In, On and Around the Lake – Shabbona Lake State Park

During my walks through the trails of Lake Shabbona this past month I found myself paying more attention to the habitats in and on the lake. As a birder I find that I walk around looking up more often than down. Because birds fly, I am naturally scanning an area much farther out from my immediate surroundings. I find that birds are a beautiful part of nature that you tend to appreciate more from a distance. My new fascination with dragonflies has honed my observations toward closer views of the lake itself. The damselfly on the canoe above is so tiny it is very easy to walk right by. I place an arrow toward the damselfly to show it’s tiny size. This is a newly emerged damselfly. At this stage it is considered a teneral and will be vulnerable as it gains strength. During it’s first few days as a teneral damselfly it may become a meal for a hungry bird or other predator.

Above a pair of Orange bluet damselflies in tandem ovipositing on plant life, in the water, under lily pads, and all around Lake Shabbona to continue the cycle of future orange bluet generations to come.

Skimming Bluet damselflies in mating wheel.

Tandem – A position that both damselflies and dragonflies use while mating. The male attaches his tail to the females head. They can fly from one spot to another while depositing eggs in this position.

ovipositing – To deposit eggs

Mating wheel – A wheel shaped position used by dragonfly when they mate. The Male grabs the females head and attaches itself as the female attaches herself to the male’s reproductive segment. When both are attached a unique heart shape is formed.

Teneral – A newly emerged adult odonata.

Nymph – larva from certain insects that resemble the adult insect form, like dragonflies.

Larva – stage between egg and adult.

Birds near the shore

Many birds are attracted to the same shallow waters that dragonflies are attracted to due to the abundant plant and bug life. Dragonflies and other bugs are a good source of protein while the plants produce fruits and seeds that birds love. This american goldfinch enjoys some duckweed and watermeal seeds in a shallow area of Lake Shabbona. I was given the impression by it’s frequent returns during my visit that this was a favorite spot and treat for this finch.

A choice patch of lily pads kept this eastern kingbird busy and well fed. The birds that I have watched eat the bugs and larva found in and on Lake Shabbona include sparrows, blackbirds, flycatchers, kingbirds, swallows, waxwings, and robins.

A tree close to the lake was bursting with newly fledged purple martins just beginning to learn how to hunt for themselves. They too love to eat dragonflies and other flying insects.

Herons, ducks, turtles and frogs all enjoy aquatic bugs, nymphs and larvae. The heron pictured above is a blue heron. It also enjoys eating fish, frogs and tadpoles.

Tadpoles begin as herbivores. They eat extremely small plants and algae until they form their legs. They then become carnivores and eat aquatic insects, larva and other small animals in the water. I found it very interesting to learn that dragonfly nymphs live under water for up to a couple of years until they are ready to crawl out and emerge into a dragonfly. While under the water with tadpoles, just guess what they eat. Yes, tadpoles. They also eat other aquatic bugs and larva, including odonata larva. True carnivores.

You will be happy to know however that during their early stages as nymphs they consume mosquito larva from the water’s surface. It is just another reason to love dragonflies. As nymphs they eat mosquito larva, as adults they consume mosquitos by the dozens. Go dragonflies! The beautiful dragonfly pictured above is a teneral red saddlebag.

A few recommendations for places to explore in the park.

Near the dam – On labor day weekend I saw about eight cormorants sunning and resting on the lake near the tree line from snowmobile trail.

Arrowhead Trail – Heading east from the restaurant I saw redstarts and a chestnut sided warbler. Fall migration is just starting so keep a look out for incoming migrating warblers and water fowl. Heading south from the restaurant is a great place to see herons and egrets along the lake. The kingfisher and eastern kingbird also like the areas nearest to the lake along this trail.

Snowmobile Trail – near Tomahawk trail has a great view of the lake. I saw two osprey over the holiday weekend. One of them caught a fish and flew from the lake across the trail and toward the tree line with it’s catch. Near the beginning of snowmobile trail (not far from camp store) a couple of hummingbirds were enjoying a patch of monkey flower facing Indian Oaks Country Club. It is an orange blossom that they seem to love. They were perching on what I think was dried dill stalks in between visit to the flowers. In this same area is a dead tree that cedar waxwings and flycatchers frequent.

The touch of earth trail – eastern pheobes, kingfisher, eastern kingbirds, cedar waxwings, magnolia warblers and american goldfinch. Another patch of monkey flower and dried dill stalks that attracted several hummingbirds was in the grassy area by the lake just before you enter this trail.

There are many trails to explore, and lots to discover. Go explore!

To view more from my time spend this past month in the the park visit the links below.

Did you like this? Share it!