Field Notes from the Past #18

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 29 [=30, 1962], Monday

April is supposed to be the month of showers, but this had been a very dry month; this until today. Today was a bright, sunny day until about 2:00 [PM] when the sky started to get black in the west and north-west. It began raining at about 3:00 at [sic] didn't stop until about 4:30. At about 3:15 it got nearly pitch black and the wind began blowing hard.

By 6:00 the sun was shining again and I saw the first Chimney Swifts of the year flying high overhead.

Field Notes from the Past #17

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 29 [1962], Sunday

The leaves on nearly all the trees are out by now and the rest at least have buds on them. There are several species of flowers out also and it truly looks like spring again.

Many Myrtle [=Yellow-rumped] Warblers were seen in woodland swamp, mixed woodlands, and fence rows. They were probably the most abundant bird seentoday.

In the morning I heard the “Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody” song of the White-throated Sparrow for the first time. In the evening many were seen feeding on the ground in a woodland swamp. They scratched at the leaves and other debris in typical towhee fashion. In relation to their size they made more noise than the towhee.

I saw the [i.e., my] first migrating Scarlet Tanager and Yellow Warbler this evening.

I saw my first [American] Woodcock this morning when two were flushed from a feld of wheat stubble. [In retrospect, it seems more likely that these were dowitchers.]

In the evening I saw my first Marsh Hawk flying around in circles over the same field. The bird was a female and the white rump patch was seen clearly.

Horsetails of Berrien County, Michigan

The horsetails of the Class Equisetopsida are the oldest living members of the plant kingdom, dating back some 300-350 million years to the Carboniferous period. According to the Online Atlas of Michigan Plants, 5 species of horsetails are found in Berrien County, representing a single order, a single family, and a single genus:

ORDER EQUISETALES (Horsetails)

Family Equisetaceae (Horsetails):

Equisetum arvense, Field Horsetail

Equisetum fluviatile, Water Horesetail

Equisetum hyemale, Scouring-rush Horsetail

Equisetum palustre, Marsh Horsetail

Equisetum variegatum, Variegated Horsetail

Field Notes from the Past #16

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 25 [1962], Wednesday

This morning I started taking detailed observations on the [Eastern] Bluebirds nesting in house #2. I hope to make a report on the nesting of this pair.

I saw my first Orange-croned Warbler this morning, bringing my life list total to 75 [species].

About 5:00 [o'clock] in the afternoon a grassfire started on the northern side of the [New York Central] railroad tracks just east of here. Before the fire was extinguished it had burned an area about 1/2 mile long. In most places only the grass was burned, ut in one instance a small cattail marsh was completely destroyed and a telephone pole was burned half-way thru at the base. The poles on which [bluebird] houses #4 and #5 are on had been completely surrounded by fire, but no damage was done to the houses.

Fishes of Berrien County, Michigan

Historically known as Pisces, the ray-finned fishes are now grouped together in the Class Actinopterygii. Based on specimen records and distribution maps, 101 species representing 17 orders, 24 families, and 58 genera of ray-finned fishes are known from the lakes, rivers, and streams Berrien County or immediately adjacent waters of Lake Michigan. In the list below, an asterisk (*) denotes existence of a voucher specimen (Michigan DNR nd), a plus sign (+) denotes an accepted field identification not supported by voucher specimen (ibid.), a hat (^) denotes reported presence in Berrien County portion of the St. Joseph River and its tributaries based on distribution maps (MDNR 1999a, 1999b, and 1999c [all .pdf]), an [I] denotes a species established through direct or indirect intervention of humans, and an {SF} denotes a species for which annual sportfish regulations are established:

ORDER ACIPENSIFORMES (Sturgeons and Paddlefish)

Family Acipenseridae (Sturgeons):

Acipenser fulvescens, Lake Sturgeon+^ {SF}

Family Polyodontidae (Paddlefishes):

Polyodon spathula, Paddlefish+

ORDER SEMIONOTIFORMES (Gars)

Family Lepisosteidae (Gars):

Lepisosteus oculeatus, Spotted Gar+^

Lepisosteus osseus, Longnose Gar+^

ORDER AMIIFORMES (Bowfins)

Family Amiidae (Bowfins):

Amia calva, Bowfin*^

ORDER ANGUILLIDAE (Freshwater Eels)

Family Anguillidae (Freshwater Eels):

Anguilla rostrata, American Eel^ [I]

ORDER CLUPEIFORMES (Herrings)

Family Clupeidae (Herrings):

Alosa pseudoharengus, Alewife+^ [I]

Dorosoma cepedianum, Gizzard Shad*^

ORDER CYPRINIFORMES (Carps and Minnows)

Family Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows):

Camposotoma anomalum, Central Stoneroller*^

Carassius auratus, Goldfish+^ [I]

Couesius plumbeus, Lake Chub*

Cyprinella spiloptera, Spotfin Shiner*^

Cyprinus carpio, Common Carp+^ [I]

Hybognathus hankinsoni, Brassy Minnow^

Luxilus chrysocephalus, Striped Shiner*

Luxilus cornutus, Common Shiner*^

Nocomis biguttatus, Hornyhead Chub*^

Nocomis micropogon, River Chub^

Notemigonus crysoleucos, Golden Shiner*^

Notropis atherinoides, Emerald Shiner*^

Notropis heterodon, Blackchin Shiner+^

Notropis heterolepis, Blacknose Shiner*^

Notropis hudsonius, Spottail Shiner+^

Notropis rubellus, Rosyface Shiner*^

Notropis stramineus, Sand Shiner*^

Notropis volucellus, Mimic Shiner*^

Pimephales notatus, Bluntnose Minnow*^

Pimephales promelas, Fathead Minnow+

Rhinichthys cataractae, Longnose Dace+^

Rhinichthys obtusus, Western Blacknose Dace*

Semotilus atromaculatus, Creek Chub*^

ORDER CYPRINIFORMES (Suckers)

Family Catostomidae (Suckers):

Carpiodes cyprinus, Quillback*^

Catostomus catostomus, Longnose Sucker*^

Catostomus commersonii, White Sucker*^

Erimyzon sucetta, Lake Chubsucker^

Nypentelium nigricans, Northern Hog Sucker*^

Ictiobus niger, Black Buffalo^ [I]

Minytrema melanops, Spotted Sucker+^

Moxostoma anisurum, Silver Redhorse*^

Moxostoma carinatum, River Redhorse+^

Moxostoma duquesnei, Black Redhorse+^

Moxostoma erythrurum, Golden Redhorse*

Mosostoma macrolepidotum, Shorthead Redhorse*^

Moxostoma valenciennesi, Greater Redhorse+

ORDER SILURIFORMES (Catfishes)

Family Ictaluridae (Bullhead Catfishes):

Ameiurus melus, Black Bullhead*^

Ameiurus natalis, Yellow Bullhead*^

Ameiurus nebulosus, Brown Bullhead^

Ictalurus punctatus, Channel Catfish+^ {SF}

Noturus flavus, Stonecat+^

Noturus gyrinus, Tadpole Madtom+^

Pylodictis olivaris, Flathead Catfish+^ {SF}

ORDER ESOCIFORMES (Mudminnows and Pikes)

Family Esocidae (Pickerels and Pikes):

Esox americanus, Grass Pickerel*^

Esox lucius, Northern Pike+^ {SF}

Family Umbridae (Mudminnows):

Umbra limi, Central Mudminnow*^

ORDER OSMERIFORMES (Smelts)

Family Osmeridae (Smelts):

Osmerus mordax, Rainbow Smelt* [I]

ORDER SALMONIFORMES (Salmons)

Family Salmonidae (Trouts and Salmons):

Corregonus artedi, Lake Herring+ {SF}

Corregonus clupeaformis, Lake Whitefish+^ {SF}

Corregonus hoyi, Bloater+

Corregonus reighardi, Shortnose Cisco+

Corregonus zenithicus, Shortjaw Cisco+

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, Pink Salmon^ [I] {SF}

Oncorhynchus kisutch, Coho Salmon+^ [I] {SF}

Oncorhynchus mykiss, Rainbow Trout*^ [I] {SF}

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, Chinook Salmon+^ [I] {SF}

Prosopium cylindraceum, Round Whitefish+^

Salmo salar, Atlantic Salmon^ [I] {SF}

Salmo trutta, Brown Trout*^ [I] {SF}

Salvelinus fontinalis, Brook Trout*^ {SF}

Salvelinus namaycush, Lake Trout+^ {SF}

ORDER PERCOPSIFORMES (Trout-Perches)

Family Aphredoderidae (Pirate Perches):

Aphredoderus sayanus, Pirate Perch+^

ORDER GADIFORMES (Cods)

Family Gadidae (Cods):

Lota lota, Burbot*^

ORDER CYPRINODONTIFORMES (Killifishes)

Family Fundulidae (Topminnows):

Fundulus dispar, Starhead Topminnow*

Fundulus notatus, Blackstripe Topminnow*^

ORDER ATHERINIFORMES (Silversides)

Family Atherinidae (Silversides):
Labidesthes sicculus, Brook Silverside*^

ORDER GASTEROSTEIFORMES (Sticklebacks)

Family Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks):

Cluaea inconstans, Brook Stickleback^

Gasterosteus aculeatus, Threespine Stickleback+ [I]

Pungitius pungitius, Ninespine Stickleback+

ORDER SCORPAENIFORMES (Sculpins)

Family Cottidae (Sculpins):

Cottus bairdii, Mottled Sculpin*^

Cottus cognatus, Slimy Sculpin+^

ORDER PERCIFORMES (Perch-like Fishes)

Family Moronidae (Striped Basses):

Morone americana, White Perch+ [I]

Morone chrysops, White Bass+ {SF}

Family Centrarchidae (Sunfishes):

Ambloplites rupestris, Rock Bass*^ {SF}

Lepomis cyanellus, Green Sunfish*^ {SF}

Lepomis gibbosus, Pumpkinseed*^ {SF}

Lepomis gulosus, Warmouth+^ {SF}

Lepomis macrochirus, Bluegill*^ {SF}

Lepomis microlophus, Redear Sunfish+ {SF}

Lepomis peltastes, Northern Longear Sunfish+^ {SF}

Micropterus dolomieu, Smallmouth Bass+^ {SF}

Micropterus salmoides, Largemouth Bass*^ {SF}

Pomoxis annularis, White Crappie+^ {SF}

Pomoxis nigromaculatus, Black Crappie*^ {SF}

Family Percidae (True Perches):

Etheostoma blennioides, Greenside Darter^

Etheostoma caeruleum, Rainbow Darter*^

Ehteostoma nigrum, Johnny Darter*^

Perca flavescens, Yellow Perch+^ {SF}

Percina caprodes, Logperch*^

Percina maculata, Blackside Darter*^

Sander vitreus, Walleye+^ [I] {SF}

Family Sciaenidae (Drums):

Aplodinotus grunniens, Freshwater Drum+^

Family Gobiidae (Gobies):

Neogobius melanostomus, Round Goby+ [I]

Five Years Ago in Birds Etcetera - 4/23/03

A "gem" from April 23, 2003:

Invasive Species in West Virginia

Field Notes from the Past #15

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 23 [1962], Monday

I saw my first Solitary Sandpiper today in what seemed to me as the most unlikely habitat to find a sandpiper in. I flushed the bird from a field of wheat stubble. The area from where the bird was flushed was the lowest part of the field and is always under several inches of water in the spring.

Migratory [Slate-colored (=Dark-eyed)] Juncos were seen again today, but in greater numbers.

I saw the male [Eastern] Bluebird perched on the wires above house #2. This is the first bluebird seen since April 8 (15 days). I didn't look in the house for fear I would scar[e] the birds away.