Hummelwald Forest

Here is a recent skyscape of the region above the Hummelwald Forest campsite. 📷 #photography #fotografia #mobilephotography #phonephotography #skyscape #clouds

When all other flowers are in decline or have disappeared entirely, witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) makes its move. I imagine that this strategy allows it to monopolize whatever pollinators remain. 🌿 #flowers

The Oaks of Hummelwald Forest #2: Black Oak (Quercus velutina) The leaves are photographed against a background of black oak bark. 🌿 #oak

The Oaks of Hummelwald Forest #1: Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) 🌿 #oak

Michigan's Thumb is enjoying what might be the most glorious autumn of my life. Just about every day is a Golden Glowing Day. Sadly, my images of forest interiors are turning out poorly. Here is a canopy shot showing bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis). 📷 #fallcolor #phonephotography

Bashō wrote, "Days and months are travelers of eternity. So are the years that pass by. " To the ranks of travelers, I would add clouds. These recently drifted slowly over Hummelwald Forest, mindless of the doings below of man, plant, fungus, or beast. #clouds #Bashō #sky

This black walnut (Juglans nigra) is not so large as this perspective would suggest; it is actually only about 24" in diameter. The woody vine climbing the trunk is Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus inserta). 🌿

The View from East Point #Landscape #landscapePhotography

Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) crown illuminated by the rising sun.

Reddening Michigan holly (Ilex verticillata) fruits are a sign of the arrival of autumn. 🌿

We are currently enjoying some fabulous early autumn weather in southern Michigan. Here is a recent morning view of Great Meadow (named after that immortalized by Dirk Bogarde in his childhood reminiscence). #Landscape #landscapePhotography

Autumn is a good season for canopy shots. While the forest floor might still be shady, high above colors are glowing. The large trees are black cherry (Prunus serotina). The orange and reddish leaves are Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus inserta). 🌿 #fallcolor #forest #canopy #liana

20 Sept

The View from East Point It might seem that the reddening red maples (Acer rubrum) are a sign of autumn, but they have been that way at least since July. Red maples seem to be naturally inclined towards redness. 🌿 #Landscape #landscapePhotography

19 Sept

I was at Hummelwald Forest recently, again taking shelter from the rain the rain, when I noticed unusual activity in a nearby puffball forest. It turns out that falling drops of rain were striking the puffballs and causing spores to eject. Very cool. 🍄📷 🍄 #FungiFriends #Mushrooms 🌿

6 Sept

I do not know what this caterpillar is, but it is quite abundant at Hummelwald Forest this year. 🌿 #insects #plant-insect #ElkeDagEenInsect

8 Sept

I submitted this observation to iNaturalist, and the consensus thus far is that this is the larva of the hickory tussock moth (Lophocampa caryae).

A promising morning at Hummelwald Forest. But it is possible that torrential rain fell later in the day. I kind of lost track of the rain last week. #Landscape #landscapePhotography

A lot of rain fell at Hummelwald Forest last week. This image shows an unsettled sky over Great Meadow in between periods of torrential rain. Great Meadow was named after that immortalized by Dirk Bogarde in his childhood memoir of the same name. #Landscape #landscapePhotography

Mixed nuts, collected at Hummelwald Forest, to be used to add species diversity to forested parts of the preserve that developed on abandoned agricultural land, whose overstory is not very diverse. 🌿 🌰

From left to right, the species are: Fagus grandifolia, Quercus ellipsoidalis, Q velutina, Carya ovalis (or C glabra if you recognize only one pignut in Michigan), C cordiformis, Q rubra, Q alba, and C ovata.

6 Sept

A newly-sprouted puffball (Lycoperdon sp. ?) forest. A lot of rain has recently fallen at Hummelwald Forest, and the 'shrooms are popping. 🍄 #FungiFriends #Mushrooms #fungi 🌿

31 Aug

I originally identified this twiggy creature as a stick insect (Phasmatodea). I have since learned that I was substantially in error and that this is actually a thread-legged assassin bug (Emesaya brevipennis). Thank you @cinnabarneon.bsky.social for the correction. 🌿 #insects #ElkeDagEenInsect

30 Aug

Tick-trefoil (Desmodium panniculatum) 🌿

30 Aug

Gray tree frogs (Hyla versicolor) continue to show a fondness for my vehicle. This one sat meditating at length on one of the rear view mirrors (covered with cloth as a precaution against falling ripe cherries) and might still be there had I not (gently) moved it. 🌿 #frog

24 Aug

Nut season has arrived at Hummelwald Forest. Pictured here are the fruits of northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis).

Marsh music, featuring green frogs (Lithobates clamitans) on lead vocals. Also audible are mixed Orthoptera and American goldfinch (Spinus tristis). 🌿

It was another foggy week at Hummelwald Forest. Here are some views of the Hummelwald hayfield. #Landscape #landscapePhotography

I do not know what this is. It is one of the largest caterpillars (Lepidoptera) that I have ever seen. It was observed happily feeding on the leaves of Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus inserta). 🌿

Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) No, that is not orange spaghetti; that is a flowering plant. 🌿

Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) 🌿

Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) 🌿

Late summer is here, and the Orthoptera are singing. Here is a nighttime soundscape recorded in the midst of Hummelwald Forest. The dominant singers are tree crickets (Oecanthinae). A few katydids (Pterophylla camelifolia) are also audible.

The video is a little dark because it was filmed at night.

Mice try to invade my vehicle when I camp at Hummelwald Forest. I deploy aluminum box traps adjacent to the wheels in hope of intercepting them before they can climb the tires. I apprehended a mouse last week. It was released unharmed after being detained in the trap for a few hours. 🌿

A panoramic sweep from the southern margin of the Hummelwald hay field. The dominant bird call is that of the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata). A red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) can be heard near the end.

It is late summer, and the Orthoptera are singing. Can anyone identify this one to species? #insects #plant-insect #ElkeDagEenInsect

This dragonfly (Anisoptera) patiently sat for its portrait. The light background really highlights the wing veination. Can anyone identify this one to species? #insects #plant-insect #ElkeDagEenInsect

The skyscape above the Hummelwald Forest camp site. #clouds #cloudscape #cloudphotography #cloudappreciation

Here are a couple of morning images of the Hummelwald hay field from last week. It was a very humid week. #Landscape

27 July

Morning at Hummelwald Forest #Landscape

27 July

The Hummelwald hayfield was recently harvested. The baling machine occasionally leaves some hay on the ground, especially when turning corners. This material is raked into small piles, collected, and spread on the highly erodable access road leading to Hummelwald HQ to prevent erosion.

26 July

Sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) like to pick over farm fields and snap up crunchy grasshoppers and other tasty tidbits. This pair (barely visible at center) was either saying hello or objecting to my presence. You may need to turn up the volume a little to enjoy their melodious voices. 🌿

19 July

A rain storm at Hummelwald Forest, as viewed from the equipment depot/rain shelter (see bsky.app/profile/humm...). Fortunately, it did not last very long, and the sun soon returned.

19 July

The inflorescence of button-bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). This is our most flood-tolerant shrub. At Hummelwald Forest, it can be found along the shore of the lake and in a small inland pocket of swamp. 🌿

15 July

The hay field at Hummelwald Forest was cut last week. #Landscape

5 July

I recently apprehended this gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) on the roof of my vehicle. It was apparently hoping to flee Hummelwald Forest and see the world. I convinced it to stay. 🌿 #frog