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Few Dogwood Leaves
As the days tick away, the leaves turn more beautiful with each of those ticks. The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) leaves however, have been turning from emerald to garnet since the end of June and have begun to fall away. Leaving berries, also known as drupes. And those drupes gladden many species of birds, along…
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Year Round Resident
I’ve not had any bird feeders out for a while, with the exception of Hummingbird feeders. But the birdbaths bring the birds. Today’s bird is a year round resident, the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). They have a diet of grass and weed seeds, insects and invertebrates and fruits and seeds. When I have the feeders…
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Festooned With Crimson
Oh the colors! A speckled ivory trunk of Sycamore decorated by autumn with the showy crimson leaves of Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). A background of gold and green. And more colors to come.
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Swainson’s Thrush
I saw it yesterday. Thought for sure it was a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). The Hermit Thrush is a common resident here during the winter, but there was something wrong. Something not quite right. I did some digging around on the Internet and was able to figure it out. Looking so very much like the…
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Thank You Phoebes
This is an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) visiting my birdbath today. There are three species of Phoebe that live in North America. The Eastern Phoebe lives in the mainly eastern portion of our continent from the Northwest Territories to Mexico. There is the Say’s Phoebe that lives in the western half of the continent from…
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Ruby-crowned Kinglet Migration
Here for the winter? I hope so. I saw a tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) a couple days ago. Normally there are some that spend the winter here. I’m hoping this one is not just passing through. Their breeding range is far northern North America. They spend their winters in the southern US and the…
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Black-throated Green Warbler
A migrating visitor yesterday. A female Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) making her way to the birdbath. An insect eater, especially caterpillars during the mating season. B-TGWs eat berries during migration. Poison Ivy berries being a favorite. Their breeding territory is eastern North America, western Canada and cypress swamps along the southern Atlantic coast. Their…
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Pie Tonight
A delicious new pie recipe. Put together, baked, and out of the oven this afternoon. For our dessert tonight. Topped with vanilla ice cream. Oh my! Was it ever GOOD! Hatch Green Chile Apple Pie One unbaked 9″ pie crust Six medium sized apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 2″ pieces. Place into pie crust.…
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Dressed For Autumn
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum). Putting on an eye catching show in the mountains. Rich yellows, golds, reds, oranges and purply-browns. Summertime, they produce a black berry supported by a scarlet cup-like stem. Seldom noticed. They’re there though. Just look for them. But these autumn leaves, no search is necessary. That color can’t be missed.
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Pumpkins For Sale
Across Washington Boulevard, at the East Falls Church Metro Station, Arlington, Virginia. A pumpkin stand. My pastel painting.