chattering as if to say, "if there is anyone else here, you'd better leave".

Don't think that the little lady is dull and only gray with white wing tips. She has the iridescence on her feathers that is typical of Hummingbirds. When the light hits her just right, you see these green and blue colors. As the sun reflects off of the bird in the flowers, her colors become very evident. The female is quite beautiful in fact.

So the next time you go outside and have the opportunity to observe these beautiful and interesting creatures, try to see where the male is watching and if there are any females lurking around. Keep an eye for a family, maybe two youngsters and their mama. The male does not play a role in the upbringing of the brood. The female will protect them, but after a couple of weeks out of the nest, she will run them off to fend for their own well being, unlike the broods of other backyard birds.

Montgomery County had two observers participating in the 2006 Texas Hummingbird Roundup, reporting two species of Hummingbirds in the county.


Video:



References

1. Species of East Texas - Texas Parks and Wildlife
   
2. Identification of Hummingbirds - Texas Parks and Wildlife
   
3. Texas Roundup of 2006 - diversity of sightings
   

Woodpeckers in The Woodlands Texas

There are three species seen here in The Woodlands, and they all have red heads! If you are not careful, you may call them all Red-Headed Woodpeckers, but only one is. The true Red-Headed Woodpecker has clean crispy black and white markings and a large red area on the head, whereas the Red-Bellied Woodpecker has a smaller reddish area on its head and belly, and black and white checkered-like markings on the wings. The Pileated has a crest on his head as evidenced by the photo below. I have included a photograph I took of the Red-Bellied species. I keep seeing the Red-Headed Woodpecker but have no photograph to show you yet. The two birds are exactly the same size, about 9 inches long. Another red-head here is the Pileated Woodpecker (photo below). These are larger, about the size of one of our local Crows.


If you hear an annoying tapping noise on the roof resembling a hammer hitting metal, don't fret; it is only a male woodpecker establishing its territory. Similar to several types of birds which are territorial, the Red-Headed, Red-Bellied and Pileated varieties can make their point known for an entire block! There is nothing like a 6AM wake up notice from the local male woodpecker.


A reader provided this photograph of the Pileated Woodpecker.
One of these days, I will take a photograph of the smaller Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, which is on the endangered list and makes his home in this area. He is about one inch shorter than the other two. His red markings are much smaller. There are few places he is seen, so I would not expect to see one here inside of The Woodlands. More likely, we would see one in the protected Jones Forest or on Spring Creek.

Red Headed Woodpecker submitted by Lisa Griffis

The Red Headed Woodpecker is spectacular but is a bit more shy to people than some of the other sister species. There is no doubt what species it is when you see it in the forest!

Downy Woodpecker

The Downy is a popular small backyard woodpecker that likes to regularly feed from a hanging suet feeder. I had a family of  four in my backyard all summer and can't say how much I enjoyed them!




References

1. Woodpeckers of the East Texas Piney Woods by Texas Parks and Wildlife
2. Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Acknowledgements

• Pileated Woodpecker photograph courtesy of Nelda Blair
• Red Headed Woodpecker photograph by Lisa Griff

The Woodlands Reedy Pond an artificial flood control pond aging to a naturally rich ecology of its own

Who says a man-made pond is artificial? Ten years ago, one could note a near desolate body of water with a few Cattail reeds on the shore accompanied by a few other shoreline plants. There was no visible life in the water, not a frog, not a turtle, not a minnow. This pond appeared dead. Little would a casual observer know what was happening in that water and how the birds and wind were changing the pond's ecology. The landscape was bare with the exception of some natural retained forest in clumps and made-planted non-native grasses on the ground. Then, this pond was only about 4 years old. It was built as a retaining pond to control flooding.

Ten years later, this body of water is breaming with life of all sorts. The transition from artificial to natural habitat is highly evident. There are at least two species of turtles, several varieties of frogs and fish, several species of trees, several varieties of wildflowers, water lilies and other aquatic plants, ducks, wasps. dragonflies and other forms of life. Raccoons, rats and possum have always been on the pond at night. Sometimes there is track evidence of a White-tailed deer or two present. Our Parks Dept planted a number of native trees over the years which now thrive in the park, adding to the landscape. Residents have planted a few trees along the shoreline and in the green area also. Some of the native pine trees in some areas of the pond are now light deprived by an invasive species of tree, the Chinese Tallow. The community recognizes this issue and has a plan to remove the Tallows this fall and replace them with native trees. The pond usually contains plenty of fish with a natural ecology distinguished by shoreline plants, turtles and water fowl. It has a very large exposure to the sun which causes over heating, large CO2 concentrations, and algae growth in the summer. Inversion of temperatures in the fall causes some of the algae to surface and causes a stench. The pond has suffered at least one fish kill over the past few years, probably due to the oxygen level of the water. Therefore the pond requires human intervention to maintain it's ecology. That process the Parks Dept usually does adequately. Sampling of fish species indicates that the perch and bass share a symbiotic life cycle and have a natural relationship just like in other nearby ponds. The quantity of baby fish normally reveals a very healthy pond and an adequate natural restocking life cycle. In latter years, catfish have been introduced into the pond, perhaps putting the pond a little out of ecological balance. Deliberate stocking of the pond originally excluded the catfish. Also noted recently is Alligator Weed appears to be on the pond. This is also an invasive plant which comes from South America and needs to be removed, if I have identified it correctly.

The enemies of the pond? The two legged ones are the primary enemy of the inhabitant of the pond. Some people who do not understand how the ecology works. Some throw their trash in and around the pond, and some introduce species into the pond without proper regard to ecology design. We have many visitors now from inside and outside of The Woodlands who are not in tune with the workings of nature, but like to enjoy the natural amenities of the park. Another enemy of the pond is the water runoff from the local neighborhoods which brings excessive nutrients into the pond, primarily in the form of nitrogen from artificial fertilizers.

Despite the problems caused by visitors and the stresses on the summer pond to its dependent inhabitants, the pond has naturally maintained itself and diversified over the past several years without much human intervention. This year is shaping up to be an exception. There are more outside visitors using the pond daily. Some ignore the rules and take fish out of the pond for example. Some just throw their trash on the ground and in the water as they stroll around the pond. Some visitors are in route to other destinations by foot, leaving their garbage on the ground when walking the dog or involved in other recreational pastimes here. Therefore, before introducing the primary objective of this post, I wanted to note the external influences on the pond's ecology. Now to its primary objective, the 2008 living pond.

I have included some photographs here of the plant life along the pond and how the ecology works with references below. Also included are photographs emphasizing beauty, value and appreciation of such an amenity in the neighborhood.

First let's begin with the plants along the shoreline. These are primary contributers to the bottom of the food chain for the pond's inhabitants. The Cattail is one such participant in this ecology. From Texas A&M's Aquaplant, a Texas cooperative extension program :

"Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. ducks). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called "detritus") for many aquatic invertebrates."

This I call the golden rod. With the right light, its beauty in early summer is something to behold. Later on in the season, the birds will relish its fruit.


This is a more proper photo of this plant in a more normal lighting situation.



The Cattail with the tree line as background, clouds drifting by overhead, and the sunlight peeking through the trees from the west, captures somewhat of a romantic tranquil moment on the pond.

Other shoreline plant life includes the Bald Cypress trees, some of which are about 7-8 years old now.

Cypress tree planted as a seedling for the future of the pond, to provide shade and a root system for small fish, frogs and ducks to hang out. Only about 15-20% of the shoreline will have this tree. Most of the shoreline will have the bulrushes and the reeds to provide a very healthy place for the fish to reproduce and survive. A Cypress dome (their above-ground root system) is known to be excellent places for diverse lifeforms within the pond ecology system. Our ducks like to hang out around one of the larger domes on this pond.



In this photo the pond simply functions as a mirror. On a lazy summer afternoon, the wind was lightly pushing the trees to and fro and moving puffs of clouds over the pond. Here is a mirrored image of the sky and underlying landscape as a reflection off of the water of the pond.


These flathead minnows are the bread and butter of mosquito control. They eat larvae near the banks of the pond, as part of their diet. This often missed fact about the ditches and ponds of the area explains why the mosquito is not usually so prevalent around bodies of water. Larvae are near the bottom of the food chain. Additionally, it has been found that pond spiders like to eat the mosquito larvae.


Here in the reeds and water grasses is where you find the bottom of the food chain. Mosquitoes will lay their eggs here; decaying vegetation provide food for various bugs and worms; newly hatched fish hide here and feed off of the lower food chain sources. I have not seen a snake on this pond with one exception years ago.


Sometimes if you stop and look closely, a new inhabitant will appear. This little turtle surprised me. All the Red Ear turtles jumped in the water but this little guy just kept an eye on me.


There is one Willow sitting on the banks of the pond. This also adds to the diversity. I do not know how this tree ended up on the pond but it is a welcome occupant. Birds like to nest in the Willow and the ducks appreciate the Willow's limbs over the water for protection.


A submerged garden reveals the rich ecology on the floor of the pond. This is the defining point of the pond itself. It is not a lake due to the shallow nature of the body of water and that vegetation is rooted on its floor from one end to the other.

At the surface, one will find a floating species of plant, but notice its root system down to the bottom.


The blue dragonfly was abundant in the full sun this particular day.




But this unusual dragonfly was also there. I caught him in my lens in flight, a very difficult feat to accomplish.


Dewberry vines produce fruit for the birds along the shoreline during the Spring and early summer. This is one of the last berries quickly ripening.


The Black Dragon as I call him. There will be a article on him in this blog soon.

Now for some wild flowers on the pond in June, just to remind the reader - take time to smell the flowers:










References:
1. USDA

There is more about this pond in the parks section of the blog. Click here.