3/23/17

I couldn’t determine the exact type of rose I found on this bush. I found this rose bush right beside the Lourdes grotto on campus. Roses are often associated with the Virgin Mary, an ode to her appearance to Juan Diego in Guadalupe, Mexico. I think documenting this picture is a casual way that science and religion interact with one another on a daily basis. I’m 99% sure the reason these roses were planted is due to the grotto. Roses are frequently used in religious imagery, especially in Catholic religious imagery. Any Catholic ceremony that specifically honors Mary almost always incorporates roses. I’m not sure I’m aware of other rose bushes on campus. The grotto is something that many people walk by, but never really stop and see what’s there. Many students are unaware that it exists in the first place. Even more are unaware that it mirrors the Lourdes grotto at the University of Norte Dame, our better-known Holy Cross counterpart. These roses are gorgeous, but because they are a bit hidden, they are also one of St. Ed’s best-kept secrets.

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5434170

The common Grackle is… you guessed it, really really common. These can be seen all around campus bullying squirrels and humans alike. This little guy was particularly un-photogenic, as if he was intentionally avoiding standing still for a picture. Oh well. Grackles, am I right?

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5434024

 

I don’t consider myself an expert on trees, but I probably know more than most people considering my mother’s insistence that I know the names of her favorite trees and my trips to the National Arboretum growing up. One of the things we noticed (and my mother complained about) were what felt like a lack of trees in this state. The trees in Texas are different than the trees on the East Coast. For one thing, they are a lot smaller, so it feels like there are fewer of them. I grew up in an area called Rock Creek Forest (which is exactly what it sounds like), so I am used to being surrounded by tall trees that make me feel small. All of this said, I was very pleased to find this was a type of Oak tree. Something my mom complained about Texas was that there were “only those ugly gnarled oak trees.” Not true, Mom! I tried to look up the type of oak this was in one of the plant books that were provided to us, but this proved difficult as it looked like it could be multiple possibilities. I’m grateful someone on iNaturalist identified this tree.

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5434013

The Mexican-buckeye is a deciduous tree known for its distinctive bright-pink flower petals. This tree is pretty abundant on campus, which I appreciate given how pretty they are. Be sure to keep your eye out for these now, they stop blooming as soon as July!

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5433917

This isn’t the best picture, I’m aware. However, I never knew how difficult it was to capture a picture of a bird. I stalked this bird for at least a few minutes before I was able to get an angle where it was even in the frame. I followed its coos to the Bur Oak in the following post. When I was younger, I always thought the coos of morning doves came from owls. Morning doves are everywhere. There are many back where I live in Maryland outside Washington, D.C. as well. I liked these birds until I started driving, and they left their presence all over my car. However, despite the havoc they wreck, I think there is something elegant and beautiful about morning doves. I associate them with the smell of early morning, slight humidity, walking through morning dew, and the peace that comes in with the start of a new day that hasn’t really begun yet.

 

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5434001

3/23/17

I found this plant outside the JBWS building, close to the side of the Carter auditorium. It was my first iNaturalist post, so it took me a few times to get it right. The shape of this plant reminds me of the clovers from Horton Hears a Who. I’ve studied by this spot many times before, but I had never noticed these plants before. When I saw it, I searched for one of those signs in the ground that would designate what type of plant this is. I then remembered that despite the fact these plants are located in an educational setting, our school gardens are not botanical gardens. However, I think signs below plants at school would be helpful in terms of informally educating students about botany. There aren’t many people who get to take a class to learn the difference between a maple and an oak tree. It’s something that would be nice for people to walk past and think about. I think there are a few of these already in the herb gardens by JBWS. It would be a neat project for a class to figure out all of the different plants on campus and label them for fellow students.

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5433888

This fella was sitting on a driveway I was walking past with my siblings. My older brother identified it immediately as a stinkbug (he and my parents have a long history with them). When it comes to most things nature related, I don’t question him.

I would have liked to stay far away from it, but alas, we had to use ourselves as human shields to keep our little siblings back, lest it release its foul-scented scourge upon us.

Because for some reason, they thought it sounded like a good idea to try and scare it, just to see if it would actually stink up the place.

How about no.

That’s what the zoom on a camera is for, friends.

iNaturalist Observation

We identified this group of birds as Cedar Waxwings on our nature walk with Dr. Belaire. However, I did not take the picture on the walk, I took this photo by the Apartment complex as it was a much closer angle and much easier to see their yellow underbellies, a key feature of the Cedar Waxwings. You can also identify these birds by what I like to call their “mini mohawks,” otherwise known as their crests. They can be found year round traveling in flocks similar to how they are all together in this tree!

Source: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing/id

Observation: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5976006

These squirrels can be seen all around campus. I may see on average at least 10-15 squirrels per day without trying to spot them. This squirrel particularly appears to be the Fox Squirrel, one of Texas’ most common squirrels. One important aspect of the Fox Squirrel is its bushy tail that can be used to keep warm, to give itself balance when running, or to open up and act as a parachute should it fall. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of squirrels just because I am afraid it will attack me if it thinks I am trying to harm it or steal its food. But I also learned observations of the tail can determine its mood. Quick, fast jerks of the tail mean the squirrel is agitated or upset, so if you spot that tail you should probably take another path!

Source: http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/easternfoxsquirrel/

Observation: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5975805

Recently, these tiny fast-moving birds have seemed to take over the St. Edwards campus, or at least the on-campus Apartment complexes. I love to watch them glide thorough the air. I have noticed, like in the image I took, most seem to be making homes on the apartment complexes. I found out that these little birds will make mud nests on human made structures which is where the barn comes from in their name. What amazes me is that they do not seem to be afraid of humans as long as they are not disturbed. Just another creature we can live peacefully with.

Source: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Swallow/id

Observation: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5975799