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 breeding season in much of Canada and parts of the northeastern U.S.

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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 with their buddies the Cedar Waxwings.

Perhaps you noticed in the picture at the top, there are no red wax tips on the wings of that Cedar Waxwing. But there are red wax tips on this one at the bird bath. Explanation? The red wax tips develop and increase in size and number as these Cedar Waxwings mature.

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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 for those berries and small fruits. They stay until that food source is gone and then they move on to the next plentiful location.

Occasionally they will join up with Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) in their search for trees and bushes such as holly, juniper, crabapple, hawthorn, along with many others.

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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 Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), which also overwinters as a pupa. Other butterflies that use leaf litter as their winter homes are the Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis), and the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) both of which spend the winter in the adult stage.

These just a very small number of insects that seek shelter in leaf litter during the cold of winter. Leave that leaf litter, and the insects that are in their late autumn and winter homes, waiting for spring.

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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 abdomen. All of these spiders have hairs on their abdomen, legs, head, and thorax.

And not only do they decorate for Halloween, but this one is the perfect color.

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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. That’s impressive. Not necessarily a dependable feeder visitor, but it loves a bird bath even during the winter if you can provide a water warmer.

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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!

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Carolina Wren, Preening

This is a Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), preening its feathers after taking a dip in the bird bath. Preening is an activity that all birds take part in, to keep their feathers in tip-top shape.

The act of preening enables birds to eliminate dirt and parasites from their feathers. It helps in repairing splits in feathers by reconnecting the individual strands or barbs of the feathers together again.

Most birds also have a preen glad at the base of their tail which they rub their bills against and then rub the bills against their feathers. This helps to keep their feathers in good shape and also helps to keep their feathers waterproof.

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Watermelon Radishes

Thanks to Pedro of Saint Isidore Homestead & Permaculture at the Greene Farmers Market for these incredibly beautiful Watermelon Radishes (Raphanus sativus).

This morning Bill sliced them up and with lots of other ingredients created a delicious soup.

We had the soup with slices of another purchase from the Greene Farmers Market. Thanks to Cedar Fox Mercantile and Bakery for oh so yummy pumpkin sage artisan sourdough bread.

Oh what a super lunch!

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Drupes Of Maple-leaf Viburnum

Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium). Native to eastern and central North America. Growing to 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet in width. A colony forming bush.

The berry-like drupe of Maple-leaf Viburnum is red when unripe. As it ripens it becomes a blackish purple. Those ripe drupes mean autumn, with leaves of red, pink, purple or some combination of those colors.

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