July Nature Happening

• First brood of immature hummingbirds appears at nectar feeders early in the month.

• Look for hummingbirds feeding on Trumpet Creeper, Jewelweed flowers and most tubular flowers.

• Except for goldfinches and late bluebirds, bird breeding and nesting season ends this month.

• Yellow Warblers begin to migrate south towards the end of the month, flying at night in mixed warbler flocks, resting and feeding during the day. Most will be gone by August.

• Shorebirds begin Fall Migration.

• Blackbirds begin to flock together.

• Listen for the feeding screeches of young Barred and Great Horned Owls.

• Young Great Blue Herons are found in local ponds and lakes.

• Katydids and Cicadas are in full chorus by mid-month.

• Japanese Beetles will peak this month and begin their destructive rampage, Catbirds, Robins and Cardinals are natural predators.

• Fawns begin traveling with adult females.

• Raccoons, skunks and opossums are digging up and eating turtle eggs.

• Juvenile opossums, “Joeys” can be seen hitching a ride on Mom’s back.

• Wild blueberries ripen in early July.

• Thistle plants begin to seed and Goldfinches gather the thistledown for nesting material.

• Butterfly milkweed in bloom. Look for Monarch Butterfly adults, eggs and larva.

 

SPECIAL DATES

• July 1, Canada Day, “Joyeux jour du Canada!”

• July 4, Independence Day – Wild Birds Unlimited will be closed

• July 4, NABA National Butterfly count, http://www.naba.org/

• July 5, Full Moon, also known as the “Buck Moon” because male buck deer would begin to grow their new antlers at this time of the year. The early settlers also call this the “Full Hay Moon” as it was easy gather hay late into the evening.

• July 5, Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, a penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America.

• July 15, “Third Wednesday” bird walk, presented by the Potomac Valley Audubon Society. For more information go to: https://www.potomacaudubon.org/

• July 20, New Moon

• July 20, the planet Saturn is at its closest point to the earth and will be visible all night long.

• July 28-29, Delta Aquarids Meteor shower peaks on evening of 28th through early morning on the 29th.


INTERESTING HISTORICAL DATES

• July 4, 1882, the “Last Great Buffalo Hunt” near Hettinger, North Dakota as 2,000 Sioux Indians in full hunting regalia killed about 5,000 buffalo. The last free range buffalo has been exterminated in the following year, 1883.

• July 6, 1766, Birthdate of Alexander Wilson, “Father of American Ornithology”,

• July 12, 1817, Birthdate of Henry David Thoreau, Author of Walden (1854),

• July 12, 1995, American Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List,

• July 13, 1918, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, between USA and Canada (then Great Britain), giving all birds full federal protection.

• July 27, 1940, the Silver Screen introduces America’s Favorite Rabbit - Bugs Bunny in A Wild Hare.