Nature Happenings

  • Preying Mantis are most visible now while they're searching for mates.

  • First dogwood fruits ripen. Flowering dogwood fruits (and twigs!) are important food sources for many species of song and game birds, as well as for some mammals. Roughleaf Dogwood fruits are eaten by songbirds, as well as by Prairie Chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, Bobwhite, Wild Turkey and Ring-necked Pheasant.

  • Orioles are usually gone by Labor Day; many hummingbirds are gone by the end of the month.

  • Large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds can be seen.

  • Most hummingbirds depart by the end of month.

  • Robins are in large flocks, feeding on crab apples.

  • First juncos and White-throated Sparrows can appear by the end of this month.