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An Invasive Introduced In 1806
Groan. Yes, introduced in 1806, to Long Island, New York, as an ornamental, for erosion control, and for wildlife uses. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), native to east Asia, and some parts of China. The flowers of this species of Honeysuckle provide food to deer, rabbits, hummingbirds and other animals. Its fruit, the berries pictured above,…
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Up Here
Many of the colorful leaves are covering the ground now, providing a place for overwintering animals to snuggle down, to survive through the cold of the jacket and mitten season. Not all leaves are down though. There are still brilliant hues out there cheering the mountains. Here a Red Maple (Acer rubrum) greets the few…
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A Ping Pong Ball With Feathers
A week ago this little bird agreed to model for me and my camera. It and many of its friends know me well, waiting to hear me calling as I set out meal worms and sunflower seed hulls for them. And they come right away for their meals. This, a Chickadee (Poecile). These Chickadees, that…
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The Mountain Road
The road that gets me from up here, to the bottom of the mountain. Sure is a good thing that VDOT is such a conscientious bunch. They take good care of this byway, and me.
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Feeder Buddies
The feeder has only been out a couple days. I expected the birds would take a while to discover it. Maybe a week or two. But the Chickadees (Paridae), and Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) came right away, as if they had been waiting for just a short time for their seeds to show up. I…
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First Day
I put some meal worms, nyjer seed, and sunflower kernels out yesterday. The first time, after many, many months. Right away a Chickadee showed up, perhaps because I always call to the birds to let them know I’m putting food out for them. The Chickadees have continued. I saw three this afternoon out there. And…
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Blue
Some of Mother Nature’s artwork. Frost on the storm door on January 3, 2014, when the overnight low was 17°, the high that day was 37°, and 1/2 inch of snow fell. Tomorrow’s high is predicted to reach the mid-eighties. Certainly this is not January, but is this actually November? _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like…
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Color Coordination
Red berries. Red bird. Good timing for the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), finding those berries of the Flowering Dogwood tree. I haven’t started feeding the birds yet. Soon though. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Signs Can Say So Much
Signs, of course, say things to me. Yep, that’s what they’re there for. But signs say so much more than their intention. I have a whole section of photographs devoted to just signs. This is one of those that I’ve captured over the years – from 21 years ago, during a trip to New Mexico.…