Máistir Nádúraí: Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie

6.05.2018

Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie

Dickcissel Spiza americana

I went to Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie on Sunday afternoon to see what wildflowers were in bloom. A few Dickcissels were singing during the short hike around the prairie. Though a tad early for the real flower-works, I was pleased to see a few open Wood Lilies. I think a good time to visit will be between June 10th through the 15th to catch them in all of their splendor. One tip: Be mindful of the Poison Ivy on the trail that runs to the south part of the prairie!

Wood Lily Lilium philadelphicum

Pale-Spiked Lobelia Lobelia spicata

Yellow Star Grass Hypoxis hirsuta

Prairie Phlox Phlox pilosa

Starry Solomon's Plume Smilacina stellata

Killdeer nest

I made a run for tiger beetles at the Sauk City Canoe Launch earlier in the day, but only had an hour to photograph them. Clouds rolled in and the temperature sank, sending the beetles back into their burrows. In the short time I was there, I did manage to obtain some nice portraits of Big Sand Tiger Beetles. Aren't they lovely?

Big Sand Tiger Beetle Cicindela formosa generosa

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range rifles. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom Shop 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry.