Sunday, December 28, 2008

Cedar waxwing eats berry of nonnative privit on December 28, 2008, on World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of cedar waxwing with privit berry on WPWP on December 28, 2008.

Cedar waxwings on December 28, 2008, at World Peace Wetland Prairie eat berries of privet and China honeysuckle

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of cedar waxwing with face shaded. One must scroll left and right and up and down to find bird closeup in enlarged image. Please be patient.

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of cedar waxwing with berry of nonnative privet bush in its bill on December 28, 2008.

Please click on image to see why this bird is called a cedar waxwing.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

January 25, 2009, annual meeting of FNHA features water-quality presentations

"Troubled Water: Preserving and Restoring Arkansas' Most Valuable Resource"

will be the program theme for FNHA’s annual meeting at 2:00 pm on January 25, 2009,

in the Walker meeting room of the Fayetteville Public Library.



Two leading experts on water issues in Arkansas, Martin Maner and Marty Matlock, will discuss Arkansas’ persistent water concerns and will talk with us about what they are doing and what we, as citizens, can do to protect the quality of our water and to help restore water quality where it has deteriorated.

Martin Maner is Director of Watershed Management with Central Arkansas Water, a metropolitan system which traces its history to the springs and wells of the early 1800s and which currently provides water to nearly 400,000 users. Central Arkansas Water, which is publicly owned, emphasizes a regional approach to water needs and has won numerous EPA awards for its commitment to water quality. Before becoming Director of Watershed Management for the utility, Maner was chief of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality’s Water Division.



Marty Matlock is Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Arkansas and has conducted research on a variety of ecological issues. One groundbreaking project which has drawn national attention combines urban stream ecological services restoration with outdoor classrooms, greenway trails and park development. Matlock's ecological engineering group collaborates closely with the University of Arkansas Community Design Center, in the School of Architecture, as well as with city and state officials to demonstrate more natural designs for stormwater systems. Among other activities, he will be working with the Springdale water utility in 2009 on the Clear Creek stream restoration project.



Please plan to join us the afternoon of January 25, and encourage your friends and neighbors to come along. Refreshments will be served. The annual business meeting will be brief, and there will be opportunities to learn more about an essential resource on which we and all living things depend.


Barbara Elaine Boland
Green Infrastructure Planning, Project Coordinator
Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association
148 E Spring Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 521-2801 home
(479) 387-6724 cell
barbaraboland@hotmail.com

"Green Infrastructure is our nation's life support system - an interconnected network of waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats, and other natural areas; greenways, parks and other conservation lands; working farms, ranches and forests; and wilderness and other open spaces that support native species, maintain natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources and contribute to the health and quality of life for America's communities and people." USDA Forest Service, Green Infrastructure Working Group's definition of Green Infrastructure.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Audubon Society to meet at 6 p.m. today at Fayetteville, Arkansas, public library

Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society (NWAAS) will have an important
meeting Dec 17, 6-7:45, in the Williard & Pat Walker meeting room of
the Fayetteville Public Library. Because of the short time available,
please come a little early. The only business of this meeting will be
whether or not NWAAS will continue to function. I urge anyone with an
interest in the outcome -- whether or not you are currently an Audubon
member -- to come. If you think NWAAS should dissolve, your voice will
be welcome. If you wish to see NWAAS continue into the future, your
voice will also be welcome.
Joe Neal
Fayetteville

Saturday, the Highlands chapter of the Ozark Society will bushwhack into Dismal Hollow in Newton County, visiting an abundance of waterfalls, bluffs and deep gorges. Although the distance is less than 5 miles, the route is rated difficult because of steep slopes.
Participants are to meet at 8 a.m. at FirstCare Medical in Fayetteville or at 9:30 a.m. at the country store in Deer.
For details, call Bob Cross at (479) 587-8757.
On Sunday, the group will explore the trails at Pea Ridge National Military Park. The trail is nine miles long and is rated easy. Participants are asked to meet at 9 a.m. at Root Elementary School in Fayetteville or at 10 a.m. at the park's visitors center in Pea Ridge. E-mail martykerns@juno. com for details.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Hill Place contractors create flood threat to Sullins property

Why run a 24-inch pipe to send a trickle of water to WPWP? Please click on image to ENLARGE?

Friday, December 12, 2008

Robins appreciate China honeysuckle berries

Please click on image to ENLARGE photos of robin in China honeysuckle bush on December 5, 2008.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Robins plentiful on World Peace Wetland Prairie on cold, clear November 22, 2008. Robins and other migrating birds thick and frenzied on November 23

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of robins as sun sets on November 22. Their numbers increased on November 23 under an overcast sky with approaching precipitation. Many other species of birds such as cedar waxwings and blackbirds were also migrating through the area. Trees and understory vegetation filled with roosting birds at dusk. They were checking the hackberry trees for remaining berries and began sampling the berries of the China honeysuckle and other edibles. The first ground-covering snowfall will force remaining robins to clean off the remaining berries.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Verbesina virginica attracts pollinators in summer, offers ice display in winter

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Vergesina virginica on November 22, 2008.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Audubon Arkansas to hold open house December 3, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of sparrow at WPWP on Dec. 15, 2007. Audubon Arkansas is announcing another open house similar to the one in 2007. We'll offer more information later.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Pollinators still at work on World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of tiny pollinators on WPWP flowers

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Monarch butterfly on World Peace Wetland Prairie on October 23, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE photo of monarch butterfly on World Peace Wetland Prairie on October 23, 2008

Monday, October 13, 2008

Pollinators in peace circle on October 13, 2008, at World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on images to ENLARGE photos from World Peace Wetland Prairie on October 13, 2008.

Dragonfly visits peace circle at World Peace Wetland Prairie on October 13, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE photo of dragonfly on World Peace Wetland Prairie's peace circle on October 13, 2008.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Asters attract many species of pollinators in October

Please click on image to ENLARGE orange sulphur butterfly on tiny white late-blooming asters on World Peace Wetland Prairie on October 3, 2008.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of skipper on chicory flower at front of World Peace Wetland Prairie.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Small moths and butterflies on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 30, 2008

Please click on images for larger view of moths and butterflies on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 30, 2008.




Pollinators on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 30, 2008

Please click on images to ENLARGE view of pollinators on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 30, 2008.




Saturday, September 27, 2008

Pipevine swallowtail (Battus philinor) active at World Peace Wetland Prairie circle garden

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of pipevine swallowtail nectaring on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 24, 2008. The host species for the eggs and caterpillars of the Battus philinor are the Aristochia macrophylla and Aristochia serpentaria.





For information about the host plant for the pipevine swallowtail found in our area, please see
Virginia snakeroot, Aristolochia serpentaria

Painted lady nectaring on World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on images to ENLARGE photos of painted lady butterfly on zinnea on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 23, 2008.


For Painted lady information
please click the link.
For Painted lady and Red Admiral information please click the link.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Giant swallowtail, fritillaries nectaring on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 20, 2008

Please click on images to ENLARGE

Please click on images to ENLARGE.

Grasshoppers of various species on World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of grasshopper on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 15, 2008.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Wasp and bee among pollinators visiting Verbesina virginica at World Peace Wetland Prairie in September 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE photos of pollinators nectaring on Verbesina virginica, also known as frostweed.

Junonia coenia (aka buckeye butterfly) on Verbesina virginica (frostweed) on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 14, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE photos of buckeye butterfly on frostweed on September 14, 2008, at World Peace Wetland Prairie in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Spiders trim insect population

Please click on image to ENLARGE photo of spider.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Monarch caterpillars eating fast on September 12, 2008, in preparation for fall flight to Mexico

Please click on links to enlarge swamp milkweed with a monarch caterpillar and butterfly milkweed with three monarch caterpillers nearby on September 12, 2008.


Thursday, September 11, 2008

Magnificent grasshopper on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 10, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE photo of large grasshopper on tall-grass stem on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 10, 2008.

World Peace Wetland Prairie
Aubunique Web log

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Native wildflowers and fritillary butterflies on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 10, 2008

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of butterfly milkweed with monarch butterfly caterpillar eating leaves and native thistle with Great spangled frittilary butterfly (Speyeria cybele) on World Peace Wetland Prairie on September 10, 2008.