The Art of Nesting

The small, compact, cup-shaped nests of blue-gray gnatcatchers and ruby-throated hummingbirds are perfectly camouflaged on forked branches and scraggly lichen-covered limbs. These nests are made from lichen and spiderwebs. The birds use the stretchy, strong and sticky spider silk to anchor their nests to the branch and to shingle the sides of the nests.

Next time you reach for the broom to brush off webs from the eaves, consider leaving them for the birds instead. There are many reasons to love spiders. They are great natural pest control, catching pesky insects in the sticky traps they weave. Spiders are also an important food source for birds. And if you leave your webs, you’ll get to watch birds steal from the webs, and you just might get to watch gnatcatchers and hummingbirds utilize the silk as a building material for nests.

Photos by Michelle Reynolds

Mighty Moth

My, what big eyes you have! And big bushy antennae, too! The Polyphemus silk moth (Antheraea polyphemus), named for the man-eating giant cyclops in Greek mythology, has wing spots resembling eyes. This male Polyphemus moth (females have smaller, thinner antennae) was found flopping around the parking lot on Tuesday morning during Habitat Garden Club. It was later carried off by a bright red male cardinal. No doubt, such a chunky body was a nice breakfast for the bird.

Plenty of host plants for the caterpillars can be found around the parking lot and the habitat gardens — oak, ash, birch, dogwood, elm, hickory, maple, and willow — so we hope to see more of these big beautiful moths!

Photos by Michelle Reynolds

Mothers in Nature

Mothers in Nature - this week’s theme at Habitat Garden Club.

Each Tuesday morning, we start off by walking around the native plant gardens assessing what needs to be done, which weeds to pull and look for wildlife. As we walk and talk, birdsong interrupts our conversation. Movement catches our eyes.

“Oh look, it’s a summer tanager! We follow to see where it goes. “In the maple tree, look, it’s on a nest!”

A series of squeaks were heard while pulling weeds. “There’s something in there moving around!” “It’s a rat!” We give it space and hope to see it again. We see a blur. “It’s carrying a baby, go get a camera!” We watch and giggle as the hispid cotton rat moves four babies one by one, across the parking lot to a different location.

Habitat Garden Club meets each Tuesday morning from 9 am - 12 pm in the parking lot of the South East lake entrance to Ruffner Mountain.

Photos by Michelle Reynolds

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Photo by Rick Remy

Did you know Ruffner Mountain is a favorite go-to spot for bird watching? 

While you are most likely to find hawks, owls, woodpeckers, and songbirds, recently, Green Herons have been spotted foraging near pockets of water within the preserve. 

Lianne Koczur, the Science & Conservation Director at Alabama Audubon is interested in finding nesting herons (green herons and yellow-crowned night herons). Her goal is to band the adults and nestlings to learn more about nest success, habitat use, and movements (both local and migratory). You can read more about her research at alaudubon.org/herons. 

 Some fun facts about the Green Heron: 

• Green Herons are one of the few bird species known to use tools. They will bait for fish using things like bread, leaves, or feathers to try to lure in fish. 

• In-flight, the Green Heron resembles a crow, but the wingbeats are slower, it’s a slightly different shape, and the neck is reddish-brown.

Thanks to Ruffner Mountain member and bird lover, Rick Remy, for this beautiful shot of a Green Heron hunting at the Eastern Trailhead (Wetlands).

While it can be fun and educational to see wildlife out on the trails, please remember that all wildlife on Ruffner Mountain is protected. If you leave it alone, it will leave you alone.

Hats Are Back!

Choose from the Classic Snapback with an embroidered logo or the Hemp Snapback with embroidered logo. You can purchase your favorite here.

Ruffner Mountain CLOSED Tuesday, April 27th and Wednesday, April 28th

PARDON OUR PROGRESS!

Ruffner Mountain will be closed on Tuesday, April 27th for parking lot renovations.

We will reopen on Thursday, April 29th at 7:00 am.

As a reminder, Ruffner Mountain is closed on Mondays. No vehicle or foot traffic allowed.

Thank you for your patience!

Turkey Vultures

Turkey vultures are cool birds!

Landing on the rocky rim of the quarry, and skipping up the very edge, a group of turkey vultures outstretches their wings to absorb the heat of the sun. The radiant heat from the limestone and the direct rays of the sun produce solar power for the birds, and as their bodies warm, they’ll take off in search of their next meal.

In-flight, the wings form a dihedral, they overextend, and the birds teeter-totter as they soar and circle up through the thermals.

Turkey vultures have bald redheads, black bodies, and 6-foot wingspans with long, fingered wingtips. They have a keen sense of smell that directs them to the freshly dead.

Vultures don’t kill prey. They scavenge for the dead and then pick bones clean with their powerful beaks. The bald head serves a purpose. Rotting carrion would stick to a feathered head, but not to the bare-naked skin of the turkey vulture’s head. These amazing birds provide an important service to us. They clean up dead animals, and in doing so, they help prevent the spread of pollution and disease.