Author: 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.

Robins in the Snow

On Monday, January 3, 2022, nine inches of gorgeous, wet, stick to the trees snow, dumped upon my cabin making a fairyland of the woods around me. And as if to laugh at those who say robins are a sign of spring, today, just a short thirteen days since the start of winter, a large group of American Robins (Turdus migratorius) has descended upon the Eastern Red Cedars (Juniperus virginiana) here and the birdbath which has a water warmer in it to provide them with water devoid of ice.

Some Robins do migrate but many others don’t. What they do is move in large groups to find food, fruits and berries. Those fruits and berries are their food choice during the winter, an easier meal than worms and insects.

These many Robins were the only species in the crowd today. Often though I’ll see them with Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) or Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus). Maybe tomorrow their friends will show up. I hope there are some berries left for them.

A Salamander

This past Sunday, as our visitors who had been with us for 2nd Christmas and New Years Day were leaving, I found a cute little salamander waiting to be rescued. Not a safe place to be, on the lane waiting to be run over. And here I am, picking up a salamander after a recent post in which I talked about not picking up strange creatures. This one was different though. I was rescuing the little salamander. And in my defense I picked it up with a cedar shingle – then it jumped onto my arm! In doing my research, I see that it is not dangerous to me to pick up a salamander but dangerous to the salamander.  They have skin that is quite porous and the oils and salts that we have on our skin can injure the salamander. Don’t pick up salamanders!

This precious little creature, perhaps a bit less than three inches long, is an Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus). When I put it down away from the lane, it immediately burrowed into a nice layer of leaves. That’s how they normally spend their winters, burrowed into soil under leaves. Hoping those leaves are keeping it warm now that there are 9 inches of snow on the ground after so many warm days. These salamanders grow to a length of four inches. They vary greatly in coloring with differing amounts of dark or light flecking. I have no idea if the salamander is male or female but I right away named it Sally. Hoping to see you again in the spring, Sally, when you’re out again hunting for yummy invertebrates for your dinner.

Nine Inches of Snow

It started as rain in the middle of the night, and eventually turned to what I was hoping for. Nine inches of snow, like sparkly white frosting over the landscape. The cold surely must have been something of shock to the birds. Even though it was in the forecast, that cold and snow still a surprise to me. Very warm yesterday and mighty cold today. Out in the garden the birdbath was a popular spot and this afternoon one of the visitors was an Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis). There are meal worms at the feeder just for them. I hope they stay.

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Snow in the Forecast

A Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) enjoying the seeds of Black-eyed Susans buried in deep snow. Snow that fell in 2016.

December of 2021 was incredibly warm. Now the first two days of this new year of 2022 have followed that example with precision. Not like winter at all. Tonight as I write this it is 50°. Hardly a temperature that would make one think snow is in the forecast but sure enough it is. I’m hoping the forecasts are correct.

Dark-eyed Juncos are also known as Snowbirds and appropriately show up here as winter approaches. A few hardy little ones stay year round further up in the mountains but at this elevation they are only here during the usually coldest part of the year. I’m hoping they’ll get some snow to play in, in the early hours tomorrow morning. And some snow for me to play in too!

Bronze Blister Beetle

Bronze Blister Beetle (Lytta aenea). As I sit, doing research on this beetle, I find my tendency to avoid touching or picking up any critters I encounter as I roam the woods up here to be reinforced. Though some creatures might look innocent or cute and cuddly they can bring on unpleasant consequences. This particular beetle, along with other similar species in the family, Meloidae, numbering in at some 7,500 species, have a defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. This substance not only is a blistering agent but is extremely toxic, comparable to cyanide and strychnine. Cantharidin is found in the beetles’ blood and even after its death this substance remains strong and dangerous. Farm animals grazing in fields where Blister Beetles live or have died can be poisoned by eating them. In the case of humans, if actually consumed, as little as 10 milligrams can be fatal.

Cantharidin is an extreme external irritant to people who can end up with very painful swelling and blisters. The cantharidin is so effective in disintegrating a person’s skin that it is used in some wart removal products. There are some very clever flies, bugs and beetles that will eat (alive or dead) Blister Beetles in order to acquire the defensive nature of cantharidin. These insects with the name, cantharidinophilous insects, have become tolerant of the negative effects of this chemical and are better off because of its protection.

Certainly if I don’t know what a creature is, I’m not going to bother it, other than to get a picture of it with a long lens. Definitely not pick it up.

Ticks in Winter

Today’s post is a collaborative endeavor between my treasured buddy/granddaughter, seven year old “Cherry” Jones and myself. I had mentioned to her that my subject was going to be ticks and that I had no photographs. She immediately suggested she could do illustrations, so here they are!

We were quite surprised just a few days ago, at the end of December to find that ticks are still active. It’s been much too warm for the ticks to seek their normal refuge in leaf litter or an underground burrow where they normally stay for extended stretches until temperatures warm again. So our warmer than usual temperatures this late autumn and winter mean we are out of luck. And the ticks are happy and active.

During the warm times when ticks are hungry, hoping for hosts, they sometimes take on a tactic called questing. They select the perfect blade of grass, or leaf of a low growing bush, and grasp its edge with their third and fourth pair of legs. Waving their front legs to reach out into the air waiting for that unsuspecting mammal to come by to provide the meal they need. In the illustration above you see a blade of grass with a tick perched on it, just waiting for a hiker to come by.

Eastern Phoebe In Winter

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). An amiable little bird that I love to see around as it flicks its tail feathers as a signal to me. A sign of identification. Being that it is an insectavore makes me welcome it well beyond my being enthralled by its charm. An event of just a couple days ago makes me appreciate that they eat ticks! This year those ticks are out there still, even at the end of December. It’s been much too warm to send the ticks, depending on their species, into hiding in leaf litter or going into underground burrows. Waiting for warm weather to return. They don’t need to escape. The warm weather hasn’t gone away. In a normal winter the Phoebe will eat what insects it can find but can and will resort to eating berries and other fruit that it can find. I love that they are here returning to the same nest year after year to raise their young. And are eating the ticks.

Bluebirds During the Holidays

Special days bring special things. Today was no exception with some Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) arriving. Shopping for housing no doubt, perhaps with a real estate agent. They were all checking out the houses around the yard and noticed that meal worms were waiting for them at the feeder. This male with his brilliant blue admires the view from the roof top. Oh just look at that color!

A female checks out the rooftop view as well. Her coloring more gray, more subtle. I’ve got my fingers crossed that they decide to stay for a while, perhaps raise a brood or two or three here at the Observatory and Frog Farm.

Birdbaths in Winter

During the winter my birdbaths really draw the birds. Bring in birds that aren’t interested in the seeds and suet that I put out at the feeders. Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) and Robins (Turdus migratorius) don’t eat at the feeders but they sure take pleasure in the water.

Another on my list of those that have no interest in the bird feeders, a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), who shows up simply because I use a water warmer to keep ice from freezing. A water warmer along with a long medium duty/outdoor extension cord.

And still another bird on that list, a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata), affectionately know as Butterbutt.

Birds can eat snow to get the moisture they need but it takes precious energy to convert that frigid chill of snow to the bird’s body temperature. Precious energy. Some birds even bathe during the cold of winter to keep their feathers clean IF water is available. And of course there are all the birds that eat the yummy suet and seeds that are out there in the feeders. They need that water in liquid form too. The more the merrier at the ol’ watering hole.