-
A Feather
January 12, 2026 A feather caught on the brambles of a Wineberry shrub (Rubus phoenicolasius). The brambles are sticky throughout the year, even in winter, making them even more unpleasant than their hairy, thorny, red (now brown) stems. The sticky and hairy stems may be a means of protection against small insects, and fruit predators.…
-
A Hermit Thrush In A Dogwood
January 11, 2026 Resting in a Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) that has enjoyed the warmish weather the past few days. But today the temperature fell rather than rising, and there were snow flurries, so it’s looking a bit puffed up against the chill. They are a bird that forages through…
-
Welcome Rain
January 10, 2026 Ah! Wonderful rain. There hasn’t been rain since Christmas Day when .08 inches fell well before it was time to get up to see what Santa brought. Now today, almost an inch has fallen, .91 inches to be exact. I think it has stopped coming down. So pleased for the rain. This…
-
Showing Off His Color
January 9, 2026 Many birds enjoy finding Smooth Sumac berries (Rhus glabra) to get nourishment. In particular I see Northern Flickers (Yellow Shafted form)(Colaptes auratus luteus), often dining on the berries, which are actually drupes. This Flicker is in a pose that allows you to see its bright yellow tail feathers, a nice contrast to…
-
Up In The Cedar
January 8, 2026 Many Robins (Turdus migratorius) along with their flocking buddies, Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), up in the Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). They’re enjoying the frosty blue colored berries, which are not really berries at all but seed cones. They usually contain one to three seeds. A great food source for both Robins…
-
Now Back After Near Extinction
January 7, 2026 The mid-20th century saw Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) near extinction. What a surprise to find this out, since to me that doesn’t seem so very long ago. But that is the case, with there being a 90 percent drop in their population due to habitat degradation, and invasive House Sparrows (Passer domesticus),…
-
Singer Of Beautiful Songs
January 6, 2026 A Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) perching on the garden gate, showing off its russet tail which contrasts to its gray-brown higher feathers. A unique coloring among Thrushes. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
-
White Oak Leaf On Ice
January 5, 2025 Wander and find the amazing world of Mother Nature’s art. It’s everywhere. Go out. Don’t have a goal in mind. Don’t think of miles you are going to hike. Just walk and look closely at the little things. Is that a purple mushroom? What is that pattern in the tree bark? Look…
-
Flicker In The Underbrush
January 4, 2026 A Northern Flicker Yellow Shafted form (Colaptes auratus luteus) in the underbrush. They generally feed on the ground using their beak as a probing tool. Eating fruits, berries, seeds, and nuts, but they also eat ants which can make up almost half of their diet. _______________________ If you would like to receive…
-
Two Cedar Waxwings
January 3, 2026 Two Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) sitting in a tree looking for berries. The Waxwing in full view has a tail with yellow tips. This is the normal color. Beginning in the 1960s some Cedar Waxwings began to develop orange tail tips. This is the result of their eating the berries of the…