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Golden Alexanders
A favorite of mine, late May trailside. Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea). The color might be the catch for me. Or perhaps it’s the tiny flowers arranged in flat-topped umbels. A short-lived herbaceous perennial that enjoys moist soil, and full sun to part shade. I tried once, long ago to add it to one of my…
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Luna Moth
In late spring nearly every year I’m treated to a remarkable visit. A Luna Moth (Actias luna) magically crosses my path. Luna Moths are native to Eastern North America, clear to Texas, and including a great part of Southeastern Canada. The Luna Moth has a wingspan of about four to four and a half inches.…
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Purple-flowered Raspberry
I had no idea such a thing existed. A raspberry bush with such pretty flowers. Raspberry blossoms of a bright magenta rather than white. Being up on Skyline Drive at just the right time, during bloom time revealed this unusual plant to me. Purple-flowered Raspberry (Rubus odoratus). Since it was growing in Shenandoah National Park,…
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White Turtlehead
I’ve only ever seen the caterpillar of the Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton). Never the adult. That one sighting was an hour from my cabin at Buck Hollow in Shenandoah National Park. Since that brief observation I’ve learned that the main larval host plant of the beautiful Baltimore Checkerspot is White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra). I’ve learned…
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Hackberry Emperor
Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis). A butterfly that lives in a broad swath of North America. Most of the eastern United States, central Plains states, and the southwest mountains; northern Mexico. Its larvae survives exclusively on the many species of Hackberry trees, trees in the genus Celtis. Hackberry Emperors over winter as larvae curled up in a…
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Green Frog
One of my dear little friends sitting by the pond. Sitting perfectly still hoping that I continue on my way. Hoping that I don’t give away its position at the edge of the water. Silently telling me to go away. Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans). Living in the pond along with many other creatures. I haven’t…
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Dewberry
A native plant that is quite insistent. It keeps showing up in my gardens. With stems that are more like vines than stems, creeping along the ground. Stems that have little stickers. Stems that form roots when they touch the soil. Making its presence known. Dewberry (Rubus invisus) is native to the eastern and east-central…
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Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). A bird that I seldom see. In part perhaps because they will sit in dense shrubbery sitting perfectly still, like a frog that is trying to convince you that, “You can’t see me.” They do this as they are watching and waiting for a meal to come by. Few birds will…
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Pressing My Luck – Bears
Every year it is always the same. I take great pleasure in feeding the birds and would do it all year long except there is the Bear (Ursus americanus) issue. They come out of their winter slumber focused on finding a quick meal. Though not the repast that would totally fill a several hundred pound…
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Yellow-breasted Chat
It’s been several years now since one of my favorite summer birds has come by for the season to brighten me. I would swear they are ventriloquists. Sounding like one was here but really there. Or sounding like one was high in the tree top but no one was there at all. And their sound.…