What to look for in August
Species from our Wildlife Guide that you can find at River Island in August: what is in bloom, nesting, arriving or active first, then everything else that is around.
In bloom
Cardinal Flower
scarlet tubular flowers open up the spike; hummingbirds are the main pollinator
Lobelia cardinalis
Inland Wood Oats
drooping, flat oat-like spikelets on arching stems
Chasmanthium latifolium
Japanese Honeysuckle
fragrant white flowers fading to yellow; heaviest in spring, sporadic into fall
Lonicera japonica
Lilyturf
erect spikes of small purple flowers above the leaves
Liriope muscari
Purpletop Tridens
airy panicles of reddish-purple spikelets
Tridens flavus
Sourwood
white lily-of-the-valley bells on drooping sprays; an important honey source
Oxydendrum arboreum
Swamp Rose Mallow
large white to pink flowers, each open one day; visited by hummingbirds
Hibiscus moscheutos
Yellow Passionflower
small pale greenish-yellow flowers
Passiflora lutea
Fruits, nuts and seeds
American Beautyberry
magenta-purple berry clusters that persist after leaf drop; songbirds, quail and mammals eat them
Callicarpa americana
American Elderberry
drooping clusters of purple-black berries; relished by many birds and mammals
Sambucus canadensis
Autumn Olive
red berries dotted with silvery scales; can hang on into late winter
Elaeagnus umbellata
Blue Flag Iris
green seed capsules turning brown
Iris virginica
Cardinal Flower
round seed capsules turn from green to brown
Lobelia cardinalis
Carolina Silverbell
four-winged dry fruit turns brown and hangs on into winter
Halesia carolina
Crossvine
long flat seed pods mature in late summer and persist into fall
Bignonia capreolata
Devilwood
dark blue olive-like drupes; eaten by birds and small mammals
Cartrema americana
Eastern Redbud
flat pods reach full size by midsummer; many hang on after leaf fall
Cercis canadensis
Flame Azalea
Rhododendron calendulaceum
Flowering Dogwood
glossy red fruits; songbirds, quail, wild turkeys, chipmunks and black bears eat them
Cornus florida
Fringe Tree
olive-like fruits ripen dark blue-black; songbirds and small mammals eat them
Chionanthus virginicus
Green Ash
single-winged samaras in hanging clusters, some into winter; birds and squirrels eat the seeds
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Inland Wood Oats
seed heads turn green to tan to purplish bronze; seeds eaten by small mammals and birds
Chasmanthium latifolium
Red Buckeye
globular light brown seed capsules
Aesculus pavia
Smooth Azalea
Rhododendron arborescens
Swamp Rose Mallow
beaked seed capsules turn brown 4-5 weeks after flowering
Hibiscus moscheutos
Sweetbay Magnolia
cone-like fruits with bright red seeds; birds and small mammals eat them
Magnolia virginiana
Waxmyrtle
waxy bluish-white berries on female plants; songbirds such as myrtle warblers eat them in winter
Morella cerifera
Yellow Flag Iris
capsules hold about 120 seeds that harden and turn brown
Iris pseudacorus
Yellow Passionflower
marble-size dark purple to black berries
Passiflora lutea
Nesting and raising young
American Goldfinch
one of the latest nesters; waits for thistle and other weeds to go to seed
Spinus tristis
Brown Anole
one egg about every 14 days in moist soil or rotten wood; hatches in 30-45 days
Anolis sagrei
Carolina Wren
often raises a second brood; nests in odd spots such as mailboxes and flower pots
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Eastern Bluebird
typically two broods a year in cavities and nest boxes
Sialia sialis
Eastern Gray Squirrel
litters are born in late February-early March and again in July-August
Sciurus carolinensis
Eurasian Collared-Dove
3-4 broods a year; can nest in any month with enough food
Streptopelia decaocto
Green Anole
one egg every two weeks in moist soil or rotten wood; hatches in 5-7 weeks
Anolis carolinensis
House Finch
may raise 1-6 broods a year
Haemorhous mexicanus
Mourning Dove
peaks May into July; Georgia doves average three nestings a year
Zenaida macroura
Northern Cardinal
first nests built early to mid-March; three or more broods in the Carolina Piedmont
Cardinalis cardinalis
Rock Pigeon
can nest in every month of the year
Columba livia
Turkey Vulture
eggs found mid-April to early May; young take 60-84 days to fledge
Cathartes aura
White-tailed Deer
fawns are born May-August, peaking in June; a fawn alone is normal, so leave it
Odocoileus virginianus
Breeding season
American Bumblebee
colonies start producing males and new queens in late July and August
Bombus pensylvanicus
Brown Anole
territorial males display an orange-red dewlap
Anolis sagrei
Common Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
Copperhead
live young born late summer to early fall; newborns have a yellow tail tip
Agkistrodon contortrix
Eastern Box Turtle
most often seen in fall, when males search for females
Terrapene carolina carolina
Eastern Chipmunk
two breeding seasons a year: February-April and June-August
Tamias striatus
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
breeds February to September; does have 3-7 litters a year
Sylvilagus floridanus
Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake
live young born the following year, late July to early October
Crotalus adamanteus
Eastern Fence Lizard
males show bright blue patches on the chin and belly
Sceloporus undulatus
Green Anole
males bob their heads and extend a pink dewlap to court and hold territory
Anolis carolinensis
Monarch Butterfly
eggs on milkweed; cut milkweed back in midsummer for fresh leaves in Aug-Sep
Danaus plexippus
Nine-banded Armadillo
breeds June-August; implantation is delayed until about November
Dasypus novemcinctus
Timber Rattlesnake
males roam widely; 5-20 live young are born the next year, Aug-Sep
Crotalus horridus
Virginia Opossum
near 30 degrees N breeding runs January-August; females average two litters a year
Didelphis virginiana
Calling
American Green Treefrog
males call a nasal, duck-like 'queenk' from plants at pond and swamp edges
Hyla cinerea
Cope's Gray Treefrog
breeding chorus peaks in early summer; males trill from shrubs around fishless pools
Hyla chrysoscelis
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
heavy rains on warm nights set off a nasal, bleating 'waaah' from shallow pools
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Spawning
Bluegill
nests in shallow water over sand once the water passes 75 degrees F
Lepomis macrochirus
Emerging
Polyphemus Moth
two broods in the South: April-May and July-August
Antheraea polyphemus
Arriving
Great Egret
post-breeding egrets disperse inland from the coast; county reports peak Aug-Oct
Ardea alba
Passing through
Gulf Fritillary
big southward flights toward Florida from late summer through fall
Dione vanillae
Monarch Butterfly
fall migrants head for Mexico; asters and goldenrods fuel them in Sep-Oct
Danaus plexippus
Also around in August
Birds
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American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
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American Osprey
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis
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Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga leucogaster
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Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
-
Barred Owl
Strix varia
-
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
-
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
-
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
-
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
-
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
-
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
-
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
-
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
-
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
-
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
-
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
-
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
-
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
-
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
-
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
-
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
-
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
-
Pine Warbler
Setophaga pinus
-
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
-
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
-
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
-
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
-
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
-
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Mammals
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American Beaver
Castor canadensis
-
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
-
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
-
Coyote
Canis latrans
-
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
-
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
-
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
-
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
-
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
-
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Reptiles
-
Brown Watersnake
Nerodia taxispilota
-
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
-
Eastern Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
-
Eastern Rat Snake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
-
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
-
Northern Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Dangerous
-
Plain-bellied Watersnake
Nerodia erythrogaster
-
Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
-
River Cooter
Pseudemys concinna
-
Scarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides
-
Southeastern Mud Turtle
Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum
-
Southern Painted Turtle
Chrysemys dorsalis
Amphibians
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Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
-
Southern Leopard Frog
Lithobates sphenocephalus
-
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea cirrigera
-
Three-lined Salamander
Eurycea guttolineata
Fish
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Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
-
Chain Pickerel
Esox niger
-
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
-
Flathead Catfish
Pylodictis olivaris
-
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus nigricans
-
Redear Sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
-
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Insects
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American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis
-
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes
-
Carolina Sphinx
Manduca sexta
-
Carpenter-mimic Leafcutter Bee
Megachile xylocopoides
-
Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia
-
Common Eastern Bumblebee
Bombus impatiens
-
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
-
Fraternal Potter Wasp
Eumenes fraternus
-
Giant Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia
-
Great Black Digger Wasp
Sphex pensylvanicus
-
Luna Moth
Actias luna
-
Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis
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Viceroy
Limenitis archippus
-
Virginia Creeper Sphinx
Darapsa myron
-
Wavy-lined Emerald
Synchlora aerata
Plants
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American Holly
Ilex opaca
-
Chinese Privet
Ligustrum sinense
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Elliott's Blueberry
Vaccinium elliottii
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Leatherleaf Mahonia
Berberis bealei
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Nandina
Nandina domestica
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Piedmont Azalea
Rhododendron canescens
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Taro
Colocasia esculenta
Trees
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American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
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American Elm
Ulmus americana
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Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
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Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
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Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda
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Red Maple
Acer rubrum
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River Birch
Betula nigra
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Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
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Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipfera
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White Oak
Quercus alba
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Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
See every species, in any month, in the Wildlife Guide.