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Sycamore Late In The Afternoon
November 9, 2025 Sycamore trees (Platanus occidentalis) prefer to live along stream and river banks, and flood plains, but they live up here in the mountains too. In autumn their leaves go from green to various shades of yellow, gold, orange, and brown. Not an extremely remarkable show but one I’d call speckled. Still, along…
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Past Peak In The Park
NOvember 8, 2025 Went for a hike up in Shenandoah National Park this afternoon. A beautiful day and lots of people out with the same idea. Up in those higher elevations the autumn leaves are past peak but it was still gorgeous up there. The Spicebush berries (Lindera benzoin) were outstanding in their color, popping…
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Sassafras Gold
November 7, 2025 Like countless trees up here, Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is showing off with a visual statement of dazzling color. The Sassafras is scented throughout all its parts; leaves, flowers, roots, bark, drupes, and wood. Having the scent of citrus, star anise, cinnamon, licorice, and citrus. Certainly one of my favorite trees. _______________________ If…
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Feather Maintenance
November 6, 2025 A Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) at a birdbath caring for its feathers. A tiny bird that is here only in winter. Smaller than a Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), measuring 3.1 to 4.7 inches in length. The smallest Wren in North America. Both Winter and Carolina Wrens are in the Troglodytidea or Wren…
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Migrating Through Or Here For The Winter?
November 5, 2025 I get to see one every now and then, as they migrate through. Rarely do they stay for the winter. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula). Smaller than a Chickadee (Poecile), only a little larger than a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Among the smallest songbirds in North America, with a wingspan of 6.3…
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Despite The Wind
November 4, 2025 Despite the high winds that howled through the mountains a few days ago there are some Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) that are clinging to the last of their crimson leaves. Along with those leaves you can see buds that formed during the summer. Those buds will brave cold weather, ice storms and…
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A Cardinal In The Unkempt Garden
November 3, 2025 I leave my gardens and their seeds for the birds. This picture, a look of appreciation from a Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) as it chows down on the seeds of Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida). So many benefits of leaving those seedheads. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by…