A Green Frog

Cuckoos, an American Redstart, and more

Every time I go out in the timber I realize how little I know. I presume the above is a Cope’s Gray Tree Frog, but it doesn’t look gray. I’ve seen lots of gray tree frogs before, but they are gray—some of them are almost white. Please let me know if I am mistaken.

(One of the best things about this newsletter are when biologists or other informed people let me know where I went astray. Here is what Russ Benedict, professor of biology at Central College emailed me. Both Gray Tree Frogs and Cope's Gray Tree Frogs can change the color of their skin to match their background.  These two species are not distinguishable by appearance - they can best be told apart by their voice.  Tons of cool biology here if you want to dive deeper.  And the cuckoo you are hearing actually is an eastern chipmunk.  They make a deep clucking?? for lack of better word that fooled me many times as I was learning the sounds of critters.   Russ.

And here is what Pete Eyheralde, a professor of biology at William Penn has to say about it in the comments below:

That could be a Cope's gray tree frog, but could also be an Eastern gray tree frog. The 2 species are identical. They both change colors fairly rapidly to match their surroundings. The only noticeable difference is the spring courtship calls of the males. A genetic test would also reveal the difference. Cope's are diploid, while Eastern gray tree frogs are tetraploid.

And the nature writer Larry Stone:

One scientific name I can remember: Hyla versicolor, which I learned decades ago before I'd heard of Cope's

versicolor = camouflage with background.

Thanks, everyone!

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The understory is really thinning. In this area, I have been hearing Cuckoos for the last few days at the above spot by the creek. I believe the “knocking” is a Cuckoo (see above):

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Mushrooms are everywhere.

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Squirrels are nibbling on walnuts. Or maybe chipmunks?

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Photo by Patrice Bouchard on Unsplash

I heard an American Redstart the other day. I don’t hear them very often, and see them even less, but they are a beautiful bird.

Warblers in general are often called 'the butterflies of the bird world,' but the Redstart may live up to that nickname more than any other species. This beautiful warbler flits about very actively in the trees, usually holding its wings and tail partly spread, as if to show off their patches of color. At times it feeds more like a flycatcher than a typical warbler, hovering among the foliage and often flying out to grab insects in mid-air.

Of course, I had to look up the etymology of Redstart:

redstart (n.)

type of bird with a more or less red tail, 1560s, from red (adj.1) + start "tail," from Old English steort "tail, rump," from Proto-Germanic *stertaz (from PIE *sterd-, extended form of root *ster- (1) "stiff"). Similar formation in German Rotsterz; Dutch roodstaartje, etc.

also from 1560s

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If you enjoy Cedar Creek Nature Notes, I encourage you to subscribe to my friend Larry Stone’s “Listening to the Land.” It’s fantastic. Larry has forgotten more than I will ever know about our outdoor world. This is Larry, above. I had the opportunity to see him last week at Julie Gammack’s Okoboji Writer’s Retreat. Here is my summary of that event.

In my summary, I describe watching Larry studying the waters, plants, and sky above us while listening to a lecture. An astute observer of the natural world, I watched him make his observations, and finally sit down to start writing. It was great fun.

For another glimpse of the wonders of the Iowa outdoors, Diane Porter’s My Gaia is another Substack I enjoy. It’s full of observations on nature and is ripe with wisdom.

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I’m a member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Please sample the talents of my fellow collaborative members. If you can afford to be a paid subscriber, that would be great. If not, the vast majority of content is free. And here is a link to the Iowa Podcasters’ Collaborative, should you be interested. Check out my Substack Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture if you aren’t already a subscriber. My Iowa Revolution podcast with award-winning broadcaster Spencer Dirks can be found here.

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