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Feather Maintenance
Two Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) at the bird bath late this afternoon. I had about ten steps to take to get my camera that was all set up to get pictures, but one of the Thrushes decided to leave before I got a chance to click an image. The one that was left was fluffing…
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Mockernut Hickory
The leaves up here are still beautiful but one must look a bit more to see the brilliant colors of autumn. They’re not everywhere but just here and there now. Past peak. This is a Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa). One of the trees that is still hanging onto its leaves. Making autumn last a tiny…
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American Chestnut
My absolute favorite tree. The American Chestnut (Castanea dentata). A picture from this morning. You would be surprised how many of them there are out there. Not a whole bunch of them but every now and then one will be found around here. Mature trees. Up in Shenandoah National Park, or along the Appalachian Trail,…
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White-throated Sparrows Are Here
White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis), winter residents here, have arrived. This picture was taken two days ago, as this critter freshened up at the bird bath. This particular species of sparrow is the most frequently seen and most plentiful in North America. It winters principally in eastern and southern North America and California, and spends the…
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Cedar Waxwings And Robins
Yesterday I sent you a picture of an American Robin (Turdus migratorius), one of many that I saw. I described how they flock together in the colder months in search of berries and small fruits, sometimes along with Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum). This morning lo and behold there were the Robins again, this time along…
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Not A Sign Of Spring
This morning there were several American Robins (Turdus migratorius) out looking for their cold weather food, berries and small fruits. Easy things to find up here. For many of the Robins, they’re here year-round. Some do migrate but many others stay in the same general area. Roaming in large groups, from here to there, looking…
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Butterscotch Autumn
Oh the beauty of this season, slowly slipping away. Leaves drifting to the ground becoming leaf litter. And leaf litter becomes a winter home for many insects, including moths and butterflies. The Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thybe) is a moth that seeks shelter in leaf litter during the winter as a pupa. Butterflies include Eastern Tiger…
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A Spotted Orbweaver For Halloween
It’s the Spotted Orbweaver (Neoscona crucifera) that decorates my porches as Halloween approaches. I really appreciate their decorating skills. Their webs are orb-shaped, and thus the name. Those webs can be up to 2 feet in diameter. These spiders don’t make it easy to identify this species. Individuals vary in color, and markings on the…
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Little Wren In Big Yucca
This afternoon I spied it as it looked all around. Maybe looking for the rest of its family. Yesterday there were 3 of them talking to each other and hopping here and there. A Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in a Yucca filamentosa. The little Carolina Wren has a surprising average life span of 6 years.…
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Snow Just Before Halloween
Yep. On October 29th 2011 it snowed on my pumpkin. Sitting right there on the front porch. Not much snow. In the middle of winter it would have been a disappointment. But on October 29th? Pure GLEE! The ultimate way to decorate a pumpkin! _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts…