Shelf Fungi Pictures/Ecology/Uses/Helpful references

Shelf fungi can be found on living trees, old stumps or downed logs. They are sometimes called Bracket fungi or Polypores.  What we are able to see is actually only the fruiting body of these fungi. Shelf fungi are often thought of as valuable decomposers of downed or dying wood helping to return nutrients back to the soil. Some of these fungi are parasitic.  As parasites they may infiltrate wounds in trees, or find a way to fight the trees defenses. Some for example, may lie dormant in wounds and wait until the tree is stressed. The hyphae of the fungus is able to use enzymes to break down and  absorb nutrients from the living or dead wood. In parasitic types by the time a fruiting body appears, the mycelium that we can't see may have already caused a lot of damage to the tree internally. Ecologically, decomposition by fungi is though of as a valued and normal process in forests and wooded areas.

   These images of shelf fungi that I photographed here in the Hudson Valley Area of NY were all on trees that were down or appeared already dead.  It seems to help when trying to identify these fungi to know what trees they were growing on as some species are more tree specific than others. Some are not edible because they are too woody or crusty. Some species are poisonous. Certain species of Shelf type fungi  have been used for food, others for decorations, some for medicines, dyes, or for fire starting purposes, many countries have traditional uses for different species.

 Some Notable Species: Sulphur Shelf Fungus -Chicken of the Woods, a highly edible but parasitic shelf type fungus. Fomes fomentarius-used as a fire starter, possibly used since neolithic times, Gandoderma applantum- artist conk.

Interesting websites:  plants.alaska.gov/publications/pdf.conks -labeled pictures of shelf fungi and traditional uses by indigenous people.
biology.ewu.edu/aHerr - Fungi- Recyclers, Killers and Plant Partners for more on fungi in general, clear.
northernwoodlands.org-easy to understand, educational, helpful.
americanmushrooms.com/gallery -labeled pictures of species common in US/ also see mushroomhobby.com/gallery/polypores/index.

The Truth about Dragonflies/ A Naturalist Perspective

I did some research on the internet about dragonflies. It's been a really warm winter here and I'm expecting to see a lot of interesting bugs this year. Dragonflies can be thought of as opportunistic predators who have a wide range of dietary preferences which happen to include eating mosquitoes and some other insects we find distasteful like flies and gnats. Dragonflies are well equipped predators who have evolved over millions of years, and are able operate efficiently in both in their aquatic environment and in flight....  

Most of the life cycle of the dragonfly is spent in a predatory immature stage living in the water. There are probably  at least some 5,000 species of dragonflies or more worldwide. Dragonflies species may differ in many aspects. Depending on species for example, the immature aquatic stage for example, could last from a few months to a several years.  Dragonflies hatch from Eggs which, depending on species, will be laid on vegetation near or over water, sometimes eggs are placed  directly in the water. They will then all emerge from the eggs as nymphs.

 Nymphs ( or dragonfly larvae) look very different from the adults. They still have six legs, two antennae, but rounder more filled out bodies.  They can usually be found hiding in the rocks or in the silt under the water. Nymphs are able to launch themselves rapidly through the water through specialized gills.  They are equipped with a retractable mouth part (prehensile labium) which can be thought of as a kind of extendable jaw.  Nymphs diet includes catching and eating worms, mites or any smaller insect they can catch. Nymphs have been observed eating  tiny fish fry, tadpoles, even smaller nymphs. Thankfully their diet also includes eating mosquito larvae and other invertebrates we find harmful or annoying.

Adults will emerge after a series of several nymph growth molts. When they are ready for maturity they climb out on some vegetation, split their "skin" and the vastly different, four winged, big eyed, long bodied, six legged adult emerges. There is no intermediate metamorphic stage.

Adult dragonflies are thought to be one of our fastest flying insects, having been clocked at going 30- 35 mph hour in bursts of speed. They are agile fliers and can fly backwards, forwards and are able to hover briefly. Adults use several of their legs to make a kind of cage to capture other flying insects. They can crush and eat their prey with their well developed mouth parts. Large compound eyes enable them to sense a wide range of prey movement from many different directions. As predators, adult Dragonflies eat flying insects they can catch. Dragonflies have been reported eating butterflies and bees, for instance. Adults also eat mosquitoes and other insects we consider as "pests" as well.

 Dragonflies usually be distinguished from their close relatives the damselflies as most species of dragonflies keep their wings stretched out to the sides of their body even when at rest. They come in many colors and their wings have different patterns and spots. Dragonflies are active during sunny day time hours. The one I  found sunning itself in a field in late October, in the Hudson Valley area of NY was probably (as an adult) near the end of it's life cycle. Only the nymphs stage dragonflies can remain active in their aquatic environment during our temperate zone cold winter months. The frosts kill the adults who will have already mated and laid their eggs.

Only a few species of Dragonflies migrate.  Dragonflies depending on species, can often be found near bodies of water such as ponds, streams or lakes, in or near swamps and wetlands, sometimes further inland. Many species prefer fresh water habitats. Dragonflies are very susceptible to water pollution.

Some things I found helpful:
Using the Order name "Odonata" in searches. Looking at Field Guides. Surfing the internet for
State and Country websites which will often post species that are native to our areas,checking out international dragonfly organizations. I also found the website  ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthopoda/uiramia/odonata very helpful in trying to understand more about entomology.








 

Waterfalls on the Esopus Creek : A Place Worth Saving/ Hudson Valley NY Walk.

I decided to take a trip to "The Waterfall Place." It is right beside the road traveling south on 9W from Saugerties before the sign announcing Town of Ulster. A sign on the right announces that waterfall property is for sale 30+ acres. This place has been for sale as long as I can remember. It's definitely a place that is very ecologically fragile. I took pictures of two of the waterfalls and looked at the  habitat that runs along side the creek. I also walked up a tree lined path to view the Esopus from an overhanging rock above. I have gone to this place before and noticed many beautiful wildflowers and had hoped to go back in the spring to check it out.    

One first has to pass heaps of discarded garbage and shot up brought up junk on the way to the waterfalls. Part of this place has been used for years as a shooting gallery. It is rather shocking and very sad. I was looking for nature and for what I could find. Not pictures on how to abuse natural settings.  Part of the property is already suffering due to all the flooding we had last year. It's a fragile ecology struggling to survive. I made a photo collage below to give you an idea of how beautiful I think this place really is.
...... minus the trash.  

Do you like trees, plants, flowers, animals, bugs, fungi or nature photography? About my blog

I'm educating myself to be a better naturalist. I believe Nature can be found all around us. At times I'll be taking nature field trips, doing research, or just writing more in depth on things that helped me. I will be clear about when I'm just posting my opinion.  Sometimes I'll just post pictures.Today I'm trying to post a photo commentary to help explain more of what my blog is about.

I'd love to go places and show people some of the beauty that is around here. We have lakes, mountains and lots of trees. I'd like to see other pictures of other places around the world. I want to learn what other people are seeing, doing or thinking about.

I'll also be documenting and taking pictures of common things like this new growth of pine. I  like lichens, mushrooms, feathers, flowers, bugs, trees, footprints, habitats, mushrooms, birds and animals. As I get more pictures I'll post them. I like to see what I can find. Urban or rural. parks, or backyards,
 Nature is all around us.  

I think the natural world can be experienced from many different perspectives. 

  I'll try to show you the "essence" of a place from either from a naturalist or artistic viewpoint but I can't ignore reality.  It may be part of what I find. I'm also trying to
 "walk my talk" and be more environmentally conscious.
 Relax and enjoy the natural world around us. That is my goal.  

                                                     
I live in the USA in the Hudson Valley area of NY.  This blog represents my on-line journey. I want to learn more about nature, but I also want to remember to experience nature.

Wild Geese. What Can We Do? / updated

  I have been reading a lot of publications that suggest that Canadian Geese have become a problem in many suburban environments. My opinion is that we don't always think about How to Keep Goose Wild.  Here in the US we still have lots of suburban areas. There is no cover of long grass  for predators to hide in around many of our overly cultured lakes and ponds.  In many cases we've destroyed or cleaned out habitats for their natural predators....

 I learned that geese like some of the grasses we've planted. ...  Kentucky blue grass....Yum. Geese love it. As herbivores they like short, tender, succulent grasses and grains in the field or in the water. They like having their water bare and naked down to the shores. They probably think we designed these golf courses and open ponds and lakes just for them, and we did. We just didn't realize it.

 Our history has shown,  we can easily extinguish other creatures that we think are pests easily by over shooting or hunting them. I'm not for extending our hunting season. We've done it in the past. We could do it again.

 But I know I'd miss the wild goose. I don't want to have to show my grandchildren a picture of them. They are social birds..... I can often hear them honking and making different sounds as they fly by.
 
 We can often modify our human habitats and behaviors in a way that discourages animals we like to classify as pests,  whether this be Goose or any other creature. Goose for instance doesn't like tall grass or plants near the water, nor a place that has a lot of trees and shrubs. They like to be out in the open so they can watch out for common predators like skunk and raccoon and other creatures that eat their young or eggs. Adult geese have few predators except in wilder areas. They mate for life and are protective over their young.  I'd like to see more areas of wild natural habits created but I also think we are the ones who need to Start Thinking Differently if we want to co-exist with wild animals on the planet.  We can't just set up a sign saying they can't come here.

Instead of golf courses....Let's plant fields of trees... We could plant fields with tall grasses and wildflowers...

Keep the Goose Wild is my own opinion . Thank goodness I'm not on a board of directors there are many things to consider when making decisions about wildlife management. For those readers  that do have a problem with geese, some habitat environmental management ideas( including how to alter golf courses in a less radical way than I have suggested) can be gleaned from many different publications. I found that one does not have to agree with everything any one publication offers to stimulate thoughts and ideas for environmentally friendly solutions......

Wildlife signs walk - Hudson Valley NY- January

It's amazing what one can see on a warm winter's day in late January. I decided to keep to exploring the pasture land near where I live, in anticipation of moving soon. I was hoping to see some hawks as I wanted to try to identify them. We actually had at least three different types here over the summer but most seem to have migrated. The Coopers hawk was the only one who stayed this far north for the  winter.

   Looking up as an observer from below, the hawk could be described as a much whiter looking bird.   The over all appearance of the hawk when seen from the ground level is a vision in tan bands on a background of mostly cream color. Probably a juvenile.  The hawks I saw were at least the size of a crow. I found out that Cooper's hawks live all over the US and into Canada.   It is an excellent flyer, thought to be very adaptable to human activity and can often be found in places where other hawk's are not able to survive.  Cooper's hawk is adept at catching it's prey in the air, and seems to prefer birds. They were once extensively hunted or shot because chicken farmers believed they ate their birds and are still commonly called in some places" the chicken hawk".   Cooper's hawks also eats rodents such as mice, squirrels, and chipmunks. It will eat rabbits, fish, insects, and other animals including amphibians and reptiles. It's definitely not only adaptable but a predator with keen eyesight, and sharp talons that can crush it's prey.The males are the ones who will build the nest, and help to provide most of the food for nesting females and young.

The field looked something like this picture but much longer and broader.  After the two hawks circled high overhead a couple of times, one suddenly flew over my head while the other circled off in the other direction toward the woods. ...... Such quick and efficient fliers! Even though we have a lot of other birds around including some of this type of hawk's favorite foods. I can't help but notice the other birds seem to know where to hide, are overwintering, and chose to remain here. Despite the two hawks, this area is rich in bird life. Must be lots of food and cover for everyone.

 I heard a scuffling sound. Suddenly two doves flew out of this cover at a bend in the field. A rabbit raced off at my approach. I could only identify the rabbit by that unmistakable cotton tail.

The bark was eaten off of two of the birches in thin strips. About as high as my knee.Too low to the ground for deer. A small mammal perhaps a porcupine could have eaten this bark. It would be about the right height.

This tree in another part of the field, ends in a mass of shaggy vines. Doesn't look like the classic outline of a walnut tree but then again its covered with vines. That or someone dragged a lot of walnuts under it.

  Many walnuts are open or empty in this setting and the black round thing, which I first thought was something else, is the tough outer walnut shell that is green when fresh, but turns darker later. Turns out squirrels, raccoon, bear and turkey will all eat walnuts... how the turkey cracks it open, I don't know. I have seen squirrels, turkeys and raccoon around here.

Near by the pile of walnuts is an ear of corn.  The corn field has been cut now and isn't too far away. I've seen some whole ears of corn dragged to some strange places around here. Perhaps a raccoon was feeding on this one, or some other critter feeling safer in the thickets and brambles.

This one could be a hut for me. It's got an opening that is smooth and clear of brambles inside.

Some animals prefer to just live in a hole in the ground. It works for them. Nice and warmer below the surface away from the cold winds and freezing temperatures outside during the winter. Not hard to imagine this burrow could have different chambers, maybe some for eating and others for sleeping.


Like to thank:
Wikipedia for picture of the Cooper's Hawk. This hawk picture was taken in Toronto Canada in November of 2004. See 2004 (Nov) file Accipiter- Cooperii- O1.jpg. ... I got some info on hawks from Audubon. org and Peregrine.org if anyone is interested in more information on different types of hawks.

Some Trees I'll Remember - Hudson Valley NY Pictures

One thing I'll really miss about living here when I move are the trees and the open spaces. I haven't been here that long and I'm just moving to the other side of town, but it's the citified part of town. It's not the part with fields and farms and pasture land.  I decided to post some pictures of some of the trees on the property that I really like and talk about why I like them. I decided to take a walk so many of these pictures were taken in late January.  Today was warm, the sun was shining so I was able to run out and take a few pictures, as usual birds were singing everywhere.

This one was taken earlier but I like how it looks like an eye on the trunk. Reminds me of a "tree dragon".

There are lines of trees, shrubbery and fencing that separate some parts of the pasture land. This is part of the line that protected  the crop land. I like to call this picture "tree in chains."

This picture was taken in one of the open areas of the fence. You can see the cut corn crop in the distance.

Even the downed trees are showing new life forming on top of the old.

Going up to the pasture land part, I can't help but admire what's left of this tree. Looks like some woodpeckers have been having a field day.

This  is one of my favorite trees, It's right near the area where I found a deer skull once.

Some geese flew over as I was taking these pictures, so I turned to try and take their picture but they were gone. I'll have to imagine one in the sky I guess! You can see the pasture land,  and our very old mountains that look like "humps" in the distance.