Monthly Archives: September 2007

Hasty conclusions and a sparrow

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Hasty conclusions

The first hasty conclusion was that one predawn spinning argiope was representative of the genus (I really do know better than that). The second was that my yard argiope’s late appearance was typical of her behavior.

When I left for work yesterday morning at 9:50, she was in the middle of a nicely repaired web. This morning when I went out expecting to find an empty web at 6:04, there she was, her day begun.

It’s time to start making evening checks.

A sparrow

The first native sparrow of the season was in the yard this morning around 6:30. It was too dark to make an identification without the binoculars, but because the kitchen light was on I couldn’t reach for them without spooking the bird. Seconds later, light out and binoculars in hand but not yet up to my eyes, I saw the bird fly. Because of shape and yard history, I’m thinking Song Sparrow, but of course am not sure.

Nothing but House Sparrows and an ailing House Finch in the yard this afternoon. I don’t know what’s wrong with the House Finch. Her eyes are clear, but droopy, and her feathers unkempt. She seems weak and is making bobbing motions similar to a waterthrush’s.

Newcomer and update

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Newcomer

The newcomer was a Magnolia Warbler (female), which flew into the backyard at 7:20 this morning. That’s the yard’s fourth warbler species (the others are Tennessee, Mourning, and Common Yellowthroat). She flew from the yard on the north into the stand of pokeweed that lines the fence, then to the stand surrounding the dead redbud, and then back.

Update

I went out at 6:00 a.m. to check on the argiope, who hadn’t come out yet from wherever she shelters herself for the night. Checked again at 7:00; no spider. When I checked at 7:40 she was in the web, which is still in tatters. Surely she’ll repair it.

Tomorrow morning I’ll check every 10 minutes, beginning at 6:30.

Autumnal equinox, 2007

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Birds

The equinox hasn’t brought much avian diversity to my yard. There was the Common Yellowthroat yesterday morning, and early last evening a Gray Catbird was in the front yard. (The front yard doesn’t get much of my attention—I no doubt miss a lot there).

This morning a robin and a House Finch stood out amongst the House Sparrows and pigeons. The grackles left weeks ago to join winter flocks. I haven’t seen a goldfinch in days, and the mockingbird has been absent. Even starlings have become rather rare.

Butterflies

Today’s butterflies include Red Admiral, Monarch, Cabbage White, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Gray Hairstreak, and a new one for the backyard: Dainty Sulphur.

Dainty Sulphur

Spiders

I’ve found that the garden spider belongs to the genus Argiope and that it’s a female (the males of the genus are slender and smaller). The web’s zipper is called the “stabilimentum”, which, as the name suggests, lends the web stability. I also found some fantastic footage of an argiope spinning her web at Dawn’s Dream.

The yard argiope’s web is looking very ragged. There are few strands left and the zipper is nearly gone. I hope to be up before first light tomorrow to see if I can catch her repairing her web.

Signs of fall: the backyard

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Despite the heat, fall is clearly here.

  • Early this morning a young male Common Yellowthroat visited the backyard.
  • The heath and New England asters are blooming.
  • Butterfly numbers are up.

At 11:30 this morning I was getting ready to install an application on the server and was glancing every few seconds out the window to see what was in the yard when I saw a yellow butterfly small enough to be a Little Yellow. I grabbed the binoculars and ran down the stairs and outside. The yellow butterfly was gone, but there was enough activity to warrant quick sunscreen application and donning of wide-brimmed hat and long-sleeved shirt.

During the 45 minutes I was in the yard I saw around 6 Eastern Tailed Blues, 2 Gray Hairstreaks, 2 Common Buckeyes, and 2 Monarchs. The most heavily blooming aster was the one near the garden spider’s web. Of course it was the one attracting the hairstreaks and blues, and they were living very dangerously (if you look closely, you can see the web in the background on the left side of the photo).

Eastern Tailed Blue Living Dangerously

Too dangerously for one, it turned out. The victim is not necessarily the individual in the photo above. I thought the unfortunate in the web might have been a hairstreak instead.

Garden Spider with Prey

The spider is very fast. I had turned away for only a moment; when I turned back it was already wrapping its prey.

I first saw the spider in the yard on August 25. A dead Monarch was lying in the switchgrass near where I was weeding. When I looked closely I saw silk on it but still didn’t see the web right away. Fortunately, I saw the spider and its web before I inadvertently destroyed them both. I was thrilled that it had found my yard and am pleased it’s been able to sustain itself here. Web of life and all that.