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.

Autumn Pawpaw Colors

October 16, 2025

In the grand scheme of things, Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), offers little in the way of brilliant autumn color. Providing shades of soft yellow to tan coloring to the surrounding show of many hues.

Growing in the shade of the woods up here, the small trees grow to 15 or 20 feet in height. They send out root suckers which will create many genetically identical trees, a Pawpaw patch or a colony of clones of the parent tree. In order to produce fruit there need to be two genetically different trees for pollination. Which explains why I see many Pawpaw trees together in a patch but no fruit.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Unkempt Gardens

October 15, 2025

Look very carefully at the top of the head of this Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula). You’ll see a red spot, which is how they get part of their common name, “ruby-crowned”. Only the male has this crown. Sometimes it is quite obvious, such as when the male is singing, interacting with another bird, agitated, excited, or performing a mating display. Other times it is not visible at all.

The major portion of their diet consists of insects and spiders. An autumn and winter resident here, they thoroughly enjoy my unkempt gardens that are filled with many spent flowers, which become seedheads, such as these Tall Goldenrods (Solidago gigantea). They use those seeds to supplement their diet during the cold of winter.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

A Tufted Titmouse And A Sunflower

October 14, 2025

Autumn, and the end of the Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) season. A Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is picking out the last of the seeds for an afternoon snack.

The Titmouse comes to the seedhead, gets one seed, and takes it to a sturdy branch to perch. It holds the seed with its feet and pounds it open with its beak. Then either hides it away for later, or eats it on the spot, and comes back for more.

Tufted Titmice are permanent residents with no migrating. Staying for all seasons in eastern North America, as far west as eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; and a bit north into southern Canada.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

American Crow

October 13, 2025

American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

A large passerine (a large order of birds distinguished by feet that are adapted for perching, including all songbirds), with a length from beak to tail of 16 to 20 inches, with nearly half being its tail. Its wingspan is 33 to 39 inches.

These Crows are found over much of North America. They along with closely related Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus), and Ravens (Corvus corax) are seen (and heard) around here. I enjoy chatting with them. I will call out and they gather round and respond to what I say. I don’t really know their language but I assume I am not insulting them since I’ve read that they will hold a grudge. No sign of that!

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Shades Of Red

October 12, 2025

The change from green to red started way back in late June. Most people don’t notice it. The change in leaf color is quite subtle but it really does start that early, many months before this climax.

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) now, showing off its reds. Scarlet berries and leaves so rich red they go beyond just red to a very deep crimson.

Two weeks more and these leaves will have fallen to the ground. Leaving the scarlet berries inviting birds to many meals.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Pensive Phoebe

October 11, 2025

Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Sitting perfectly still, concentrating on what might be flying by. Waiting for an insect which might provide a quick snack. Autumn is here but there are still insects aplenty, but as winter approaches there won’t be so many. The Phoebes do quite well here through the winter supplementing their insect diet with seeds, berries, and small fruits.

I delight in seeing these birds, pumping their tales up and down, as if to say, “Hello!”

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Sassafras Albidum

October 10, 2025

Oh October! The month of COLOR! Here, Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is just beginning to celebrate. A fragrant tree, in all its parts, that grows to 30 – 60 feet tall with trunks that are 1 – 2 feet across, and sometimes larger. With gray-brown, deeply ridged and furrowed bark on older trees. If you cut into that bark it has a pronounced brown-orange color beneath the gray-brown surface, and of course, there is that fragrance. Lovely.

Autumn is just beginning to be evident up here. It is at the point of, “Oh, look at that tree.” — rather than, “Oh, look at all the color!” Sassafras leaves turn to yellow, orange, red, and even purple. This particular tree is showing its color early and will be developing even richer hues as the season develops.

I adore brilliant colors. This season is pure joy for me.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Caterpillar Of Spicebush Silkmoth

October 9, 2025

The caterpillar, or larval stage, of a Spicebush Silkmoth (callosamia promethea). The host plants of these moths are Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Sassafras (Sasssafras albidum), Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipfera), Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), Lilac (Syringa vulgaris), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Birches (Betulaceae), Maples (Sapindaceae), and Lindens (Tilia).

As adults these Silkmoths live for 1 to 2 weeks, eating and drinking nothing. During that short time they depend on energy stored during their larval stage. Their purpose during this stage in their life is to mate and lay eggs, enabling another generation to live.

One hefty caterpillar.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

 

Black-throated Green Warbler

October 8, 2025

Another of the many creatures that are migrating through right now. A Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) making its way south. Going to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Jamaica, northern South America, with some choosing to stay in southern Texas or Florida. Here it’s captured heading to the birdbath for a drink.

During the breeding season they eat predominantly insects and spiders, with smooth-skinned caterpillars being their favorite. As they travel south to their winter homes they look for small berries and continue eating insects along the way.


_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Coming Through, One By One

October 7, 2025

Recently during the course of a day, if I’m lucky, I’ll see one, or if I’m really lucky I’ll see two Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) come flying through.

They’re looking for late blooming flowers to provide nectar which they need to fuel their long journey south and to build up fat reserves for the coming winter in the Oyamel Fir Forests of Mexico. Once they arrive at their winter home, they won’t eat anything, in a state of torpor, living off those fat reserves that they have built up during their migration.

I haven’t seen any today. Perhaps I won’t see any more this season. Really looking forward to seeing them next year.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!