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A Smart Bird In A Family Of Smart Birds
October 27, 2025 The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), in the Corvidae family. There are more than 120 species of birds in this family, including Crows, Ravens, Magpies, Nutcrackers, and of course Jays. Aside from sharing similar traits like having strong beaks and long tails, they also share the trait of being highly intelligent. They will…
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Red Maple Decked Out For Autumn
October 26, 2025 The Red Maples (Acer rubrum) are joining in with many of the trees in the woods to create a celebration of autumn. As is often the case, this week is the peak of the spectacular color display. Before long it will look like winter, with shades of black and white leaving only…
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Eastern Redbud
October 25, 2025 Seed pods of Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) with colorful autumn leaves in the background. As you might guess from those seed pods, the Eastern Redbud tree belongs to the family Fabaceae, the legume or pea family. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Picking The Perfect Pumpkin
October 24, 2025 Picking the perfect pumpkin is such a weighty decision to make. Your Halloween celebration will be dependent upon your choice. To my mind the one most important part of that decision is what does the stem look like. Does it have an exquisite twist to it? To me, that is the determining…
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Standing Beneath A Huge White Oak
October 23, 2025 It’s peak of the magical, colorful season of autumn, and participating in the event is a huge White Oak (Quercus alba) growing alongside the road coming up my mountain. Branches as big as a normal sized tree, twisting and turning to show off its brilliant contribution. _______________________ If you would like to…
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Bald Eagle
October 22, 2025 Yesterday was a good day! I was out, heading to the Post Office to pick up the mail after yoga class, when I saw it. A Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) soaring above me and my truck. The size of a Bald Eagle is quite impressive. The wingspan of the female is between…
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Cushaw Squash
October 21, 2025 A wagonload of Cushaw Squash (Cucurbita argyrosperma), occasionally found at pumpkin patches in this area. Cultivated in the South and Southwestern United States as well as Mexico. It is a winter squash that is commonly found at the same time that pumpkins are abundant. Weighing in at 5 to 25 pounds, Cushaw…
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Boulder Jack-O-Lantern
October 20, 2025 I had to share this with you, given that it is that time of year. A picture from 2014 of a Jack-O-Lantern that appeared where a huge boulder had been, near the front entrance to William Monroe High School in Stanardsville, Virginia. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog…
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Frost Aster And Butterflies
Octber 19, 2025 Approaching late October and the butterflies are busy at the flowers that are still blooming. Here an Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), top, and a Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), bottom, are sipping the nectar of Frost Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum). _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign…
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Red Maple
October 18, 2025 Dressing up for the season with butter yellow leaves accented with brilliant crimson, Red Maple (Acer rubrum). In eastern North America, Red Maple is known as one of the most common trees. Easily found from southern Canada clear down to Florida and west to eastern Texas where they can grow in a…