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.

Northern Flicker Showing Off Its Yellow

January 29, 2025

A Northern Flicker (yellow shafted phase)(Colaptes auratus) proudly showing off his yellow. Sometimes I’m fortunate and get to see it, other times it is hard to tell why they are called yellow shafted. This a male. You can tell by the presence of that black mustache.

He’s sitting at a cluster of red, hairy fruits called drupes on a Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra). A fruit quite popular with Northern Flickers though they’re known for pounding on the ground to get ants, beetles and their larvae.

Fortunately for me, these Flickers are here year round.

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Often At The Birdbath

January 28, 2025

A winter resident here. One that thoroughly enjoys the birdbaths. A Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). Winter or summer they often find their meals as they forage on the ground. Insects during the summer and berries during the winter. No interest in the seeds I put out.

But wonderful to see them so often at the birdbath.

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Footprints On The Porch

January 27, 2025

Rush hour on the back porch. Footprints of many birds wandering, looking for seeds.

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Not Snow But Gypsum Crystals

January 26, 2025

One of many favorite spots in New Mexico, White Sands.

Over many thousands of years many animals that live in this environment have evolved to match the white coloring of the sand dunes. Not necessarily seen during the day, they will often stay in their dens to avoid the heat of day leaving only their footprints to let us know that they are around.

Immediately to the west of White Sands are the San Andres Mountains, and west and slightly south is a place I called home many years ago, Las Cruces.

Special places in my heart.

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Perhaps The White-breasted Nuthatch Is Becoming An Irruptive Species

January 25, 2025

Yesterday I posted about the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) and its absence from my garden during these past many snowy and very cold days. I’ve been reading about them today, and it seems there is an interesting and, to me, a surprising explanation.

The White-breasted Nuthatch, which had been thought to be a non-migratory bird has been observed migrating from time to time in just the past couple years. An irruptive species will move out of their normal home territory when their usual foods don’t provide for their needs. Migrating just every now and then.

Now the White-breasted Nuthatch might be following in its relatives’ footsteps. The Red-breasted Nuthatch is considered to be an irruptive species

Where Have You Been?

January 24, 2025

I’ve gotten quite a lengthy list of birds that have come by during this wonderful wintry weather, both for the birdbath and the food. This White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is normally a regular visitor, but not during these past two weeks, when there has been much snow and extremely cold temperatures. Seen just once a couple days ago.

They usually are in pairs hanging out with Chickadees (Poecile) and Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor). The Chickadees and Tufted Titmice certainly have been plentiful but not these Nuthatches.

This species of Nuthatch doesn’t migrate and is found in most of the United States as well as southern Canada and well into Mexico.

I’m looking forward to seeing more of them soon.

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Peter-Peter-Peter

January 23, 2025

A Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor). One of the first birds to show up as I’m putting out hulled sunflower seeds and suet. Unafraid, they sit in the nearby Flowering Dogwood tree (Cornus florida) as I get things set up for them. Not quiet, they’ll let me know they’re there waiting by whistling their song of peter-peter-peter.

They’re birds that don’t migrate, living in the eastern half of the United States. They eat seeds, nuts, berries and suet and during the summer insects are added to their menu.

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Quite The Petite Nuthatch

January 22, 2025

A tiny little critter, the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). I have to shake my head at the word “red” used as a label for this bird. Who thinks these names up? Don’t they know their colors? Wikipedia uses a perfect word for this Nuthatch’s belly – cinnamon. Another appropriate word to describe the color that I’ve seen, buff. But not red!

The Red-bellied Nuthatch doesn’t come through every winter. Every now and then, thanks to fluctuations in their winter food supply, they are forced to leave their normal wintering grounds sometimes ending up here. This is called an irruption.

Their call is quite entertaining. A yank-yank, sounding like the horn of a little toy tin car.

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There’s A Mnemonic For That

January 21, 2025

A Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), common in much of North America. They do migrate but are found here in Virginia year round. A Sparrow that is for me a challenge to distinguish from the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Yes there are small but obvious differences but they don’t come close enough for me to check out those differences and of course they don’t stay still. My camera is a great help for me.

Another help is their song. Males sing more frequently, particularly during the spring but they are still vocal in any season. To help identify their song there is a mnemonic which can help us recognize what they are singing. It is: Maids-maids-maids-put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle.

Not the most memorable mnemonic. But perhaps it will help.

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A Favorite Tree Bark

January 20, 2025

Out in the snow this morning enjoying the scenery of the season, the woods carpeted with white everywhere. It’s been this way for two weeks now, with nine inches of snow falling along with the temperatures plummeting during the two weeks, going well below what is normal for this wintery time of year. And then three inches of fluffy snow to fall upon the totally frozen styrofoam like snow, within just the past couple of days.

During my adventure into the snow I came upon one of my very favorite tree barks, Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). A tree with a most unusual bark. I guess that is what appeals to me. So many tree barks look similar to each other but this one, I know what it is immediately with no hesitation. Randomly bumpy, with ridges that make me think of a topographic map.

And that’s in winter. Spring, summer and autumn there are so many other wonderful things to love as well, more than just the bark.

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