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.

A Visit From A Crow

March 10, 2025

The past few days I’ve been hearing many American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) making lots of noise out in the woods. This afternoon one came by to enjoy some of the suet that song birds have been enjoying for a long time. This is the first time I recall a Crow eating the suet. I went for my camera but the Crow saw me and immediately flew away. Second time I guess it was ready for getting pictures taken and stayed for many shots.

Scientists in experiments have concluded that some mammals including monkeys and sheep can recognize particular human faces. With more experimenting, they have demonstrated that Crows have that same ability. I’ve read that Crows hold grudges. I’m hoping that I don’t do anything to offend them.

_______________________

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

Goldfinches At The Maryland State Flower

March 9, 2025

I’ve been waiting. There is a relatively new planting of Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta), the Maryland state flower, on the back hill. I never clean up my gardens until late spring. That leaves the seedheads there all winter long for birds to come and enjoy a tasty treat through no effort by me. I’ve seen very few birds coming to this particular patch of seeds until this morning when two Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) came and spent a good bit of time working at those seeds.

Mission accomplished.

_______________________

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

A Native Stink Bug

March 8, 2025

It’s a bit of a pleasure to talk about a native stink bug given how horribly bothersome the non-native Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) is.

This photo is the nymph stage of a Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilare) native to much of North America but one that I seldom see. It doesn’t seek refuge in my cabin, like the BMSB, a fact that I am very thankful for. This Stink Bug is an agricultural pest that emerges during the first warm days of spring.

_______________________

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

Thank You For The Pose Downy!

March 7, 2025

Looking like it is taking a pose at an awards ceremony, a Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) sits in a Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). It’s waiting for a turn at the suet feeders where it competes with Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus), Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), and Chickadees (Poecile). Sometimes I see as many as three Downies wrangling for a place at the feeders.

In the North American world of woodpeckers, the Downy comes in as the smallest. They have a length of 5.5 to 7 inches and weigh just .71 to 1.16 ounces. Like many birds, they are incredibly light in weight because their bones are hollow.

_______________________

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

Red Maples In Bloom

March 6, 2025

A great help to pollinators, the Red Maple tree (Acer rubrum) is one of our first native trees to bloom in the spring, or in this case in late winter.

And also a great help to meet a neighbor down at the bottom of my mountain. This morning I stopped along the road to take pictures of the Red Maple that is blooming now at the edge of his yard. I had never seen him before but soon enough, there was his dog, and then there he was too. Perfect opportunity to meet him.

_______________________

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

Bigger Than A Hummingbird But Still Mighty Small

March 5, 2025

The Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis). Measures in at 3.1 to 4.7 inches in length. Mighty small and actually the smallest Wren in North America. They’re only here in my part of Virginia in the winter and they normally frequent areas more dense than I have here. It’s wonderful to see one and I’m not surprised to find it at the birdbath since they enjoy being in riparian areas.

While they’re here in the winter they are still determined to eat insects, spiders, and pupae but will resort to eating small berries and seeds.

_______________________

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

Soon There Will Be Hummingbirds!

March 4, 2025

I’m delighted to say and a bit surprised that it will be occurring again in what seems such a short amount of time — next month Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) will be arriving again. The tiny clowns of the avian world.

My first sighting last year was on April 17th when three of them made an appearance. A few days before that date, this year, I’ll put out a feeder filled with syrup.

And let the show begin!

_______________________

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

One Of Many

March 3, 2025

One of oodles of trips out to the Southwest. Its terrain so different. Its natural world so captivating.

This, a trip up Mount Lemmon. Seeming so extremely high compared to my East Coast mountains with an elevation of 9,159 feet, it is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

_______________________

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

Second Day Of Meteorological Spring

March 2, 2025

Yesterday was the first day of meteorological spring. Too bad, that means winter is winding down and coming to an end. Last night though there was a low temperature of 15º. Winter is still holding on. At least so far.

In the gardens around my cabin there are no native plants in bloom. I do have blooms but they are not native. Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) and Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis). Both are easy to control. Winter Aconite is said to be invasive in ideal conditions but I obviously don’t offer the flowers ideal conditions since it, over many years, has shown no indication of spreading at all. I also have some Hellebore (Helleborus), also not spreading at all, over many many years. They are in bud but not blooming quite yet.

But inside the cabin, I do have some blooming LEGO Daffodils that are soon to be native. LEGO is building a manufacturing facility in Chester, Virginia, which is scheduled to open in 2027. Super!

_______________________

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

Zygodactyl Feet

March 1, 2025

A Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescensa) showing its zygodactyl toe arrangement.

Woodpeckers, Owls, and Parrots all share the same sort of foot structure. They have zygodactyl feet. Two toes facing forward, two toes facing back. This allows these birds to more easily climb, grasp, and manipulate.

More common in the bird world are anisodactyl feet. These are feet with three toes facing forward and the fourth toe facing back. Many birds that have anisodactyl feet, such as Robins, Blue Jays, Hawks, and Chickadees. Perching birds.

And by the way, happy first day of meteorological spring!

_______________________

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