JAS members went for a weed walk on the Mike Levine Trail near the Portage River.  

 

Highlights included a Pearl Crescent butterfly and the bird of the day was a Yellow-billed cuckoo. The tour was led by Joann Ballbach and finished with some teas brewed from these wonderful misunderstood plants.   

 
Pearl Crescent (Brenda Wineman)

Don Henise's Gallinules post:

Yesterday the JAS Tuesday Morning Group did a weed walk on the Mike Levine Trail from the trail parking lot on Hawkins Road walking southwest on the trail. I only caught the tail end of the walk as I had an early doctor's appointment. After the group walk, I walked on the trail to the wetlands about 6 or 7 tenths mile to the northeast where a pair of Common Gallinules were seen attempting to nest earlier in the summer.

Well, the Gallinules were successful in producing 2 broods. There were a total of 11 gallinules, 2 adults, 4 older young (fully feathered and near adult size), and 5 black downy young.

In "The Birder's Handbook" by Paul Ehrlich, et.al, 1988, it says regarding Common Moorhen (old name at time book was published), "Cooperative breeder with young of first broods oft aiding in care of subsequent broods." Always something new to learn and observe in creation.

Gallinule family (Don Henise)