Let There Be Dragons.....

Online Field Guides

The most obvious sign of a healthy ecosystem is the diversity of living things that is found there. As of 1998, the Thornapple River watershed is in wonderful shape! Part of the joy of living on the river is the opportunity to enjoy all the wild creatures and plants that live on, in and around the river. But what are all those creatures? Did you really see a bald eagle? (Yes, you did--confirmed sightings.) And what is that other fishing eagle? (It's an osprey!)

Unless you have access to a library of field guides, it is difficult to identify all the living things to be found here. From this page, you may access sites that provide keys and lists of the common creatures and plants to be found in the watershed, and information about their biology. If no information is available on the web, I will lead you to sites that list books and references that will be useful to you, or give you references here.

Water Canaries

What are "water canaries"? In mines a hundred years ago, workers would keep a canary handy, as they are sensitive to air changes that are dangerous to people. If the canary died, it was time to get out of the mine--fast! In a truly healthy stream ecology, certain aquatic larval insects are "water canaries", or indicator species--that is, if they are found there, it is a sure sign of a very healthy river or stream. If they are not there, it does not always mean the stream or river is in ecological trouble; but in 1998, the good water canaries are alive, present, and well in the Thornapple. To learn more about our water canaries, see the Field Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates. This online resource is provided by the Isaac Walton League. It may be printed off the screen for your reference in the field. It consists of a simple and very general key, with illustrations, to the "water canaries" of any watershed, with a small amount of natural history included for each type of animal.

Those who are studying benthic macroinvertebrates at the genus and species level will find more specific assistance below. (By the way, benthic means means the river bottom, and macroinvertebrates means the creatures without backbones that are big enough to see.)

Do you want information about dragonflies? Go to the home page of the Michigan Odonata Survey (dragonflies!), where Michael A. Kielb and Mark F. O'Brien at the (University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor) are creating a truly phenomenal Michigan resource for us. They are planning to add other aquatic insect resources like this one, so stay tuned to their site. (I worship at their shrine.) See also Mark O'Brien's Great Lakes Entomological Resources. And while you're there, tell him how much you appreciate their sites!

Looking for mayflies? Ephemeroptera is the order of insects to which mayflies belong, meaning "an insect that lasts only for a day." In reality, only the adults are short-lived, staying just long enough to reproduce. The young-uns live underwater for quite a long time! Go to Mayfly Central at Purdue University.

Michigan's endangered species list. NOTICE: September 1998. This is the FOURTH time in six months that the Michigan DNR Wildlife Division has moved the information on endangered, threatened, and special concern species and left no forwarding link. I now list the information from the national Fish and Wildlife site.

Ducks Unlimited National site. The mission of Ducks Unlimited is to fulfill the annual life cycle needs of North American waterfowl by protecting, enhancing, restoring and managing important wetlands and associated uplands. Ducks Unlimited, Michigan. North American Birds Identification InfoCenter. Excellent photos and information on our waterfowl and other birds in the watershed.

Information about crayfish may be found at the the Crayfish Homepage.

Field Guide to Freshwater Mussels of the Midwest. Kevin S. Cummings, Christine A. Mayer. 1992. Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Illinois Natural History Survey Manual 5. This site has everything! Mussel biology, maps, species, photographs, keys, you name it. Thankyou, IDNR, for allowing us access to this information. (ps: they have copies for sale! I'm getting one for the library.)

Check out the whole site while you are there. This resource is a cornucopia of Natural History information.

MICHIGAN FROGS AND TOADS! Photos, biology, and LIVE CROAKS for identification! Isn't the internet great?

And while we are at it, seen any DEFORMED FROGS lately?

Here is the long-awaited Thornapple River fish species list.