Magnificent Mushrooms, Crows and Turkeys Talking...

An insect Battle Royale, and much, much more...

(please click on photos to enlarge!)

I love this wonderful mushroom. Chris Clingan, Mahaska County Conservation Director and I exchanged a couple of texts on this one. We are contemplating this being a Wood Ear Mushroom, Witches’ Butter, or Yellow Brain Fungus. We didn’t do much research on it, but I know several biologists subscribe, so your thoughts are most appreciated.

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These little red buttons are everywhere on the path.

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Oyster Mushrooms are abundant!

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This is from the lookout over where Cedar Creek (below) meets the Des Moines River (to the right; the arch of trees above the cornfield is on the margin of the river). One morning Crows by the river were more upset at something than I have ever heard before. A Turkey started answering them. I think this is a wonderful exchange. Also in the audio, according to the Merlin App, you will also hear a Robin, an American Redstart, a Red-eyed Vireo, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, a Cedar Waxwing, a Cardinal, and a Brown Thrasher. You will also briefly hear Violet the Dog and me clunking around.

Please listen. Maybe with your eyes shut. Isn’t it a remarkable world I walk in nearly every morning? Such magnificent sounds! Anyone who wants to come walk with me please email me at rdwleonard@gmail.com. I love company, and love sharing this remarkable place.

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One morning a Pileated Woodpecker was VERY talkative. Here is the audio:

According to the Merlin App, we also heard a Kentucky Warbler, a Red-eyed Vireo, an Eastern Wood-Peewee, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, and an Eastern Towhee.

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The above video isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s an insect death match. I had things to do in town that morning, so I couldn’t stay until the end. Please share whatever thoughts you have on this battle in the comments!

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I love this beautiful creature! Check out the video below!

So amazing. If you love Cedar Creek Nature Notes, please share with a friend!

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If you enjoy Cedar Creek Nature Notes, I also 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.

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.

And don’t miss Al Batt’s Substack at Al’s Substack. Al Batt of Hartland, Minnesota is a writer, speaker, storyteller, and humorist. Al writes humor and nature columns for many newspapers and does regular radio shows about nature. He writes several popular cartoon strips that are syndicated nationally and is the author of the book, "A Life Gone to the Birds." He is a columnist for "Bird Watcher’s Digest" and “Watching Backyard Birds,” and writes for several magazines and books.

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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.

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