This Week At Nixon Park 2025

This Week at Nixon Park - August 6-12

Clarke Green

13 Aug 2025 — 4 min read

We've been conditioned to think all algal blooms like this one covering much of the surface of the small pond at the park this week are harmful, but they are actually a natural phase in the annual lifecycle of healthy ponds. Some may not care for them aesthetically but the current blooms are not harmful to the fish, turtles, or the vast network of other species living in the ponds.

Common Eastern Bumble Bee, Western Honey Bee with Common Eastern Bumble Bee, Ligated Furrow Bee, Denticulate Longhorn Bee.

According to Penn State Extension there are 437 species of native bees in Pennsylvania. I've observed 32 different species at Anson B. Nixon Park, and I imagine there are many I have not yet seen. These native bees are an important indicator of a healthy environment, and certainly equally if not more important than the managed non-native Western honey bee.

This Song Sparrow, with an insect in its beak, had a good shake before moving on to other business.

In the first photo a female (left) and male Brown-headed Cow Bird, the second and third, a Brown-headed Cowbird fledgling, finally a shot of the Song Sparrow raising the fledgling.

Brown-headed Cow Birds are nest parasites, they do not build their own nests but lay eggs in the nests of other birds (sometimes pushing other eggs out of the nest.) The other species of birds raise the Brown-headed Cowbird Chicks as their own. This week I spotted a Song Sparrow who was tending to a so-ugly-it's-cute (?) fledgling that turned out to be a Brown-headed Cowbird.

Northern Flicker, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Wood Peewee, Catbird, Great Egret, Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher (with fish).

Pearl Crescent, Zabulon Skipper Female, Peck's Skipper, Huron Sachem, Zabulon Skipper Male

Monarch, Monarch Caterpillar, Molting caterpillar, two stages (instars) of the caterpillar growth cycle.

After they hatch from eggs Monarch caterpillars molt five times over 20-30 days as they grow towards metamorphosis. The milkweed plant is essential to their development, you will find Monarch caterpillars on the milkweed plants around the pond.