Run to the Wild Side

Plants found on plot

Goldenrods--about 100 species, all native to this country, most found in the East--generally 2-4 feet high--summer and fall--composite family

Queen Anne's Lace--thrives in cultivated fields and exposed grounds--summer and early fall--parsley family

Yarrows--typical roadside weed, growing 1-2 feet high--summer and fall--composite family

Thistle--60 species--spiny bracts--flowers in spring and summer--fruit (seed) on plot was spiny and dry--composite family

Aster--120-150 species--open fields and roadside--late summer to late fall--composite family

Joe-pye weed--2-12 feet, habitat is roadside--Boneset, with white flowers--is most common type-- late summer and fall--composite family

Live birds and animals found on plot

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)--12", sleek gray-brown--found in the northern part of the plot with the cottonwoods and black willow--feeds on scattered seed, insects, grass and grain seed--usually nests in trees 3-30 feet high, and rarely,, on the ground--habitat is in almost any open habitat.

Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus)--thought to evolve to look like the Monarch (poisonous) butterfly, but both are bitter-tasting--lives in willows, poplars and cottonwoods--can be distinguished from the Monarch by the black stripes on the lower wings--early in the season they feed on carrion, dung and decaying fungi and late, on flowers, especially composites including aster, goldenrod, joe-pye weed, shepherd's needle and Canada thistle--habitat is moist open or shrubby areas, willow thickets, valley bottoms and roadsides--found throughout most of the U.S.

Footprints on plot

Human

Canine

Shorebirds--there were several different sizes of shorebird footprints--possibilities for the larger prints might include great blue heron (Ardea herodias).--smaller prints might be from the common snipe (Gallinago gallinago)--Gulls found in this habitat might include the ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis), herring gull