What to look for in June
Species from our Wildlife Guide that you can find at River Island in June: what is in bloom, nesting, arriving or active first, then everything else that is around.
In bloom
American Beautyberry
small lavender-pink flower clusters at the leaf bases
Callicarpa americana
American Elderberry
broad, flat clusters of tiny white flowers
Sambucus canadensis
American Holly
small greenish-white flowers; only female trees bear berries
Ilex opaca
Chinese Privet
clusters of small white flowers with an unpleasant odor
Ligustrum sinense
Flame Azalea
large orange, yellow or red funnel-shaped flowers, usually not fragrant
Rhododendron calendulaceum
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
Nandina
upright clusters of small white flowers
Nandina domestica
Smooth Azalea
very fragrant white to pale pink flowers with red stamens, opening after the leaves
Rhododendron arborescens
Sourwood
white lily-of-the-valley bells on drooping sprays; an important honey source
Oxydendrum arboreum
Southern Magnolia
huge fragrant creamy-white flowers; a few keep opening through the summer
Magnolia grandiflora
Sweetbay Magnolia
fragrant creamy-white cup-shaped flowers; a few open sporadically until frost
Magnolia virginiana
Yellow Flag Iris
bright yellow iris flowers, several per stem
Iris pseudacorus
Yellow Passionflower
small pale greenish-yellow flowers
Passiflora lutea
Fruits, nuts and seeds
Elliott's Blueberry
small blueberries eaten by birds and small mammals
Vaccinium elliottii
Flame Azalea
Rhododendron calendulaceum
Leatherleaf Mahonia
blue-black berries, quickly eaten and spread by birds
Berberis bealei
River Birch
the only birch that seeds in spring; turkeys, small birds and rodents eat the seeds
Betula nigra
Nesting and raising young
American Osprey
Georgia nest cam: eggs early-mid March, hatch mid-April, young fledge mid-June
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis
Black Vulture
lays 2 eggs on bare ground in old barns or thickets; no nest is built
Coragyps atratus
Blue Jay
unusually quiet near the nest; some young fledge as late as July or August
Cyanocitta cristata
Brown Anole
one egg about every 14 days in moist soil or rotten wood; hatches in 30-45 days
Anolis sagrei
Canada Goose
Georgia resident flock: nesting began late February and ended early June
Branta canadensis
Carolina Chickadee
pairs check cavities late January, build late Feb-March; clutches start about mid-April
Poecile carolinensis
Carolina Wren
often raises a second brood; nests in odd spots such as mailboxes and flower pots
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Chipping Sparrow
two, sometimes three broods; the flimsy cup nest is often lined with hair
Spizella passerina
Common Snapping Turtle
female digs a nest for 20-40 eggs; hatchlings appear in August
Chelydra serpentina
Eastern Bluebird
typically two broods a year in cavities and nest boxes
Sialia sialis
Eastern Box Turtle
3-6 eggs in a shallow nest; hatchlings appear in late summer or early fall
Terrapene carolina carolina
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
about 80% of the young are born April-July
Sylvilagus floridanus
Eastern Fence Lizard
3-16 eggs in late spring or early summer; young hatch in summer and fall
Sceloporus undulatus
Eastern Musk Turtle
up to 2 clutches of 1-9 eggs under debris or in rotten logs; hatch Aug-Sep
Sternotherus odoratus
Eastern Phoebe
mud-and-moss nests under bridges and eaves; eggs by early April
Sayornis phoebe
Eastern Rat Snake
4-44 eggs in warm, moist hidden spots; hatchlings appear late August-September
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Eastern Screech-Owl
uses tree cavities and nest boxes; eggs found late March to mid-April
Megascops asio
Eurasian Collared-Dove
3-4 broods a year; can nest in any month with enough food
Streptopelia decaocto
Fish Crow
listen for the nasal 'uh-uh' call; nests 1-2 months later than American Crow
Corvus ossifragus
Great Blue Heron
colonial nests high in treetops; building from mid-January, hatching late March-April
Ardea herodias
Green Anole
one egg every two weeks in moist soil or rotten wood; hatches in 5-7 weeks
Anolis carolinensis
Green Heron
solitary nester; a Carolina Piedmont nest held four young on 11 May
Butorides virescens
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
North American Racer
4-30 eggs in rotting logs, leaf litter or sandy soil; hatchlings appear late summer
Coluber constrictor
Northern Cardinal
first nests built early to mid-March; three or more broods in the Carolina Piedmont
Cardinalis cardinalis
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Pine Warbler
nest building from mid-March, eggs by late March, high on pine limbs
Setophaga pinus
Pond Slider
some hatchlings stay in the nest over winter and emerge the next spring
Trachemys scripta
Red-bellied Woodpecker
excavation seen from late January; 1-3 broods; one Carolina nest fledged on 15 July
Melanerpes carolinus
Red-shouldered Hawk
active nests from February; most flightless young are found May-June
Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed Hawk
nest building February-March; nestlings April to early July
Buteo jamaicensis
River Cooter
hatchlings often stay in the nest over winter and emerge in spring
Pseudemys concinna
Rock Pigeon
can nest in every month of the year
Columba livia
Scarlet Kingsnake
3-9 eggs under logs or in rotting wood; hatchlings appear in late summer
Lampropeltis elapsoides
Southeastern Mud Turtle
2-5 eggs; hatchlings often stay underground until the next spring
Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum
Southern Painted Turtle
females nest by day; hatchlings usually stay in the nest until spring
Chrysemys dorsalis
Striped Skunk
births are bunched in May and June; litters average six kits
Mephitis mephitis
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
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
Wild Turkey
most Georgia hens lay late March to early April
Meleagris gallopavo
Wood Duck
most ducklings hatch and leave the nest April-May; 1-2 broods
Aix sponsa
Breeding season
Brown Anole
territorial males display an orange-red dewlap
Anolis sagrei
Common Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
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 Fence Lizard
males show bright blue patches on the chin and belly
Sceloporus undulatus
Eastern Fox Squirrel
two mating peaks: December-February and May-June
Sciurus niger
Eastern Gray Squirrel
mating peaks in January and June
Sciurus carolinensis
Eastern Rat Snake
fall breeding also occurs
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Green Anole
males bob their heads and extend a pink dewlap to court and hold territory
Anolis carolinensis
Nine-banded Armadillo
breeds June-August; implantation is delayed until about November
Dasypus novemcinctus
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Plain-bellied Watersnake
live young born in late summer to early fall
Nerodia erythrogaster
Scarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides
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
Channel Catfish
spawns May-July at about 70-80 degrees F; males guard the nest and the fry
Ictalurus punctatus
Flathead Catfish
spawns mid-May to mid-July around hollow logs and undercut banks
Pylodictis olivaris
Largemouth Bass
spawns in 65-75 degree F water; Georgia DNR says the pre-spawn bite picks up in February
Micropterus nigricans
Striped Bass
spring run; Savannah River stripers gather just below the Augusta lock and dam April-June
Morone saxatilis
Emerging
Big Brown Bat
young are weaned and flying by late June or early July
Eptesicus fuscus
Nine-banded Armadillo
young leave the nest around the first or second week of June (south Georgia)
Dasypus novemcinctus
Arriving
Gulf Fritillary
recolonizes from farther south each spring; scarce until midsummer
Dione vanillae
Little Blue Heron
Carolina Piedmont: post-breeding birds arrive from late June, most seen July-August
Egretta caerulea
Also around in June
Birds
-
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
-
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
-
Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga leucogaster
-
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
-
Barred Owl
Strix varia
-
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
-
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
-
Great Egret
Ardea alba
-
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
-
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
-
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Mammals
-
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
-
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
-
Coyote
Canis latrans
-
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
-
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
-
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
-
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Reptiles
-
Brown Watersnake
Nerodia taxispilota
-
Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Dangerous
-
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
-
Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake
Crotalus adamanteus
Dangerous
-
Northern Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Dangerous
-
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Dangerous
Amphibians
-
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
-
Southern Leopard Frog
Lithobates sphenocephalus
-
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea cirrigera
-
Three-lined Salamander
Eurycea guttolineata
Fish
-
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
-
Chain Pickerel
Esox niger
-
Redear Sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
-
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Insects
-
American Bumblebee
Bombus pensylvanicus
-
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
-
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
-
Fraternal Potter Wasp
Eumenes fraternus
-
Giant Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia
-
Luna Moth
Actias luna
-
Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippus
-
Polyphemus Moth
Antheraea polyphemus
-
Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis
-
Viceroy
Limenitis archippus
-
Virginia Creeper Sphinx
Darapsa myron
-
Wavy-lined Emerald
Synchlora aerata
Plants
-
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
-
Blue Flag Iris
Iris virginica
-
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
-
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
-
Devilwood
Cartrema americana
-
Lilyturf
Liriope muscari
-
Piedmont Azalea
Rhododendron canescens
-
Purpletop Tridens
Tridens flavus
-
Red Buckeye
Aesculus pavia
-
Swamp Rose Mallow
Hibiscus moscheutos
-
Taro
Colocasia esculenta
-
Waxmyrtle
Morella cerifera
Trees
-
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
-
American Elm
Ulmus americana
-
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
-
Carolina Silverbell
Halesia carolina
-
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
-
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
-
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
-
Fringe Tree
Chionanthus virginicus
-
Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
-
Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda
-
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
-
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipfera
-
White Oak
Quercus alba
-
Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
See every species, in any month, in the Wildlife Guide.