Trail camera pictures (23 Feb through 06 Mar)

It's been three weeks since I have posted any photos from my trail cameras.  About 10 days ago I placed both cameras out in one of the local parks along wildlife trails.  Yesterday I went out and switched out the memory cards for the cameras (while leaving the cameras in place).

Camera #1
This camera is located in the same place as my first set of images from late January.  I already knew from the first set of pictures that a lot of wildlife uses this area and hoped to get some good pictures.  The camera is just far enough from the trail that animals don't seem to be bother by it, although I did have a opossum or raccoon check it out at night from close range.  Species diversity was about the same as the first set of pics.

Virginia Opossums (Didelphus virginiana) showed up several different nights.  One night a pair showed up on the camera together.

Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor) also showed up on the camera several times...

As did several leaping squirrels.

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) showed up every day on the camera, either as individuals or in small groups.  The most to appear on the camera at one time was six deer.

I did have one new species show up on this camera.  This species was one that I was hoping to get images of and I was not disappointed.  What is this mystery species?

It's the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) of course!  I have seen numerous turkeys in this park but have never been close enough to get a clear photograph.  This is where trail cameras are awesome!  I had turkeys show up several times.

A lone tom showed up once...

So did a pair of toms...

And a flock of hens and last year's chicks.  A young male would be known as a jake, and (I just learned this) a young female is a jenny.

Camera #2
My second camera was placed along a trail about 50 yards from the first camera.  While it is possible that an animal might show up on one camera and then appear on the other camera a short time later, it is more likely that each camera will record distinct animals as the cameras are set along parallel trails.

The first camera is set up to record pictures in three shot bursts (spaced one second apart).  This second camera does not have that option and only records on image at a time.  Therefore, there were a lot less pictures on this camera

This camera recorded many of the same species as the other camera.

Northern Raccoons appeared on two separate nights; one night as an individual and another night as a pair.

A couple of squirrels showed up on this camera too...

As did several deer...

Including one small buck that is still holding on to its antlers.

For me the best image captured on this camera was the first one it recorded.  That's a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) in the picture below.  I don't necessarily have a favorite bird, but if I did the Pileated Woodpecker would be in the running.  I get excited every time I see one.  A close encounter with a Pileated Woodpecker is one of my all-time favorite bird sightings.

The cameras are still in place.  Who knows what will show up on them the next time I check...

An Alphabet of Michigan Plants (N through Z)

Yesterday I posted the first half of an alphabet book that I created back at the beginning of the school year.  Here is the second half (letters N through Z). 

An Alphabet of Michigan Plants (A through M)

Back at the beginning of the school year I mentioned a project that I was working on.  I wanted to make an alphabet book of native plants to distribute to the 3rd grade classrooms that I work with on a regular basis.  A few weeks later I completed the project and began distributing copies of the pages to classrooms.  Because this alphabet book contains pictures of native plants (with the exception of the letter K) and I am attending the Wildflower Association of Michigan 30th Annual Conference, I thought now would be a good to time to share the book.

Here are letters A through M.  I'll share the rest of the alphabet tomorrow.

Thinking about wildflowers

On Sunday and Monday (05 - 06 March), I will be attending the Wildflower Association of Michigan Annual Conference in East Lansing.  While this is one of several conferences/symposiums that I will be attending in the next few weeks, the WAM Conference is the one I make sure to never miss.  If you are a regular reader of this blog you have probably already guessed that I love wildflowers.  If you are a new reader, let me state right now that I love wildflowers.

In honor of the conference, I want to share a half dozen of my favorite photos of wildflowers and other native plants that have appeared on this blog since 2013.

Skunk Cabbage - my favorite native plant

More Skunk Cabbage

White Trout Lily

Wild Blue Phlox

Large-flowered Trillium

Dutchman's Breeches

A tiny (but perfect) Bloodroot flower

I can't wait for spring to get here so I can start my annual wildflower search!

A lone tree

There is a tree that I admire.  This tree stands in the edge of a field, completely alone. You can tell this tree grew up in the open, away from other trees, by the symmetry of its shape and the wide spread of its branches.

Trees like this are rarely left to stand.  They become victims to progress.  As farmers buy larger equipment, they remove the fence rows that divide fields and the trees that grew up along the fences.  Trees that once stood in the middle of fields to shade cattle and other livestock are cut down and their stumps pulled up. 

I don't begrudge the farmers for doing this - larger field make sense and trees in the middle of a tilled field don't make sense.  I wonder why this tree has managed to survive?  Does the owner of the field keep it there for sentimental reasons?  Or do they, like me, simply like the way the tree look.

I have passed by this tree dozens of times.  Yesterday I stopped for a few moments to photograph it.  I like how it stands out above the horizon and how it fills most of the frame of the picture.  I also like how the mist/fog adds a softness to the trees in the background and to the sky.  This is already one of my favorite photos of the year.