Astronomy

Look for Venus in the east before sunrise. On the 6th look for the moon forming atriangle with Jupiter and Saturn a<er about 11:00 at night.

Birds

Look for red-winged blackbirds in marshy areas. On the prairie, look for tree swallows using bluebird boxes to nest. Tree swallows are one of the first species to leave to go south after nestlings fledge. Also look and listen for western meadowlarks.

Mammals

Deer have changed from their winter gray coats to summer red. Look for youngfawns foraging with does at dawn and dusk. Animals that, like deer, are acKve at dawn anddusk are called “crepuscular”.

Amphibians and reptiles

Enjoy listening to the trilling of tree frogs in the evening. Their call is very loud and many people think they are hearing a bird and not a little frog! Female painted and snapping turtles are digging nests and laying eggs. Watch out for slow-moving turtles crossing roads and paths near lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Insects

Two species of “lady” butterflies are on the wing at Afton in the summertime: the Painted Lady and the American Lady. Both are brushfoot butterflies. They have six legs but the two front legs are very short and brushy so you will see them perched on four legs. Monarchs are also brushfoots. The Painted Lady is more common at Afton. It has four eyespots on its hindwing. The American Lady has only two eyespots.

Many dragonflies and damselflies are on the wing. Dragonflies rest with their wings held open. Damselflies rest with their wings together. And look for the blinking of fireflies at twilight.

Plants

Look for cinquefoil, butterfly weed, black-eyed susans and yarrow blooming on the prairie.

Milkweed is the host plant for Monarch buPerflies. Look for both common milkweed andswamp milkweed at A<on. Common milkweed has rounded leaves while the leaves of swampmilkweed are more pointed. Look for Monarch caterpillars on milkweed plants.

Weather observations

Here are some weather observations for this week from past years

Friday, July 3	2010: muggy with temperature in 70s
Saturday, July 4	2012: record high of 101°
Sunday, July 5	2010: high in 80s with an inch of rain
Monday, July 6	2016: record rainfall of 2.83”
Tuesday, July 7	2016: light rain continues into morning, high in 70s
Wednesday, July 8	High 60s in the morning, climbing to a muggy 89° bya<ernoon.
Thursday, July 9	2000: record rainfall of 2.55

Photo credits: All photos copyright Nina Manzi, except Dean Lokken: Painted Turtle, Snapping Turtle; Bill Marchel: Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird