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Sharing Blueberries
June 22, 2025 A male Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea), back from his winter home of South America, here for the summer. Scarlet Tanagers eat insects and other invertebrates, along with various fruits, including my blueberries which I’m happy to share. A smidgeon brighter than our male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), that, and the black wings…
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A Lovely Shade of Blue
June 21, 2025 Native to western Asia, North Africa, and Europe, Chicory (Cichorium intybus). A perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae. A plant that seems to be ubiquitous along roadsides right now, adding a lovely shade of blue to the landscape. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email,…
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Iridescent Colors
June 20, 2025 The tiny birds with scarlet red, and emerald green, iridescent feathers. The clowns of summer. They’re here entertaining me. So quick in motion. I put out sugar water and they come when I call. I’m totally enchanted. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts…
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Anemone Virginiana
June 19, 2025 Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana) is beginning to bloom right now, along the trails and also the ones that have volunteered in my gardens. It’s a herbaceous perennial in the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. Native to central and eastern US and to Canada as well. The seedhead, just beginning to form, in the upper…
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On A Bare Branch
June 18, 2025 Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), are here in the mountains of central Virginia year round. They’re strictly seed eaters and I love seeing them coming to the seed heads of flowers in my gardens. The Goldfinches molt twice a year. As summer moves on they change their bright spring and summer feathers for duller…
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Native to North And South America
June 18, 2025 An annual herbaceous plant that brings joy to my heart when I find it. Venus’ Looking Glass (Triodanis perfoliata). Native to both North and South America, from Canada to Argentina. Venus’ Looking Glass shows up in random places in my yard and I find them along trails up here in the mountains.…
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Pale Lilac In Color
June 16, 2025 Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare), native to Europe and Asia and has been naturalized in North America. A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its fuzzy leaves are opposite and have the aroma of mint with a touch of earthiness. In bloom now. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog…
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Life Stages Of Spotted Lanternfly
June 15, 2025 Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). A planthopper native to Vietnam and China, which arrived in the United States in 2012. Spotted in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014 and now has now spread to Virginia. It’s preferred host plant is Tree of Heaven (Ailantuus altissima), but is a problem with many other trees and…
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Gray Petaltail
June 14, 2025 A Gray Petaltail (Tachopteryx thoreyi), a Dragonfly species, basking in the sun on a utility pole. About 3 inches long. Native to the eastern US. They eat a wide variety of insects such as mosquitoes, gnats, and aphids but they will also eat tadpoles, worms, and fish. They’re not concerned the presence…
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A Nest Full Of Little Ones
June 13, 2025 They like to build their nests in a huge variety of strange things. On my front porch they have used this basket several times. And on other occasions they chose to build their nest in an ancient graniteware coffee pot. And now, they are raising another brood in this star-shaped bird house.…