Author Archives: Brenda Clements Jones

About Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

Is This A White-throated Sparrow?

This handsome little bird showed up at the bird bath today. It’s a White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis).

But this is also a White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Same species, but two different color morphs. The first image, a white-striped, and the second image, a tan-striped. A coloration that stays with each White-throated Sparrow for life. About 50% of males are white-striped and 50% are tan-striped. And likewise, 50% of females are white-striped and 50% are tan-striped.

Researchers have found that personality comes into play as well, with these color morphs. They have found that the white-striped White-throated Sparrows are more aggressive while the tan-striped White-throated Sparrows are more nurturing.

Such a complicated world of White-throated Sparrows.

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Baking Season

Seems it’s the season for baking all sorts of yummy things. Keeping the kitchen warm while the oven bakes away, as the season turns from autumn to winter.

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An Afternoon Hello

A Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) stopped by this afternoon to say hello, as it was hunting for a dinner of berries.

The second portion of it’s scientific name, gusttatus, is Latin for spotted. It’s one of several that are called the spotted thrushes. During the winter, identification becomes easy since this is the only spotted thrush normally found in North America in the non-breeding season.

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Mistletoe

American Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) native to North America, and very common in Virginia.

There are more than 30 species of Mistletoe in North America.

Juniper Mistletoe (Phoradendron juniperinum). Photographed in Zion National Park.

Mistletoe is a hemi-parasite, meaning that it performs photosynthesis, but extracts water and nutrients from the host plant.

If you’re considering using American Mistletoe as an indoor decoration, and have children or cats or dogs around, keep in mind, those berries are poisonous.

One Of Many

Yesterday, a day of beautiful, glistening ICE! I planned ahead and had no place to go. But oh those loud SNAPS, and CRACKS. I knew that at the very least that sound meant a tree had lost a limb.

Or even worse a tree was down. Or a tree was down across the lane, or the road.

And that was the case many times over. The top photo is of a large Sassafras tree being hugged by a Flowering Dogwood. The bottom image, the same pair, close up. The Sassafras had lost its battle with a wood borer several years ago. Yesterday the ice brought it down. Right across the lane. The required “key” to exit, a chainsaw.

As luck would have it, the road down the mountain is a state maintained road and they take very good care of that road and its residents. Ah, living in the mountains. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ice Storm

Ice on the Blueberry bushes

A storm crossing the country. Menacing with flooding, deep snow, tornadoes, large hail, and for me a thick coating of ice. It arrived last night and lasted through the morning, coating everything with a thick layer of slick wet dangerous beauty. Every now and then the power went off for but a short second or two. So far, tonight, I’ve escaped a power outage.

Heavy laden branches of Gray Dogwood

The ice created noises, strange to me, sounding as if there was a huge someone in the woods breaking large branches with big, “SNAP!” noises. The Gray Dogwood trees in the picture above were a part of that noise making, snapping right in half after I took this picture. The road going down the mountain hasn’t been checked. I’m hoping there aren’t any large trees that suffered that, “SNAP!” sound in a louder rendition. Maybe a chainsaw will be required? I hope not.

A Sassy Little Wren

A sassy little bird that might be trying to make up for its size by being so vocal. A Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus). This, one of several that I see year round here at my cabin. Little clowns that entertain me with their uninhibitedness and their relaxed nature while I’m outside with them.

They eat all sorts of insects and spiders, along with millipedes and snails. They’ve also been known to eat small tree frogs and lizards. During the winter they switch to seeds, berries and small fruits.

Put out something a little strange and they may take it as a challenge to build a nest – in a boot, in a wreath, in a potted plant. Clever birds!

The Weather Forecast

Winterberry

The weather forecast for tomorrow night (Wednesday night) into Thursday is exciting for me. Prospects of beautiful ice.

Purple Coneflower

I had a dentist appointment scheduled for Thursday, but given the risk of driving up here where it’s bound to be even more icy than down in the lowlands, I’ve rescheduled that appointment. And besides I’ll need all that time for roaming with my camera.

Flowering Dogwood

The only thing better than ice is pristine snow. The perfect decoration for the black and white landscape of winter.

Multiflora Rosa

Nature at its most beautiful. Me and my camera thoroughly enjoy capturing it in pixels.