Northern Flicker – Tendrils

A Few Of The Birds That Enjoy Smooth Sumac

The berries of Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra), popular with many birds. Birds that entertain me as they come by to eat the berries.

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). A bird that I see as it comes to eat these berries.

Northern Flickers are often at the Smooth Sumac, downing the berries. Sometimes showing off their yellow feathers.

Smooth Sumac is the only small tree/bush that is native to all 48 contiguous US states.

Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) are another species of bird that frequents the Smooth Sumac to eat the berries.

And a last image. So many that haven’t been captured in pixels. This last one of course is a Robin (Turdus migratorius). So many birds love these berries.

And I love the little trees, for the birds that are attracted to them.

Flicker Reflection

This morning at the pond. A Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) takes a sip and creates a reflection in the little pond.

One of the first things that was done here at the cabin after move in took place. A human made pond installed in one of the gardens. A place for inspiration. A marvelous thing to add to the yard given my love of nature. So many creatures, from many species of frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, there to entertain and educate me. I love it.

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Earth Day 2022

In honor of Earth Day 2022, I bring you some of my birds. As you think of these precious birds, and our wonderful planet, I hope you can decide to work to make a difference. Not to save our planet, but things you can do to save our environment. The planet doesn’t need to be saved. It’s going to keep on spinning for billions of years. Our environment needs to be saved. The environment these birds need to survive. The environment we humans need to survive.

These and other delicate creatures and creatures that don’t seem so delicate need our help. Celebrate our planet today on Earth Day and determine to make a difference. There is so much to be done. You’ve heard all the options. Make up your mind and do it.

The birds, top row, left to right: Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea), Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).

Middle row, left to right: Costa Hummingbird (Calypte costae), Scarlet Tanager (female)(Piranga olivacea), Sharp Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).

Bottom row, left to right: Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus).

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Flicker in the Tulip Poplar

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus). A woodpecker that normally is seen on the ground, searching for ants, beetles and grubs. They pound into the soil in a way similar to what you’d expect to see other woodpeckers doing, pounding into a tree.

As with most other insect eaters who are in this wintery land, Flickers switch to berries, fruits and seeds during the cold months. They have a long list of things they seek out to dine on including poison ivy berries, dogwood berries, sumac berries, wild cherries, grapes, bayberries, hackberries, elderberries, sunflower and thistle seeds. I’m grateful to this amiable Flicker that struck some great poses for me in a Tulip Poplar.

Five Inches of Snow

It snowed overnight. Wet puffy snow has covered everything. I’ve been transported into a Christmas card waiting to be signed and sent on its way.

It’s the second snow here this winter making winter seem a bit more like the way winters ought to be. The winters that I think of when I think back to Kilmer Street and that wonderful hill. A great sledding hill, and oh! those snow forts!

I’m roaming this morning. Me with my camera getting pelted with snowballs as the wet snow dropped from the trees. We stopped to get a picture of the berries of Smooth Sumac that the Northern Flicker, and Hermit Thrush love to gobble.

The snow has really accumulated on the leaves of the White Oak tree. Young White Oak trees often keep their leaves during winter. Other trees that have this same characteristic are Beech, and Hornbeam. They are said to be marcescent.

The snow has collected in the Flowering Dogwood trees as if they are stocking up on snowballs. Getting set for that big snowball battle surely soon to happen.

Camera and I follow the tracks of a wild turkey for a long way, until the tracks take a turn up and over a rock wall. We don’t feel like climbing.

*Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)* *track. Glove added for scale.*

The turkey’s track is about 4.5 inches long and the big critter has a stride of 2.5 feet. WOW!

The Forsythia has reached up, catching many clumps of snow. Stretching to where the sun might have been on any other morning. Stretching tall, other branches drooping. All waiting for the warmth of the sun. The warmth of early spring to be brightened by its blooms.

Perhaps those blooms will wait a little longer. I don’t think winter is close to being over. I hope not.