I saw it fluttering about today, this afternoon. Checking out the blossoms. Wondering if they were open, but no, not quite. A few more days and the nectar will be there for the taking. It’s the first Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) of the year.
Image from 2016
A feeder went up today in anticipation of the arrival of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). I’m hoping the first Hummingbird will be here very soon. They’re such a joy to have around. Here you see a female. Those tiny white tips on her tail indicate a female and not a juvenile male. A juvenile male would have a white throat like you see here, and slightly speckled like this or even more speckling, but no white on his tail. She’s enjoying Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma) nectar. That’s a perfect plant for Hummingbirds.
Like many things early in April, White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata) is emerging from the soil to greet spring.
I’m thrilled to see it in many places in the woods up here. An herbaceous perennial found in the eastern US and southeastern Canada but most often found in the Appalachian Mountains.
One of the first asters to bloom in autumn densely covering the plant with small, white, daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers that fade to dull purply red. These charming blossoms top dark purple stems.
The nectar of the White Wood Aster is attractive to butterflies and the American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) seems particularly drawn to the flowers. A butterfly, much to my delight, that seems to enjoy being a model for my photos.
We met along the shore of the Rivanna River in the Key West area of Charlottesville. So many things were to be discovered. It was this very day, in April 2010, and it was part of my training to become a master naturalist. That trip allowed the first time ever, for me to see the tiny plant, Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum).
Every spring now, from its very first day as winter is left behind, I am on the lookout for the first signs of the Trout Lily coming up. Here you see that sign. A single leaf emerging from the soil. When the plant matures and blooms, there is a second leaf. From year to year plants will send up a single leaf but not necessarily a bloom or a second leaf. I found this leaf yesterday, the first Trout Lily leaf so far. This particular one, just a teeny 3/4 inch tall.
It was such a surprise to me, that first sight of a Trout Lily all those years ago. Such a very small bloom, growing on a flowering stalk 6 inches tall. Easy to miss if you aren’t looking for the little things. That’s me. Always looking for the little things. The things that others miss.
The air was still today. A very welcome respite from the whipping wind of the past few days. The warmish spring weather and bright sunshine called to me. My camera and I roamed looking for ephemerals making their appearance, and I returned with many images to add to my stash.
One discovery, Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). At this point in their short lives I find they are not showing their exceptional blue, but glorious purple and brilliant pink.
The exceptional blue I mention in the Virginia Bluebell is something special since only 10% of the world’s 280,000 flowering plant species have blooms that are truly blue. For those of us that are lovers of the color blue, that makes this one a special flower.
Merry New Year and Happy Christmas!
A spring ephemeral is a species of plant appearing for just a short period of time above ground to flower, produce seed and then go dormant. Enjoy these Cutleaf Toothworts (Cardamine concatenata), they are the spring ephemerals I’m speaking of tonight.
Sensitive plants these Toothworts. As you hike the next few weeks you’ll find them blooming trailside if the soil has never experienced heavy construction activities or has never been plowed. It is a plant that cannot survive such conditions. Sensitive.
Another thing these beauties will not tolerate, competition from the invasive Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata). We’ll only see Cutleaf Toothwort for a few weeks this spring. Let’s hope conditions are favorable for them to appear again next year. We’ve got to take care of our natural world.
I love to drive across the country to see the varied landscapes, the interesting minuscule towns, to see life from a different point of view. But I also love fly to some distant destination, with this qualification: I must have a window seat and my good buddy/camera along with me. The image above was obtained that way, me, my trusty sidekick and a window seat. It was taken somewhere between Virginia and Arizona. I seriously doubt that this is Virginia though.
And THEN after the flight, a rental car and many destinations. Innumerable places to fill me with wonder. Usually in the Southwest and most often in New Mexico. This photo above is from Zion National Park. A beautiful plant, Shooting Star (Dodecatheon pulchellum), native to the Western states, and a member of the Primula family. So much out there to see. There and here.
Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) and with needles growing from its trunk, being photobombed by a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus).
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) with flower buds emerging from its trunk.
Who would have thought Redbud and Pitch Pine have something in common.
These are cauliflorous trees. They have flowers that emerge from their main trunk or larger branches. It is thought that this makes the flowers and fruit more easily accessed for pollination and dispersal of their seeds.
And the word cauliflorous has nothing to do with cauliflower.
The blooming of Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) in the woods is a highlight of spring. Something that makes it even more wonderful is when there is FOG blanketing the mountain. Wait until the light is just right and you’ll see what I mean. Then, in that moment, it’s not a pale gray nearly white fog like you usually see, but it becomes a pink fog, wrapping around every tree, every rock, every just emerging Bloodroot and Mayapple. Pink fog.
Though delicate in appearance, the flowers of Redbud are tough little things, surviving snow, ice, and most anything that the spring season can throw at them. They come through like champs.
I’ve been surprised to see birds eating petals of blossoms on my fruit trees. These Redbud petals and flowers are also something that Cedar Waxwings and Northern Cardinals will eat.
And another bird will eat those flowers and petals. Caught in the act here, a Goldfinch.
