Cherries

July 11, 2025

Our gardener friend is always on the lookout for fresh fruit and vegetables sourced from local farms and orchards. She often buys in bulk and then splits the cost (and produce) with Melissa. Several weeks ago, we got a baker’s dozen ears of corn (Zea mays), but we missed out on a bushel of fresh peaches (Prunus persica). She texted Melissa several days ago and said she had found another farm selling peaches nearby and she was going to get them. These were the free-stone variety that I really like, and I began to think of ways to use a half bushel of sweet Georgia peaches. After she bought them, she called Melissa and said she also had 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of cherries. When Melissa told me she was going to pick up the fruit, the only thought on my mind was, “What are we going to do with 10 pounds of cherries?”

When I went online, I found a cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus and is a fleshy stone fruit (drupe). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet Prunus avium and the sour Prunus cerasus. The English word cherry derives from Old Northern French or Norman “cherise” from the Latin “cerasum”. These are a reference to the ancient Greek region of Kerasous near Giresun, Turkey, where cherries were first thought to be exported to Europe. The name ‘cherry’ also refers to the cherry tree and its wood and is sometimes applied to almonds and visually similar flowering trees in the genus Prunus, as in “ornamental cherry” (Prunus serrulate) or “cherry blossom”. The word “cherry” is also used for some species that bear fruits with similar size and shape even though they are not in the same Prunus genus. These include species like the “Jamaican cherry” (Muntingia calabura) and the “Spanish cherry” (Mimusops elengi). Cherries, along with many other fruiting trees and plants, probably first arrived in North America around 1606 in the New France colony of Port Royal, which is modern-day Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

While Melissa was picking up the cherries, I googled to find out what to do with 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of cherries. I was surprised to find several sites attempting to address the exact issue. It seems unless you buy a controlled amount in the grocery store, they come in bulk. The obvious choice (other than eating them fresh) was to turn them into jellies, jams, or preserves. Melissa occasionally eats jam, but I rarely do, so 10 pounds of cherry jam seemed a bit much. Then there was cherry cheesecake and other cherry desserts. Again, we rarely eat dessert, let alone 10 pounds of such. That is when I came across a recipe for brandied cherries (brandy, water, sugar). This was said to be like maraschino cherries but with a wonderful flavor. The suggestion was to replace the maraschino in your favorite cocktail, but they could be used in a variety of ways. When the cherries arrived, it turned out to only be five pounds (2.25 kg), or 5 each. Our friend also lent us her cherry pitter. This quickly popped out the seed rather than cutting the pits out of a bulk of cherries with a knife. Five pounds (2.25 kg) of cherries is still a lot.

THOUGHTS: As we were pitting the cherries Melissa came up with several ways to use them. We made four cups into two pints brandied cherries, one of which was destined to become cheesecake. Another four cups were reserved to become cherry crisp. The last batch we left unpitted for Melissa to snack on. The first cherry pitter dates to the 1880’s as home cooks sought to simplify the task of cutting the stones out of the cherries for canning, baking, or other food uses. A straw or chopstick can also be used to push out the pit. The pitter I used reminded me of the cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney in 1793. Both were designed to speed up the process and reduce the tedious task of seed extraction. Mechanical ingenuity saves time. These savings could/should be put back into building your family or community. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Smallmouth

June 30, 2025

My MSN browser scroll included an article on the attempts to eradicate an invasive fish from a midsized lake in the Adirondacks. While the fish are native to North America, they were introduced widely across the Adirondacks in the 1900’s, where they took over many lakes. Their arrival led to declines of native fish species and stunting of growth rates in prized brook and lake trout, which compete for the same prey. A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that in response to the annual removal of a quarter of the invasive fish from the lake, the numbers of fish 5 inches (12.7 cm) and under have increased while fish larger than 12 inches (30.5 cm) were mostly eliminated. The findings have important implications for fish management. It highlights the importance of preventing non-native species invasions before they happen and illustrates how efforts to suppress a species may backfire, leading to the opposite effect. The smallmouth bass rapidly evolved to grow faster and invest more in early reproduction, leading to an even larger population of smaller fish.

When I went online, I found the smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), also known as brown bass, bronze bass, and bareback bass, is a freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae). It is the type species of its genus Micropterus (black basses) and is a popular game fish throughout the temperate zones of North America. Males are generally smaller than females. The males tend to range around two pounds, while females can range from three to six pounds. The maximum recorded size is approximately 27 inches (69 cm) and 12 pounds (5.4 kg). The color of the smallmouth ranges from golden olive to dark brown dorsally which fades to a yellowish white ventrally with dark brown vertical bars or blotches along the body and dark brown horizontal bars on the head. The combination of muscular fusiform body shape and camouflage like coloring make these fish highly effective ambush predators. The color varies greatly depending on age, habitat, water quality, diet, and the spawning cycle. The fish has spread through stocking, along with illegal introductions, to many cool-water tributaries and lakes in Canada and especially the US.

Peter McIntyre, professor in the departments of Natural Resources and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and among the senior authors, said, “Twenty-five years ago, Cornell’s Adirondack Fishery Research Program set out to test whether we could functionally eradicate smallmouth bass from a lake. It took us 25 years to prove why the answer is no: the fish evolved to outmaneuver us.” Efforts began in 2000 to suppress bass in Little Moose Lake in the Adirondacks by using a generator to electrify the water to temporarily stun fish (electrofishing). Scientists then scooped them up, released the native species back into the lake, and removed all captured bass. The removal of 1000’s of fish worked for several years, then the smallmouth began to make a comeback, especially the smaller fish. Genetic analysis revealed that selection pressures from removing fish resulted in dramatic genetic changes between 2000 and 2019 in the genomic regions associated with increased growth and early maturation.

THOUGHTS: The introduction of smallmouth bass to the mountain lakes presented a new apex predator. The brook (Salvelinus fontinalis) and lake (Salvelinus namaycush) trout are threatened by warming surface waters and depleted oxygen levels in cooler deeper water during the summer, and then competition with the smallmouth. The genetic evolution resulted in a lose-lose for anglers. The trout are disappearing, and the smallmouth are too small to keep. Ecosystems are delicate balance and human intervention is rarely positive. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Inca

June 12, 2025

As I looked out my back window this afternoon, I saw a flash of copper as a bird flew from our window feeders to the pool deck. At first, I thought it was one of the elusive mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) I see and hear frequently around our property (but not at our feeders or been able to get a picture). The problem was that it seemed a little smaller than a mourning dove, and then there was that copper flash as the bird landed on the deck. I enjoy watching the small passerines that flock to our feeders in the morning and evening. I will even tolerate the common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) that drive the other birds off and eat the entire feeder in short order. That is as long as they do not arrive en masse. I have watched them strip all eight feeders along the fence in less than 10 minutes. Now I have taken to occasionally send Loki out to scare them away. While he does not do anything except run into the yard, the grackles seem to be afraid of his size. The bird on the deck seemed to be a species I was unfamiliar with. I was able to get a photo of the bird before it flew off and I checked it against the google identification app. It turns out it was a new bird, an Inca dove.

When I went online, I found the Inca dove (Columbina inca), also called the Mexican dove, is a small New World dove first described by French surgeon and naturalist René Lesson in 1847. The Inca reaches 6.5 to 9.1 inches (16.5 to 23 cm) in length, weighs 1.1 to 2.0 ounces (30 to 58 g) and has an average wingspan of 11.2 inches (28.5 cm) and a max wingspan of 12.6 inches (32 cm). The Inca is a slender species, with a gray-brown body covered in feathers that resemble a scaled pattern. The tail is long and square and edged with white feathers that may flare out in flight. The underwings are reddish (hence the copper I saw) and on takeoff produce a distinctive, quiet rattling noise. The species ranges from Costa Rica in the south to the American Southwest in the north and is often common to abundant in suitable habitat. This terrestrial species forms flocks in desert, scrubland, and cultivated areas and may also be found in urban settings where they feed on grass seeds and take advantage of the availability of water from agricultural and suburban irrigation. During winter, Inca doves roost in communal huddles of 10 or more birds by making a pyramid formation that aids them retain body heat. They often flock outside of their territories, with flocks growing up to 100 birds. Its range has been expanding northward and southward in the past few decades.

Despite being named after the Inca Empire, the species does not occur in any of the lands where the Inca empire existed. When I looked at the range map for the Inca dove, I noticed it did not include Arkansas. The closest it came was toward the top of Texas, or several 100 miles (320 km) to the south and west. The Inca has in the past escaped or been deliberately released in the state of Florida in the US, but there is no evidence that the population is breeding. It may only persist due to more releases or escapes. The single bird I saw may have been blown off course by the current round of storms which have been coming up from Texas. Or perhaps it just wanted to be a tourist in the Natural State (i.e., Arkansas). Regardless, this qualifies as a rare bird sighting. A rare bird sighting is observance of bird species that are uncommon in a particular region or that are considered at risk of extinction. These sightings can include birds that are not typically found in a specific area due to changes in migration patterns, unusual weather conditions, or simply because they are very rare.

THOUGHTS: When I identified the Inca dove it became my first rare bird sighting. I was a little skeptical being a newbie birder, but my daily rare bird notification listed another Arkansas sighting as well. I posted the picture and have already gotten a Like. Being an amateur and posting on a site of experts made me nervous. Perhaps more of us should follow the advice of Eleanor Roosevelt – “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Catchments

June 09, 2025

I found it fitting after blogging last month about the wildlife structures in Southern Colorado that allow animals to safely cross highways to come across an article in Sunday’s paper addressing the drought wildlife faces in the Arizona desert. The article began with the parade of animals coming to the human-made watering hole on a night in May. First a coyote (Canis latrans), then a gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), followed by a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), and finally a herd of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). As dawn broke the watering hole began to serve its daytime visitors. These were the scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), ravens (Corvus corax principalis), vultures (Cathartes aura), doves (genus Streptopelia), and the occasional lizard (genus Tupinambis). This activity was recorded at the “Teddy Bear” water catchment, nicknamed for the teddy bear cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii) that grows around it. This is one of the thousands of catchments managed by Arizona Game and Fish (AGF) built to boost game numbers for hunting and compensate for habitat fragmentation. The catchments have satisfied thirsty animals since the 1940’s.

When I went online, I found Teddy Bear (catchment No. 436) was built to draw deer away from the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Canal. The site has a large sheet of metal that directs rainwater into a gutter and feeds it into an underground tank. The water resurfaces a few yards away as a square of slick green in the arid desert. A fence surrounds the catchment to keep livestock out yet allows wild animals in. Joe Currie, AGF habitat planning program manager, said the catchments are a great support for creatures who live in Arizona’s unforgiving deserts. Many animals can only live a few days without water or the water-rich food the catchments provide. When they were built, many of these watering holes thrived on the more consistent rain. Now, state officials say the drought has forced them to use trucks, and even helicopters, to keep the catchments full. Each year AGF hauls more than 1 million gallons of water to nearly 3,000 catchments. As severe drought deepened in Arizona in 2024, hauling has picked up.

After decades of long-term drought throughout the Southwest, Arizona suffered its hottest summer on record in 2024 and a near-record dry spell back-to-back. These short-term drought conditions persisted through the first half of 2025. Every region of Arizona has been under an official drought designation since January. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management own two-thirds of the catchments. Those departments used to have robust wildlife management programs but now have no budget to maintain the sites. Arizona has taken responsibility for the entire network, spending roughly US$1 million each year maintaining the catchments. Helicopter deliveries, with the same equipment used to dump water on wildfires, cost more than US$10,000 each. The AGF maintains a donation program where donors have contributed US$1.3 million since 2018.

THOUGHTS: Along with the catchments, Arizona has invested in wildlife structures for animals crossing highways and neighborhoods. Both allow animals to reach the water and food they need in dry times. The CAP also has 30 crossings dispersed along the canal system. These linkages also support genetic diversity in animal populations and allow wildlife to adjust to the effects of climate change. Deer are ruminants (like cows) and cud-chewing animals in dry areas struggle to digest the vegetation. Deer stuck in dry areas might also give birth to fewer fawns. The same goes for a range of other species. While hunting may provide emphasis (and funding) for the structures and the catchments, like most conservation projects they serve the entire ecosystem. If showing how such projects provide for human interests works, I say, “make it so #1!” Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Hiding

June 04, 2025

I woke this morning to the frantic yipping and growling of our dog Loki. I went into the dining room to see what was wrong and he was standing at the picture window looking onto the flower bed. This behavior is usually attributed to the neighborhood cats who like to stroll leisurely across our lawn. Our yard has also been attracting a few eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) that he barks at. As I have left the house, I see them lying under the knockout rose bush (Rosa “Radrazz”) in the middle of the yard or sitting next to the hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) in the front bed. I am surprised they do not pay much attention to me as I leave the house. Last week I found three rabbits sitting in the yard, but they took off when I came out. Loki’s manner said this was something different. When I looked closer, I saw a rabbit nestling beneath the tree. She had made a little bed among the succulents and appeared to be preparing to have her kittens. She was hiding in plain sight.

When I went online, I found Eastern cotton tails often make their nest in open areas, or hiding in plain sight. This behavior is used to discourage the predators that are too timid to enter those areas. The mother rabbit cares for the babies in a way that limits her time in the nest, making it less likely a predator will find the nest. Rabbit mothers nurse for approximately 5 minutes a day, once in the morning and again in the evening. They do not “sit” on the babies to keep them warm like some mammals and birds but instead build a nest with fur and grass which helps to keep the babies warm in between feedings. The home range is roughly circular, and a rabbit typically inhabits one range throughout their life. A range averages 1.4 acres (0.57 hectares) for adult males and 1.2 acres (0.49 hectares) for adult females but vary in size from 0.5 to 40 acres (0.20 to 16.19 hectares), depending on season, habitat quality, and individual. Adult males have larger ranges during breeding season. Multiple and a nesting rabbit say we will have rabbits hiding in our yard for the foreseeable future.

When a nest hiding in plain sight is discovered many assume it has been “abandonded” and want to help. Less than 10% of orphaned rabbits survive a week and the care attempted can be illegal, unnecessary, and potentially harmful. To determine if the mother is returning, create a tic-tac-toe pattern over the nest with twigs and wait 24 hours to see if the twigs have been removed. If they have been moved the mother is coming back. You can also listen to the amount of time the kittens spend crying. The kittens should be quiet most of the day, and if they are constantly crying, they are not being fed. If you find a nest that has been disturbed, do all you can to restore and protect it rather than bring the kittens inside. If a dog has discovered the nest (Loki is not out front), you can put a wheelbarrow or a wicker laundry basket with a hole cut in it to allow the mother to enter. If you come across a rabbit nest in the wild and the mother is not there, leave them alone. If you remove them from the nest, you will greatly reduce their chance of survival. If you are in doubt about what to do and want to help, the best thing is to contact a wildlife rehabilitator in your area.

THOUGHTS: Finding the rabbit trying to build a nest hiding in plain sight gave me pause. The presence was driving Loki nuts, and I knew if I did not do something we would have an active nest. This year the bed includes tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), squash (Cucurbita pepo), and red onions (Allium cepa), so I will be weeding close to the nest. Melissa pointed out the rabbit did not move when we went to look at it, and even when I went to the mailbox it ran away and immediately came back. I have decided to leave the choice to the mother. Wanting to help has often put humans in conflict. While humanitarian aid should be provided, changing lifestyle is the choice of the person wanting help, not the aid giver. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Returned

May 17, 2025

Last May I blogged about the nest an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) had made on top of the curve in the downspout on the side of our house. While this stuck me as amusing, it prompted an exploration into what I could (and could not) do with the nest. I was not too keen about having a bird nest attached to my house (neighbors: how unsightly!). The nest was just above my raised vegetable beds, so I wondered about being attacked every time I came out to water or pick new fruit. The birds were not overly territorial but would always make a scene of flying to the fence along the yard in an apparent effort to divert my attention from the nest. Since I did not want this to become a permanent nesting site, I checked Arkansas law and found the nest was protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) if the nest was active (eggs or chicks present). If the nest has been abandoned or has no eggs it can be removed. I waited until late September before I removed the nest. This year another pair of robins built a nest in the exact same location. That got me wondering if the pair returned or if this was just a great place to build a nest and raise a family.

When I looked online, I found the American robin has an extremely high rate of return to the same breeding site each season (nest fidelity). Why birds returned to nest was not really understood until the early part of the last century when Oliver Austin, with the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in Massachusetts, started banding the Common tern (Sterna hirundo) which nested there. Austin found that the same terns returned to Wellfleet each spring and often laid their eggs in the exact spot on the ground as they did the year before. While robins return to old nesting sites, they typically do not reuse nests. They might repair or build on top of an old nest, but they generally build a new nest for each brood they raise. Old nests can harbor parasites and diseases, so building a new nest helps keep the nestlings healthy. Robins return to a previous nesting site if they had a successful hatch. They may instead prefer a new nest site, especially if they have found a more protected location or have discovered a potential predator eyeing their old nest.

A bird building a nest in your house is often seen as a positive omen, symbolizing new beginnings, a safe and peaceful environment, and a connection to higher powers. The nest can also represent the presence of loved ones (living or dead), and a message of love and care. Birds are often seen as messengers of hope and faith, and their presence can be a reminder of your spiritual connection to the universe. Birds are drawn to places with positive vibrations and a sense of peace so the nest in your home suggests your house is a harmonious and safe space. The act of building a nest symbolizes new beginnings and a sense of starting anew. A nest in your home can be seen as a message from loved ones who recently died and a reminder of their continued presence and love. The nest itself is a symbol of home and the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment. Finally, in Buddhist traditions the bird’s nest symbolizes a nurturing environment and the importance of caring for new life. I guess that means when they return you have been doubly blessed.

THOUGHTS: Last year’s arrival of the robins met with concern over what the nest said about me as a homeowner. When they returned to the down spout it was met with a sense of joy at the wonder of life on display (including the two chicks in the photo). I work hard to keep the feeders full and water on hand. The nesting pair acknowledges our yard is a safe haven. Safe havens need to be available for both birds and humans. These places usually take hard work to ensure they are not lost. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Wheel Bug

May 14, 2025

Last weekend I decided to weed the succulent bed beside the drive. Melissa planted the bed with white stonecrops (Sedum album) mats placed around the 4-foot by 3-foot (1.2 m by .9 m) bed. The bed sits under the Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) tree I had trimmed for the limbs and branches that made up the base layer of my hügelkultur raised beds made last year. The problem was the bed was filled with dead leaves and the invasive Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) from the surrounding yard. After an hour of concentrated effort, I amassed a large pile of grass, leaves, and weeds on the driveway. I raked the debris into a pile and scooped it up to place in the trash bin (I do not have a large compost pile, yet). When I came back to blow the remaining debris onto the yard, I noticed a small insect with a red back scurrying across the drive. At first, I thought it was a Black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) spider dislodged from the debris. A closer look showed the creature had 6 legs, meaning it was an insect rather than a spider. I took a picture and googled the bug, and it was identified as an assassin bug, or more specifically a North American wheel bug.

When I went online, I found the North American wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), or simply wheel bug, is a species of large assassin bug in the family Reduviidae and the only species of wheel bug found in the US. It was described in 1763 by Carl Linnaeus. It is one of the largest terrestrial true bugs in North America and reaches up to 1.5 inches (38 mm) in length in its adult stage. It is sexually dimorphic with males slightly smaller than females. The characteristic feature of the species is the wheel-shaped armor on the first segment of the thorax which also bears the first set of legs. Adults are gray to brownish gray in color and black shortly after molting, but the nymphs (which have not developed the wheel-shaped structure) have bright red or orange abdomens. Wheel bugs prey on caterpillars and beetles by piercing them with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue. Wheel bugs are the most active in daylight but may feed at night in areas illuminated by lights. A wheel bug uses camouflage and hides in leafy areas (like my overgrown bed) whenever possible. Despite the prevalence of the wheel bug in many habitats, the information on the species is haphazard and incomplete. Most of its prey are pests, so the wheel bug is considered beneficial.

The wheel bug I found scurried off and I did not think any more about it until I noticed another one on my rake 20 minutes later. My app initially identified the insect as an assassin bug, but this refers to over 7,000 species of Reduviidae, a large wide-ranging (cosmopolitan) family of the suborder Heteroptera of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). Scanning pictures of the 5 different types of assassin bug, I determined it was a wheel bug, which also had 5 species. I narrowed this to the North American wheel bug because it was the only one native to North America. North American wheel bugs are highly regarded by organic gardeners because they consume a variety of insects, and their presence indicates a healthy, pesticide-free ecosystem. “They are the lion or the eagle of your food web,” according to Michael J. Raupp, an entomologist at the University of Maryland. I was glad I had left it alone.

THOUGHTS: The pictures of wheel bugs all showed a large black or gray adult, unlike the tiny (.25 inch/6 mm) insect I found. This was a nymph version of the wheel bug that hatches at the beginning of May and matures (after 5 molts) in July. That explains the second individual on my rake. I had disturbed a group of hatchlings hidden in the leaves. When I saw the wheel bug my first reaction was to squash it because it was unknown. Taking time to know, I found it was beneficial. Taking time to know (things or people) can often change our understanding. We just need to be willing to spend the time. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Fledging

May 06, 2025

When I let the kids out into the side yard yesterday afternoon for a constitutional Loki immediately ran to the fence. That was not a real surprise as he usually runs to the fence to see if the next-door dogs were outside. This time he instead started scrambling after something he found on the ground. Although I did not know what he had found, I was certain it was not something he needed to have in his mouth. I shooed him away and saw a fledgling bird lying on the ground. The frightened bird started scittering around as I tried to trap it in my hands. I finally grabbed the small bird. The bird was obviously frightened and distressed, but other than being wet from being in Loki’s mouth it appeared to be unharmed. I placed the bird on the top of the 6-foot (1.8 m) fence to keep it out of harms way and to give it a chance to gain some air before it hit the ground again trying to fly away. This was a fledgling blue jay that must have fallen from its nest trying to learn to fly.

When I went online, I found the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), or the jaybird, is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae that is native to eastern North America. The blue jay lives in most of the eastern and central states of the US. Some US populations are migratory. Resident populations are also found in Newfoundland, Canada, while breeding populations are found across southern Canada. The blue jay measures 9 to 12 inches (22 to 30 cm) from bill to tail and weighs 2.5 to 3.5 ounces (70 to 100 g), with a wingspan of 13 to 17 inches (34 to 43 cm). The color is predominantly blue, with a white chest and underparts, a blue crest, and a black, U-shaped collar around its neck and a black border behind the crest. Males and females are similar in size and plumage. The blue jay feeds mainly on seeds and nuts, soft fruits, arthropods, and an occasional small vertebrate. It typically gleans food from trees, shrubs, and the ground, and will “hawk” insects from the air. Blue jays can be very aggressive to other birds and have been seen to raid nests and have even to kill other birds. The nest is an open cup in the branches of a tree built by both sexes. The clutch has from two to seven eggs, which are blueish or light brown with darker brown spots. Young are underdeveloped at birth (altricial) and are brooded by the female for 8 to 12 days after hatching. The fledgling will leave the nest between 17 to 21 days old

Blue jays are monogamous during nesting and do not typically abandon their young. Even after the fledgling leaves the nest the parents will care for and feed them for at least a month, and sometimes for up to two months. If a young jay wanders far from the nest, parents may still feed it if it can be restored to or near the nest. The rare cases where the young are abandoned are due to some disturbance or other unforeseen circumstances. If you find a young blue jay, it is best to leave it alone unless it is in immediate danger. It is likely the parents are likely to be nearby and will continue to care for the fledgling bird.

THOUGHTS: The fledgling blue jay I found appeared to be in imminent danger when I put it on the fence. Fledgling is a dangerous time of life, with an average mortality rate of 42% over a week or two, with most mortality just after they leave the nest. Humans are born altricial and take even longer to learn to be self-sufficient, typically around 30 years to become fully self-sufficient. This lengthy process is due to factors like the large human brain taking time to develop, premature birth, and the need to learn complex skills from caregivers. Self-sufficiency is a gradual progression and not an event and involves developing practical skills and emotional independence. Being labeled an adult at 18 has little to do with being self-sufficient. Care networks need to be extended rather than cut off when a child comes of age or decides to become a fledgling. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Indigo

May 05, 2025

My MSN browser carried an article about the annual reintroduction of a snake into Florida’s forests. The 41 snakes were released on April 30 at Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve (ABRP). The 21 males and 20 females are part of a long-term effort to restore a once-common species. This is the eighth year that The Nature Conservancy and its partners have conducted the release. “The snakes are native, non-venomous, and critical to this ecosystem,” said Catherine Ricketts, preserve manager at ABRP. This latest release brings the total number of snakes returned to the site to 167. In 2023, conservationists spotted two hatchlings born in the wild, the first natural offspring of previously released snakes. Each snake hatches at the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) and at one year are moved to the Welaka National Fish Hatchery. The Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve is the only site in Florida where Eastern Indigo snake reintroduction is happening.

When I went online, I found the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi), also called the indigo snake, blue indigo snake, black snake, blue gopher snake, and blue bull snake, is a species of large, non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southeastern US. The Eastern Indigo was first described by John Edwards Holbrook in 1842. Until the early 1990’s the genus Drymarchon was considered monotypic with one species (Drymarchon corais) and 12 subspecies. Drymarchon corais couperi was then elevated to full species status according to the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. The generic name (Drymarchon) is from the Greek words drymos (“forest”) and archon (“lord” or “ruler”), roughly translating to “lord of the forest”. The eastern indigo has uniform blue-black dorsal scales, with some specimens having a reddish orange to tan color on the throat, cheeks, and chin. This smooth-scaled snake is considered e the longest native snake species in the US. The longest recorded specimen measured 9.2 feet (2.8 m) long and the mature male are slightly larger than females. A typical mature male measures 3.0 to 7.7 feet (1.2 to 2.36 m) and weighs 1.6 to 9.9 pounds (0.72 to 4.5 kg). Specimens over 8,5 feet (2.6 m) can weigh up to 11pounds (5 kg).

The eastern indigo snake is listed as a federally threatened species in Georgia and Florida due to habitat loss. In 2012 the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources had listed the species as possibly extirpated within the state, but a reintroduction program has shown signs of success. The eastern indigo was largely eliminated from northern Florida due to habitat loss and fragmentation. A restoration program is currently underway at Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve (ABRP) in northern Florida. The eastern indigo snake was last observed at ABRP in 1982, until 2017 when 12 snakes were released as part of the program. Twenty more snakes were released in 2018, and another 15 (10 female and 5 male) in 2019. The 10-year program is a collaborative effort between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and private partners. The snakes are also dealing with infections due to the snake fungal disease (Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola) which infects the dermal layer of skin, causing a variety of lesions that commonly manifest on the head and near the vent. NatureServe considers the species to be Vulnerable.

THOUGHTS: The docile nature and appearance can make the eastern indigo snake to be a desirable pet but owning one may be illegal without a permit. While only a few states require permits, a federal permit is required to buy one from out of state anywhere in the US. Most states allow unrestricted in-state sales. The snake requires a larger enclosure than most species and preferably with something to climb on. As a vulnerable species, it is perhaps best to leave them to the Nature Conservancy. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Parthenogenesis

February 21, 2025

Inside the front section of Monday’s newspaper was a USA Today article on the birth of a baby swell shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum). The swell shark pup hatched on January 3rd after an egg was spotted by the Shreveport aquarium’s animal husbandry team eight months ago. The birth could be from rare form of asexual reproduction (parthenogenesis), or from delayed fertilization. The two female sharks present in the tank had not been in contact with a male for more than three years. A DNA analysis once the pup is big enough for a blood sample to be taken will determine how the birth occurred, but it will take months before the test can be performed. “This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species,” said Greg Barrick, the curator of live animals at Shreveport aquarium. “We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization.”

When I looked online, I found parthenogenesis (Greek parthénos, “virgin” and “génesis, “creation”) is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which the embryo develops directly from an egg without need for fertilization. In animals, parthenogenesis means the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell. Parthenogenesis occurs naturally in some plants, algae, invertebrate animal species, and a few vertebrates (some fish, amphibians, and reptiles) and has been induced artificially in animal species that naturally reproduce through sex (fish, amphibians, and mice). Normal egg cells form in the process of meiosis (division) and have half as many chromosomes as their mother’s body cells (haploid). Such individuals are usually non-viable, and parthenogenetic offspring usually have a complete number of chromosomes (diploid). In parthenogenesis, the offspring having all of the mother’s genetic material are called full clones and those having only half are called half clones.

The baby shark has been named Yoko, after the Native American Chumash people’s word for shark (onyoko) and is said to be thriving, although sharks born by such reproduction face significant challenges. The aquarium staff said she will leave an “unforgettable legacy” to the study of shark reproduction and conservation. If Yoko was born via parthenogenesis, she would join a small number of invertebrate animals capable of “virgin births”. Laying eggs without mating is much rarer in vertebrates, but it has been seen in zebra sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum), sawfish (Pristis zijsron) and a handful of reptiles. This type of birth was first documented in Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) in 2006 in two separate British zoos. Charlotte, a stingray (Hypanus americanus) in an aquarium in North Carolina, was found to be pregnant in 2024 despite not having been in contact with a male for eight years. While scientists assume vertebrates turn to parthenogenesis when no mates are present, it is unknown why they occur and what triggers birth.

THOUGHTS: Whether Yoko was born from delayed reproduction or parthenogenesis, she is an extraordinary birth. The aquarium staff said she will leave an “unforgettable legacy” to the study of shark reproduction and conservation. While the behavior of domesticated animals has long been studied (ethology) attention has only focused on animals in the wild during the last century. What we have found is they are far more complex and diversified than we previously believed. The study has even forced us to reconsider what “makes us human”. It seems we are not so different after all. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.