Strolling by the irrigation pond in the middle of the summer, one finds the pond beaming with color amid the sounds of tiny fluttering wings zooming over the pond. The organisms found vary throughout the seasons but for now, these are some of the wildlife found near the irrigation pond in the summer.  

The Farm Hub’s production team sets up the irrigation line at the pond every three years, when the vegetables are in the field closest to it. The Esopus Creek is nearby but does not connect to the pond, its source is mostly groundwater. On an average year, water levels fluctuate but the pond remains an important habitat for many organisms.

With their dark blue, metallic-like color on their backs and white undersides, Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) swiftly fly over the pond, occasionally dipping a wing in the water. They are a common sign near the irrigation pond while they mostly feed on flying insects. New this season, we placed two of our Tree Swallow and Bluebird boxes near the irrigation pond. There have been Tree Swallows checking out the boxes since they arrived at the farm in mid-March. By July, Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) had joined in the aerial acrobatics over the pond and vegetation nearby.

Great Blue Herons (Ardea Herodias) are commonly seen at the irrigation pond year-round, not just in the summer. Their excellent eyesight and strong bill are perfect for feeding in water, though they also forage in open fields. Often, they see me before I notice them, and they end up flying away. Green Herons (Butorides virescens) have also been spotted at the irrigation pond on occasion. They blend in well with the gravelly edge of the pond.

Dragonflies and damselflies are semi aquatic organisms, spending the first half of their lives, their larval stage, in the water. Certain species are most common in streams within more forested areas, others are found in standing water or temporary pools. Certain species and the diversity of species at the larval stage can be one way to understand the quality of a body of water. At the Farm Hub’s irrigation pond, some of the most common species of Dragonflies I saw in July were Common Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis), Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa), Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella), and Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina). These species are also relatively visible and might not be surprising that they were the first ones I was able to identify.

Other groups of wildlife I found fluttering near the pond were various species of butterflies. It’s not surprising that there were many Cabbage whites (Pieris rapae) nearby, although they were mostly feeding on the purple loosestrife flowers bordering the pond. All the butterflies I saw around the irrigation pond were feeding on the nearby vegetation.

I enjoy taking in the summer moments at the irrigation pond. It’s a pleasure hearing the dragonflies’ wings zip past, seeing the Tree Swallows dip their wings in the pond while the warm sun makes the pond glisten, and listening to the humming of the irrigation pump that brings water to the vegetable fields.