(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



The Daily Bucket -- Pointe Moo Two [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags']

Date: 2022-08-04

THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS. WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE DAILY BUCKET FEATURE, CHECK OUT THIS RECENT DIARY: DAILY BUCKET PHENOLOGY: 11 YEARS OF RECORDING EARTH'S VITAL SIGNS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Map of Pointe Mouillee, focusing on hunting season. Zoomed.

I previously wrote a Bucket about the history of Pointe Moo and my visits in winter through early summer this year. This Bucket takes those observations into high summer. As of September 1st, the area closes to all but licensed hunters. That closure goes through December. So I’m trying to make the best of the available time.

The color of the landscape has changed. The invasive Purple Loosestrife is still blooming, although it seems thicker and taller. It grows along the canals in the wetter areas. In the photo below, it separates a cultivated field from the canal. I’m not sure what crop has been planted or how the DNR manages the farmland within the game area.

Purple Loosestrife growing along the canal.

A new purple flower has appeared, also growing closer to the water rather than in the middle of the meadows. I’d appreciate help with identifying some of these flowers. This one is not nearly as widespread as the Purple Loosestrife.

Unknown purple flower. Zoomed.

Another new flower is a hibiscus-looking pink flower that grows on the canal banks. I checked the State of Michigan website on invasive species, and didn’t find this one. It doesn’t look like the Multiflora Rose, which has become established in Michigan. I also noticed both Purple Loosestrife and this unknown pink flower were widely present at Magee Marsh in Ohio.

Hibiscus-like pink flower, growing in wide swatches along the canals. Zoomed.

Wider view of the landscape.

Another pervasive flower is the lotus. I think this is the Old World lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, and not the native American Yellow Lotus, Nelumbo lutea. It too is not on the Michigan invasive species website, although at nearby Lake Erie Metropark, it has choked some of the canals, leading the park to dredge channels. And of course, there are phragmites everywhere, with the invasive species battling with the native species and cattails.

Lotus covers shallow water throughout the area.

The many flowers bring butterflies and insects, which feed a robust food chain.

Viceroy

Red Admiral

Northern Leopard Frog. Zoomed.

Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons have been gathering. Zoomed.

Adult and juvenile Great Blue Herons. Zoomed. Other waterfowl are starting to appear. I’m hoping to see some on an Audubon field trip this Saturday.

What’s up in your area today?

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/4/2114364/-The-Daily-Bucket-Pointe-Moo-Two

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.