Tendrils

Poison Ivy Drupes

December 20, 2025

These are drupes of Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). A drupe is a succulent fruit surrounded with a very thin outer skin. Within that succulent fruit is a hard pit that contains a single seed. Other examples of drupes are: Peaches, Plums, Cherries, Apricots, Olives, also Avocados. And surprising to realize, Coconuts, Almonds, Pecans and Walnuts are also drupes.

Poison Ivy drupes are a vital winter food source for over sixty species of birds. I often see many different species of Wood Peckers enjoying them.

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One Of Many Favorite Birds

December 18, 2025

Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus), chittery chattery noisemakers. The female doesn’t sing the beautiful songs that you will hear from the male. The female makes chattery calls, and raspy trills. Joining in occasionally with the male. A duet with her life long mate.

They are non-migratory. Such a treasure to have year-round.

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Why I Love Winter Captured In A Photo

December 17, 2025

One day in February, some years back, this happened. The forest, and this cone of a Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana) covered in magic.

This is why I love winter.

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Drupes Waiting

December 16, 2025

Blackhaw drupes (Viburnum prunifolium) waiting for a hungry bird or two to come along to gobble them up, to disperse those seeds to a new spot far from the parent shrub.

Blackhaw drupes don’t get eaten up quickly but later in the winter after the first frost. Aging and frost helps them become sweeter, becoming like raisins. As these drupes become more tempting, other fruits have already been eaten.

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Haven’t Seen You In A While

December 15, 2025

Glad you’re back, little one!

A Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) finally showed up today. I haven’t been putting out anything for my friends, the birds lately. Many days ago I put out some beef suet, and I’ve been waiting. Some hulled sunflower seeds were scattered on the ground too. Finally, this morning this female Downy showed up.

I think they’ve finally realized that food will be provided regularly now. I’m so pleased. I’ve missed having them around.

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Puffed Up Against The Cold

December 14, 2025

Puffed up against the cold, a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), along with a Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) in the background.

The range of the Mourning Dove is impressive, being year-round in almost all of the continental US and Mexico. Quite a popular gamebird, more than 20 million birds are shot annually in the United States for sport and meat. It is remarkable that it can survive as a species under such a threat, but in warm areas a pair of these Doves can produce up to six sets of nestlings (generally of two each) in a breeding season.

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Not Here Every Winter

December 13, 2025

A sometimes winter resident. When they are here, I most often see them at the birdbaths. A Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata).

For the most part these birds are insectivorous but of course winter can provide challenges to those that only eat insects. This Warbler eats insects during the winter when insects can be found, but there is an alternative, berries. Bayberries, Juniper Berries, Wax Myrtle Berries, Poison Ivy Berries, Virginia Creeper Berries, Dogwood Berries. All waiting to supplement an otherwise inadequate diet.

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Cardinals In Many Locations

December 12, 2025

I thoroughly enjoy seeing Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), both the soft colored females and the brilliant red males no matter what the season, but in the winter they are most spectacular. A pop of lovely color in a black and white landscape.

It’s surprising to realize that these beautiful birds don’t migrate. But they have moved into southeastern Canada and also in the northeastern states of New England due at least in part to rising temperatures, particularly average January temperatures. Now being there as year round residents.

Not only found in southeastern Canada, and from Maine to Minnesota on down to Texas, New Mexico, southern Arizona, and all the way over to southern California, and further south to Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.

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Winter Goldfinch

December 11, 2025

A male American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), enjoying the seedheads of Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) which I’ve left out for he and his many friends.

Hardly the same bird that I saw flocking with others this summer. Gone is the brilliant yellow, the black cap and the bright orange beak. Now in his winter garb, it is a bit difficult to tell a male Goldfinch from a female. Both now have black beaks, and they both have a dull tan coloring. No black cap now. He shows a very subtle yellow around his head which the female lacks. And still he has, striking in their contrast, black and white wings.

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