University of Dayton's Boletim

21 de abril de 2021

Chaminade University- A Dayton Student Exploring Hawaii

Chaminade University located in Honolulu, Hawaii is a Marianist partner school with the University of Dayton. Marc Acocella from the University of Dayton is using his INaturalist skills to identify native Hawaiian species as he studies abroad in Hawaii this spring.

One of his findings include the Java sparrow which was introduced to Oahu in the 1960s and has now become naturalized. Sadly, this species is severely threatened by illegal exotic pet trade and is endangered in its native country of Asia.
https://www.adpost.com/classifieds/upload/in/pets/in_pets.85192.1.jpg?bypass

Another cool find was a plant in the genus Heliconias. These plants produce pools of nectar to attract bird pollinators like hummingbirds. Usually, seeing bright red displayed by flowers tells you that the flower is bird pollinated.
CR-1218-001-thumb.jpg (800×533) (dennisgoulet.us)

Check out more species Marc found while traveling around Chaminade University!
@ marcacocella's Life List · iNaturalist

Posted on 21 de abril de 2021, 07:12 PM by wasilewskie1 wasilewskie1 | 0 comentários | Deixar um comentário

25 de março de 2021

Bird Migration and Red-Winged Blackbirds

As the weather becomes warmer, many birds migrate to the Northern Hemisphere for the abundance of nesting locations and newly budding plants. The primary reason why so many birds migrate in the spring is to reach their breeding grounds.

The red-winged blackbird is one of the early bird migrators and a common sign of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. In Ohio Specifically, red-winged black birds can overwinter and stay year-round. The ones that do migrate often migrate in large flocks, males arriving before females in order to scout out the best area to have a nest to impress the females.

These birds often make their nests in cattail marshes. Otherwise they also look for nesting sites near streams in wooded areas or wet swamps and fields. These birds prefer to nest close together in small groups, becoming territorial towards other species of birds at times. Because they nest in dense habitat, they leave their nests to forage in open habitats for seeds and occasionally insects.

Male and female red-winged blackbirds look quite different from each other. The males, the easiest to identify, are stocky, broad-shouldered black birds with a slender bill. They have a red shoulder patch bordered in yellow. Females are brown with streaks and a yellowish wash around the bill.

Female: https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/female-red-winged-blackbird-matthew-alberts.jpg
Male: https://indianaaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/RedWingedBlackbird2.jpg

Click this link to listen to them! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwlufAVDtSM

Get outside and document the birds you see this spring on campus. Many birds still have yet to migrate to Ohio but will be very soon. Show us what you see!

Posted on 25 de março de 2021, 03:02 PM by wasilewskie1 wasilewskie1 | 0 comentários | Deixar um comentário

19 de março de 2021

Pollinators and Crocus

With spring on its way, early blossoms begin to poke up through the cold dirt, serving as early food for our pollinators. Crocus, a genus of flowering plants from the iris family, is one of the first bloomers seen on campus in March. In total, there are about 75 species of crocus. Crocus has a single, cup-shaped flower that arises from a long tube. The flower is composed of six petals usually lilac, white, mauve, or yellow in color depending on the species. Their habitat consists of alpine meadows, rocky mountain sides, scrublands, and woodlands but they can be found in the lawns of many of the houses here in the student neighborhood.

Crocus itself is not a native species to North America however, it attracts a large variety of native pollinators. Since crocus are some of the earliest blooms, pollinators that come out of hibernation depend on this flower for food. The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies, flies, and many other pollinators in the area.

Can you find crocus on campus? What pollinators do you see visiting these flowers? Spend some time getting to know these flowers and the pollinators that come to visit them in early spring. Show us what pollinators you spot on the early blooms of spring.

Check out these pictures of pollinators on crocus species!
https://images.freeimages.com/images/large-previews/307/bee-on-crocus-1-1369801.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t8gV4uyIPlc/UwIaQxuf70I/AAAAAAAADEE/BeYxwwWMAkM/s1600/Allotment_16Feb14+%252827%2529.JPG

https://centretownbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/McGuire-Solitary_Mining_Bee-rotated.jpg

Posted on 19 de março de 2021, 03:48 PM by wasilewskie1 wasilewskie1 | 0 comentários | Deixar um comentário

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