Did you know that American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees hang on to their golden brown leaves in the winter? It is thought that the leaves protect the new bud growth from hungry deer.
Month: January 2025
Buffleheads
We went out for a walk on Sunday afternoon. It was National Bird Day, but it was very cold and cloudy. There weren’t any birds to be seen. We walked down the Shiloh Greenway toward Church Street Park. There was a pair of mallard ducks swimming in the pond there. We stopped to watch them… Continue reading Buffleheads
Ice and Snow!
We had our first winter weather event in almost 3 years last night! The news tells me it’s been 1077 days since the last measurable snow. As the sun came up this morning, I took some pictures before the ice and snow melted. These are some scenes from my yard.
Lunar New Year
Happy Lunar New Year! The leafy cover of the fruit of smooth ground-cherry (Physalis angulata) reminds me of a paper lantern.
National Bird Day
January 5, 2025 is National Bird Day. Take some time today to notice the birds outside. What are they doing? Are they looking for food? Are they singing? How many different kinds of birds do you see or hear? How many can you identify?
What Flowers Will Bloom Next Month? February 2025
The temperature this past January was much colder than normal. Did you notice that the flowers that were out suddenly closed up during the cold snap? The henbit, chickweed, and bird’s eye speedwell came back as soon as the temperature warmed to near 50 degrees Fahrenheit. As we head into February, the temperatures are now… Continue reading What Flowers Will Bloom Next Month? February 2025
What’s That? January 16, 2025
I recently took a walk in Umstead Park and noticed this tree. What’s that black thing up there? As I got closer to the tree, I noticed that there was more black stuff on the other side. Once I was next to the tree, I could see that there was some liquid oozing from the… Continue reading What’s That? January 16, 2025
What’s That? January 26, 2025
Today, I noticed these seed pods wrapped around a tree branch. What plant are they from? They are the fruit from wild yam (Dioscorea villosa). Here is a closer look. I’ll go back in the spring to see if I can get a picture of the leaves and flowers. Have you seen wild yam?