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A Bird Of All Seasons
The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a year round resident, one that doesn’t migrate. Looking stunning all year long, but particularly in late autumn and winter, when there are few colors to complete with their many shades of red. This female Cardinal is enjoying Beautyberry (Callicarpa) drupes. Cardinals and snow. What a perfect combination. _______________________________________________________________________…
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Reeling With Joy
Such a comfort to go for a walk and find the soil is moist, after receiving 2.93 inches of rain yesterday. After being so dry for so long. I expect this is just an aberration, like the 2.12 inches of rain that fell from the sky on September 10th. An absolute tease. Who knows though.…
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White Berries
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa). White berries, not red, as we would normally expect on another member of the same genus (Cornus), a Flowering Dogwood tree. Those white berries, sitting on bright crimson pedicles, that to me look like miniature trees. Those pedicles lasting through the winter. Gray Dogwoods send out suckers from their rhizomes, creating…
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The Mountain Road
The road that gets me from up here, to the bottom of the mountain. Sure is a good thing that VDOT is such a conscientious bunch. They take good care of this byway, and me.
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Feeder Buddies
The feeder has only been out a couple days. I expected the birds would take a while to discover it. Maybe a week or two. But the Chickadees (Paridae), and Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) came right away, as if they had been waiting for just a short time for their seeds to show up. I…
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Color Coordination
Red berries. Red bird. Good timing for the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), finding those berries of the Flowering Dogwood tree. I haven’t started feeding the birds yet. Soon though. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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No Leaves Left
Our autumn is now past its peak. The wind has come through in a rage, taking not just the leaves but some branches and trees as well. Here, sitting in a Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Dogwoods are so beautiful all year long. With their leaves gone and the berries…
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Red Berries Deep In The Woods
Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum), can be found in large colonies emerging from their thick rhizomes in the spring. Clusters of white flowers form at the end of their long arching stems. In the autumn you’ll find these beautiful clusters of red berries at the end of those stems. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive…
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Drama At The Web
Spiders love to decorate for Halloween, and I appreciate it so much. They spin their webs all over my cabin, making it look wondrously spooky. This is the species of spider that created the web where this drama occurred today at lunch. A Spotted Orb Weaver (Neoscona crucifera). As I sat eating lunch, I noticed…
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White-marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Looking something like a Yorkshire Terrier, or a dragon in a Chinese New Year parade, a White-marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Orgyia leucostigma). Not a caterpillar to be picked up since those cute hairs can easily puncture your skin and cause hives and a skin rash. Those four white tufts on the right side can also…