Gossamer Tapestry

Reflections on conservation, butterflies, and ecology in the nation's heartland

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Osage + Weekend


Raking seed into recently burned prairie

It's been a really beautiful early spring weekend her in the Midwest. Both days were sunny and in the 60s. Yesterday was a fen workday. Most of the day's activities involved raking seed into the newly burned areas. We got almost all of the year's seed down yesterday.


L-R: Dave, Katie, and Doug

A real treat this weekend was getting to meet another blogger. Dave of Osage + Orange showed up with his friend Katie. He's the only other Chicago-area ecological restoration blogger that I know. I'm surprised that it has taken us this long to finally meet in person. He's a great guy and I really enjoyed meeting both of them.


Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
Today we went back out to the Fen to take a better look at the extent of Tuesday's burn. This was the most intense prairie fire that we've had in nearly a decade. We did a lot this time around to tip the balance from invasive vegetation to native prairie. As a bonus, I got to see an Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) sipping sap oozing from a box elder stump.

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6 Comments:

At 05:28, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good bonus with the Comma Doug, I got to see our species (first of season) on the same day
http://fenlandwalker.blogspot.com/2009/03/butterfly-sightings.html

 
At 09:49, Blogger Dave Coulter said...

Hey....that better not be me leaning on the rake! Doesn't say much for my work ethic does it? :)

Doug, you are all doing some great things out there. It was fun finally seeing a site I'd heard so much about.

You'll have to visit down at Thatcher Woods sometime!

 
At 10:13, Blogger robin andrea said...

How cool to meet up with a fellow blogger and to see that very fine Eastern Comma. What a beauty.

 
At 19:11, Blogger cedrorum said...

I love the smell of P-burns in the morning. Love the Comma. Glad to hear the burn went so well.

 
At 23:56, Blogger Ur-spo said...

jolly good fun and satisfaction too.

 
At 08:12, Blogger Doug Taron said...

Roy- Thanks. I enjoyed your photos. The Peacock is such a beautiful butterfly.

Dave- I really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks for all your help.

Robin- One of the things that I like about the comma is that it's always one of the very first butterflies we see each year.

cedrorum- They smell like victory!

Spo- Indeed.

 

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