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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.
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Little By Little
More and more brilliant. Each day, little by little the leaves are becoming more and more, the perfect autumn coloring. These few, scarlet Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) leaves.
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The Noisemaker
Oh my goodness! Such happy sounds, but so much of it! I love to hear the constant chatter. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus).
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Extremely Rare
Extremely rare, but they do exist. American Chestnut (Chestanea dentata). Before 1904, this fast growing, tall tree ruled swaths of eastern US forests. I mention the year 1904 because that is when the chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) was first discovered at the New York Zoological Gardens. The blight was introduced to the US by…