Hello everyone,
Here are the results from today's Jackson Count. Right off the bat, let me
address the incredible find of an American Copper sighted by Susan Stahl.
Coming amongst the 200+ Eastern Tailed-Blues we saw in the white clover at
Pinson Mound, Susan recognized something different. I noticed as she bent down
to get a better look and I leaned down as well to see what she had spotted.
With a good two-second look at it, I could definitely ID it as an American
Copper, but the movement of both of us toward it spooked it and it flew off
into the higher grass of the field. We searched a fairly large area of the
field for at least 20 minutes trying to relocate it so we could photograph it,
but to no avail. As unexpected it was to see this rarely encountered species
in West TN, the only other sightings of it in West TN were in neighboring
Henderson County about 25 miles or so away, so definitely in the realm of
possibility. It was a good day for Eastern Tailed-Blues with 271, easily
outpacing the previous high for this count and for Sachems and the 103 seen
tying the previous high mark. However, the 32 species is the second lowest
number, only 1 species better than last year's all-time low. The 515
individuals is actually just a little better than average, but considering 3/4
of that number came from just two species, the number looks much worse in that
light. Several species continue to have poor years: Cloudless Sulphur, Common
Buckeye (which is usually very abundant on this count), and Silver-spotted
Skipper. The low numbers might be explained in part because the meadows at
Pinson Mound had been mowed, so there were no purple coneflowers and
butterflyweed that typically bring in a lot of activity. For the most part,
the only nectar source there was the few white clover flowerheads that were
poking up from the closely sheared lawns around the park.
I apologize to those of you that may have planned to attend this count next
week as I had tentatively scheduled it for next Saturday on the schedule that I
sent out early in spring. I had a senior moment and fell back into the "old
familiar time" of the second weekend in July when we normally have it and
forgot about moving it out another week. I'm sorry if you weren't able to make
it today but were planning to come next week.
The next count is in two weeks at Lower Hatchie. Look for info to come later.
Yours,
Bart Jones
Memphis, Shelby Co.
Region 13
Appalachians (KY, TN, WV)
Bart Jones, Regional Editor
1. Jackson, TN. Yr. 15, 35.5513°, -88.7764°, center at jct. of Lesters Chapel
and Harts Bridge Rds., S of Jackson, Madison Co. See 2007 report for habitats.
Habitat changes since last year: Meadows at Pinson Mound had been mowed
recently, eliminating the numerous purple coneflowers, butterflyweeds, and
black-eyed Susans that make that area so productive. Clover fields at the
Tennessee Dept. of Forestry Nursery were also mowed recently with very little
red clover in bloom. Patches of white clover in the lawns and edges of trails
were basically all that was available for nectar at Pinson Mound. 10 July 2021;
1000-1700 hrs; sun AM 76-100%, PM 76-100%; 80-85°F; wind 0-10 mi/hr. 4
observers in 1 party. Total party-hours 7; total party-miles on foot 4.
Observers: Bart Jones (2047 Higbee Avenue, Memphis, TN, 38104;
bjones7777@xxxxxxxxxxx), S. Stahl, A. Trently, D. Ward.
Black Swallowtail 4, E. Tiger Sw. 6, Spicebush Sw. 2, Checkered White 1,
Orange Sulphur 6, Cloudless Su. 5, Little Yellow 1, 1Am. Copper 1, E.
Tailed-Blue 271, 'Summer' Spring Azure 2, Gulf Fritillary 1, Variegated Fr. 33,
Pearl Crescent 15, Am. Lady 1, Red Admiral 2, Com. Buckeye 3, Red-spotted
Purple 5, Hackberry Emperor 2, Carolina Satyr 7, Silver-spotted Skipper 6, S.
Cloudywing 2, Horace's Duskywing 8, Com. Sootywing 1, Swarthy Sk. 11, Clouded
Sk. 1, Least Sk. 2, Fiery Sk. 2, Little Glassywing 1, Sachem 103, Zabulon Sk.
5, Lace-winged Roadside-Sk. 2, Ocola Sk. 1. Unidentified: Lady sp. 1, Brushfoot
sp. 1. Total 32 species, 515 individuals. Field Notes: 1New species for count
and rarely encountered in West TN. The only other documented sightings in West
TN are within 25 miles of this location however.
