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.

Something I Miss

At the yoga studio that I visit often there has been a vernal pool. Notice I said, “has been.” Over the years it has been there nearly all the time. Sometimes large, sometimes small, but there.

It has provided me and my camera much entertainment. Particularly in the cold weather with its frost and ice creating wonderful natural artwork.

I doubt I’ve seen water there in more than a year. I miss it.

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Ocean Waves In The Rain

Leaves with edges that resemble ocean waves. American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) in the rain.

I love finding these trees that have somehow survived. Not many out there, but they are indeed, out there.

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Warbler In Winter

A winter resident. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). An insect eater while the insects are around and berry eater during the chill of winter. Favoring the berries of Juniper, Poison Ivy and Poison Oak, Grapes, Dogwood, and Virginia Creeper.

They love the birdbath. And though I’ve not made up any suet recently, I’m planning on putting some together soon to see if I can tempt one or two of these warblers to the bird feeder.

The birdbath AND the feeder. I’m hoping for more sightings.

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Vibrant Colors

Such an enchanting bird, the Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum). Its head a buff color trickling down the neck to gradually become soft shades of gray. These neutral colors are accented with small spots of brilliant color. The waxy wingtips of scarlet that are gained through age. The tips of the tail feathers a bright sunflower yellow. Its eyes “covered” with a narrow black mask outlined in white.

I’ve mentioned the tips of the tail feathers, being bright sunflower yellow. But that isn’t always the case. In the 1960s Cedar Waxwings began appearing with orange tips of their tail feathers rather than the normal yellow. Look at the photo immediately above at the two birds. The one more in focus and to the left has that orange coloring on its tail.

This has happened because this bird with the orange tipped tail has been eating the berries of a nonnative invasive bush, Morrow’s Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii). The birds that eat these berries absorb the carotinoid pigment of the berries which change the color of the tail tips as they are growing.

Birds! Such fascinating creatures!

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Year Round Resident

A female Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens). A bird that is native to most of the United States and Canada with the exception of the north’s tundra and the southwest’s deserts.

As they are in Virginia, these woodpeckers are permanent residents to most areas. During the winter though there are a few exceptions. Northernmost birds, and birds from western mountains possibly move slightly south and to lower elevations during the cold of winter.

Suet will entice these little woodpeckers to your yard. I thoroughly enjoy having them here year round.

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Robins And Cedar Waxwings Hanging Out Together

The past several days I’ve been seeing Robins (Turdus migratorius) and Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) in large flocks visiting my little pond and my birdbath. This is a normal thing to see during the fall and winter, these two species on the lookout for berries and a source of water. Depending on each other to spot that tree that will be loaded with yummy berries. During the spring and summer as well, Cedar Waxwings remain social birds, but Robins become protective of their territory during the nesting season.

Interesting to watch the behavior of birds, and other animals for that matter. Changing as the seasons change.

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Black Oak Pie

Though it IS December, and there is talk of a bit of snow in the higher elevations, it’s STILL autumn. Autumn has inspired the decorative top of my apple pie. The leaf of a Black Oak (Quercus velutina).

The Black Oak has alternate leaves which are a shiny, rich dark green on the top side. It’s under side is brown, leaning toward yellow. The bark of a mature tree has a blackish coloring, which is reflected in its common name.

Next pie? Surely Christmas inspired!

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Crimson, Emerald Green, And A Touch of Frosted White

The perfect colors for the month of December. Crimson, emerald green and a bit of frosted white. Thrown together with a touch of naranja. Crimson, made up of red bell peppers. Emerald green, expressed with jalapeño peppers. Frosted white up there in the top left corner, in the form of cauliflower. And naranja, sneaking into the mix as sliced carrots in the lower left.

I see this and think of the holidays of December, my Mom’s birthday, and the first day of winter. All packed into one special month.

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Happy December 2nd

We’re now into day 2, of the month of December. Tasks are swirling around in my head. Overwhelming me a bit. For me, December is a very busy month.

Just a couple days ago, for 2 days in a row, the temperature didn’t get up past 40° here. Yes, mighty cold, but to my mind it was certainly appropriate for this time of year, Thanksgiving over, and the anticipation of Christmas and New Year’s Day. Temporarily, for this weekend anyway, the temperature is expected for us in the mountains to reach clear up into the low 60s.

This picture, of course, was not taken here today. It’s much too warm for snow, but I think it’s a perfect picture for this time of year. It’s beautiful, native evergreen, Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), covered with a bit of snow. It was taken on April 15, 2020.

Happy December 2nd!

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Echinacea Hybrid

A photo from long long ago, when I didn’t have the wisdom to stick to native plants in my garden. Despite that, this is a favorite image. An Echinacea hybrid. Those petals such a beautiful warm color, accented by the soft yellow Crab Spider (Thomisidae), who has just captured its dinner.

Those Echinacea plants have died out, but I sure enjoyed them while they were here.

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