Yellow-rumped Warblers

An occasional visitor to my bird bath, in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). Fondly called Butterbutts by birders. If you don’t have a bird bath, I sure recommend one equipped with a water warmer to keep the water from freezing during the coldest that winter can throw at you.

These warblers don’t partake of the beautiful bird buffet that I put out for them but I’ve read that they do enjoy suet, sunflower seeds, peanut butter and raisins at back yard feeders. AND down at my Mom’s feeder in Citrus County, Florida, they enjoy her suet. Maybe I should ask my sister for her recipe. They don’t seem interested in MY recipe.

When they’re not at a feeder during the winter they will feed on the berries of juniper, poison ivy, poison oak, greenbrier, grapes, Virginia creeper, and dogwood. Butterbutts also eat the seeds of grasses and goldenrod.

During the summer while they’re up north they eat spiders, and many insects like beetles, caterpillars, gnats, wasps, aphids, and grasshoppers.

Best of luck at getting to see Yellow-rumped Warblers and don’t forget, if I didn’t have a bird bath equipped with a water warmer I doubt I’d get to see these sweet little birds.

Brumation of Box Turtles

Brumation is a bit like hibernation, but warm-blooded animals hibernate while reptiles and amphibians brumate. Somewhat different. Our box turtles that we’re so familiar with dig burrows in soft soil in late autumn as the weather cools.

They often return to the same location year after year, often to a site that is covered with leaf litter. Good for holding moisture in the soil, preventing the turtle from dehydrating. The covering of leaf litter also helps prevent the soil from freezing. BUT if the turtle does freeze it can survive for a just couple days. I hope there’s a thick layer of leaf litter.

Unlike an animal that hibernates, a box turtle doesn’t sleep but is instead in a state of dormancy during its brumation. Some of its bodily functions shut down until spring as the soil surrounding it finally warms. Right now with snow still on the ground, I think it’ll still be a while till we see the box turtles again.

Jeffersonia or Twinleaf

Jeffersonia (Jeffersonia diphylla). In 1792 the botanist Benjamin Smith Barton named this plant after Thomas Jefferson. In 1807 Jefferson had Jeffersonia growing in one of the oval flower beds of Monticello. I’m proud to have something in common with my neighbor Thomas.

Within a matter of four weeks I’ll be searching for these little signs of life. Hints of spring sprouting up from the garden’s soil.

It took missing the arrival of Jeffersonia for a few springs before I etched into my memory to be on the alert. They arrive when there is still snow around. In my gardens generally mid to late March.

Jeffersonia is native to eastern North America but is listed as a threatened or endangered plant in Georgia, Iowa, New York, and New Jersey because of habitat destruction and invasive species.

The flower of Jeffersonia is atop a bare stalk. It’s composed of eight white petals which as a bud were protected by four sepals. Two of those fading sepals can be seen here drooping below the flower, a washed out pale purple with a slight hint of green.

The petals surround yellowish stamens and in the center a green ovary. Quite the fleeting bloom, the petals fall after just a couple days.

A common name for Jeffersonia, Twinleaf, comes from the shape of the leaf. Open butterfly wings. Each pair, one leaf nearly split in two.

The flowers as they decline produce a fruit. A fruit that brings a smile to my heart. Is it a fruit or actually a smiley outer space alien?

The seeds inside this capsule each have an appendage called an elaiosome which attract ants with its lipids and proteins. The ants carry the seeds to their underground nest where the elaisomes are fed to their larvae. After the feeding, the seeds are discarded in the ant’s nest to their “trash room.” The perfect place for seeds to grow. ANT FARMERS! If you would like to add a fancy word to your vocabulary, this whole process of “ant farming” is called myrmecochory.

Tall Anemone

Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana). A gift that shows up in my gardens thanks to Mother Nature. Filled with delight when it makes an appearance as a volunteer.

A plant native to eastern North America where it can be found in 38 of the 50 United States. In the north from Maine to Minnesota and clear to the south, Georgia and Louisiana.

A beautiful flower which has a trick up its little sleeve. Those “petals” of white or pale green are not petals at all but are sepals. And take a look at the photo above, with the crab spider on the lower right sepal. It’s just waiting to pounce on a pollinator that may come by.

The central yellow green area is the pistillate head which is encircled by stamens topped with yellow or light brown anthers. Those anthers are covered with pollen that lures hoverflies, sweat bees and other small bees.

Summer moves along. The sepals fall away and the pistillate head expands as seeds are created.

Those seeds become surrounded in a woolly world. Fluff that becomes a transportation system. Caught by the wind the seeds are sent on their way.

But that transportation system takes time. See that snow? Over the winter the seed heads persist waiting for the perfect breeze. And waiting for something else.

As the pollen lures pollinators, the fluff of the seed pod lures nest builders.

Come spring birds are assembling nests. Nests occasionally of fluff.

A Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) knows where to find its fluff. In the garden next to the daffodils. Perfect for the nest.

This Wondrous World

Perhaps you’ve noticed. I tend to anthropomophize. A lot. Rocks have thoughts. Trees reach out to greet me. The wind speaks to me. And on this particular evening, in this particular photograph there is a lovely Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). A female enjoying the incredible beauty of the ice storm we had a few days ago. Her rich buffy-orange-tan copies the color of the dogwood buds patiently waiting, knowing if they are indulgent, suffering in silence, spring will one day arrive.

Almost hidden in the image is one of the Cardinal’s buddies. A Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) in the lower left corner. I wonder perhaps it’s having a snack soon to sit back and enjoy the beauty in every corner. All around are their best friends who have come out to enjoy the glittery sparkly day.

So many birds consuming so many seeds. Just because their world is beautiful.

Tufted Titmouse Ballet

I wasn’t expecting to be so entertained.

I’m sure the Tufted Titmouse didn’t have any ballet training.

But it danced a dance that had me transfixed.

The only thing missing, an orchestra playing a entrancing classical piece.

The incentive? A simple mixture of three ingredients.

Smooth peanut butter. Chunky would not have worked.

Smooth Jif peanut butter slathered on a pinecone.

Perhaps it was species of pinecone used that sparked the dancing?

Could be. It was a Virginia Pine pinecone (Pinus virginiana).

They’re easy to find around here.

Next ingredient, hulled sunflower seeds.

All this lasted until the squirrel got wind of what was happening. Squirrels aren’t partial to ballet.

Ice Storm After 4.5 Inches of Snow

No falling today, even though I’m out in The Incredible World of Ice and Snow. Walking in it feels like walking in a landscape filled with ice cubes. But OMG how beautiful.

And along with the occasional drip drip drip there’s also the loud sound of snow and ice CRASHING to the glazed forest floor, and then CHITTER CHITTER CHITTER as the ice tumbles down the mountain on the slick surface of ice and cold under the trees.

Repeating over and over and once again over. Almost comical and entertaining. For me seeking a distraction from the hum drum of pandemic. Seeking out Mother Nature’s comfort.


And then the visuals, THICK ICE. My footsteps shattering the ice, as if breaking a mirror, and sinking into the soft snow which doesn’t make a sound. Only the SHATTER CRUNCH of my steps. My tracks now CRACKED GLASS-like in the snow.

All the branches of all the trees thickly coated with bumpy ice.

And now the needles that are sheltered by larger collections of pine needles. Not covered in ice but FROSTED BANNERS. TINY FLAGS all perfectly still in their fluttering. RIME ICE. So delicate. So tiny compared to the THICK ICE.

I could have stayed out all day long but it was lunch time.

Cute Spider

Jumping Spiders (Phidippus) are to me nothing but charm. All of 1/8 to 3/4 inch long. They are not a threat to humans, but if they feel trapped or threatened they will bite. And they are venomous but that venom is not dangerous to people.

They are carnivorous, eating for the most part small insects and spiders. But there are a few that will also eat nectar and one Central American species that will eat mostly plants. AND the Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius) can kill and eat small frogs and lizards along with the usual insects and spiders.

There are more than 6,000 species of Jumping Spiders, the largest taxonomic family of spiders. This one (above) is the Daring Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax). One frequent characteristic of this species is the iridescent green hue of the chelicerae (mouthparts).

And just to illustrate that I am not the only one that thinks these spiders are CUTE, here is a “teddy bear” of a spider made by Steiff. This one sits next to me on my sofa every day.

Gregarious Cardinals

Quite the contrast to their breeding season during which Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are singularly territorial, winter is a time for them to hang out in flocks.

Sitting in the blueberry bushes waiting their turn at the platform feeder. Waiting for a chance at the sunflower seeds.

Or just sitting soaking up the sun enjoying its warmth.

It surprises me everyday to see so many beautiful Cardinals gathering in the snow, soft buff colored and brilliant red exclamation points in the black and white landscape.

Mother Nature’s Art

When there is a weather forecast that includes freezing rain or snow or simply freezing temperatures, I’m all set, so is my camera.

A vernal pool is a wonderful canvas for great artwork.

Freezing temperatures and moisture, a magical mix.

Mother Nature has created an ear worm! I’m hearing, “earth below us drifting falling” and the music going through my head.

The yoga studio, three days a week, and loads of opportunities to capture artwork by Mother Nature. During normal times at least.

And the work she does, coating her precious trees with silver and diamonds is stunning.

A jumble of grass becomes something exquisite.

The strokes of a brush filled with diamonds. Spells cast by the best of artists.