Common Mullein

Common Mullein

Grande molène

(Verbascum thapsus)

First blooms found this year - July 4, 2017

Photo Taken - August 21, 2017

Spotted Lady's Thumb

Spotted Lady's Thumb

(aka Lady's Thumb)

Renouée persicaire

(Persicaria maculosa)

(aka Polygonum persicaria)

First blooms found this year - June 22, 2017

Photos Taken - August 20, 2017

Photo of the entire plant.

Photo of sheath with short fringes.

Photo of flower and some seeds.

Still Here

July is almost gone and there is little in this blog that shows that I am alive. So it goes. We were on a "Discovery Tour" if Iceland during the last few days of May and the first few in June and I have been playing catch up ever since. I do not seem to be very good at the game.

I did not think, until I was home, that I should have been writing when I was in Iceland. That being said, we were so busy that we did not even have time to download the cameras every day and we certainly have not had time to sort through all the photos since then.
I would like to make a book of some of the photos, just in case the internet and/or the computer breaks down but I have not got beyond thinking about the first day's photos so who knows if it will ever happen.

My web page re flowers and flower walks is calling me so I need to make up some maps for a couple of new locations and it has to be done yesterday or before so I guess I better stop writing here.

Sigh!

Northern Water Plantain

Northern Water Plantain

aka Larger Water Plantain

Alisma commun

(Alisma triviale)

First blooms found this year - July 5, 2017

Photos Taken - July 13, 2017

Two species of Water Plantain

are in our area.

This one is the more rare of the two.

Meadow Evening Primrose

Meadow Evening Primrose

Onagre piloselle

(Oenothera pilosella)

First blooms found this year - June 27, 2017

Photo taken - June 28, 2017

Moonseed

Moonseed

(aka Canada Moonseed)

Ménisperme du Canada;
(Menispermum canadense)

First blooms found this year - June 23, 2017

Photo taken - June 23, 2017

Wild Geranium

Wild Geranium

(aka Spotted Geranium)

Géranium maculé

(Geranium maculatum)

First blooms found this year - May 8, 2017

Photo taken - May 19, 2017

Pawpaw Tree

Pawpaw Tree

Asiminier trilobé

(Asimina triloba)

First blooms found this year - May 19, 2017

Photo taken - May 19, 2017

Mayapple

Mayapple

Podophylle pelté

(Podophyllum pelatum)

First blooms found this year - May 19, 2017

Photos taken - May 19, 2017

Dog Violet

Dog Violet

aka Labrador Violet

Violette du Labrador

(Viola labradorica)

(Previously known as Viola conspersa)

First blooms found this year - April 28, 2017

Photos taken - May 14, 2017

Flower has a spur at the back and hairs on the side petals.

Wood Betony

Wood Betony

aka Canada Lousewort

Pédiculaire du Canada

(Pedicularis canadensis)

First blooms found this year - May 12, 2017

Photo taken - May 12, 2017

Two Hepatica Species

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica

Hépatique à lobes aigus

(Hepatica acutiloba)

First blooms found this year - April 7, 2017

Photo taken - May 12, 2017

Both Hepaticas come in multiple colours: 

white, blue, mauve 

and a variety of tints and shades in between.

Round-Lobed Hepatica

Hépatique d'Amérique

(Hepatica americana)

First blooms found this year - April 21, 2017

Photo taken - May 12, 2017

Bloodroot

Bloodroot

Sanguinaire du Canada

(Sanguinaria canadensis)

First blooms found this year - April 11, 2017

Photo taken - April 14, 2017

Pussy Willow

Pussy Willow

Saule discolore

(Salix discolor)

First blooms found this year - April 12, 2017

Photo taken - April 12, 2017

Rue-Anemone

Rue-Anemone

Pigeon à ombelles

(Thalictrum thalictroides)

First blooms found this year - April 21, 2017

Photo taken - April 28, 2017

Brush Pile Sit Spot Notes Continued . . .

Sit 13: Apr 19 - 5:40 p.m.

Cloudy +18 (+23)

(Traffic & a jet - surprise)

Robin calling

Red-winged Blackbirds in distance

Red-bellied Woodpecker too 

Moss on stick at eye level 

Ash-leaved Maple leaves about thumb size

(Train whistles & wheel rumble)

Sun breaking through 

extremely small insects here flitting 

Cardinal singing 

Sit 14: Apr. 23'17 - 9:08 a.m.

Sunny 3° (3°)

Towhee, Chickadees, Red-winged Blackbirds calling

(jet & traffic noises)

Red-bellied Woodpecker 

Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow 

Robin, Crows 

Mourning Doves

Dog in far distance barking 

Flicker calling

Horsetail getting taller

Geese overhead 

(Train)

Sit 15: Apr.24 - 8:54 a.m.

Sunny +7 (+4)

(very noisy traffic & jets)

wind in trees

Cardinal, Towhee calling 

Robin 

House Wren chattering 

Leaves on Wild Apple Trees getting larger

(Low flying prop  plane)

Crows

Field Sparrow 

Red-winged Blackbirds 

Sit 16: Apr. 26 - 8:50 a.m.

Foggy +9 (+7)

(jet & traffic noises)

Crows, Robins, Song Sparrows 

Woodpecker drumming 

Field Sparrow 

Towhee 

Dog barking in far distance 

Unidentified call: high note & 3 rapid lower

sit 17: Apr.27 3:50 p.m.

+26 (+29) partly cloudy Thunderstorm Watch 

Crows calling & rattling 

Windqq to  in trees 

(traffic noises)

Goldfinch chatter

Cardinal calling

Fly buzzing about

((jet flying over)

American Toad trilling in distance 

Clouds & Wind heavier 

(very noisy train sounds)

Turkey Vulture gliding overhead 

Sit 18: May 3 8:48 a.m.

Sunny +1 (-4) 

(Train, jet, road traffic)

Crows calling 

Brown Thrasher in distance

Robin, Red-bellied Woodpecker 

Field Sparrow

Mourning Dove 

Song Sparrow 

Blue Jay 

Chickadees 

Cardinals 

Brown Thrasher never stopped chattering 

Trout Lily

Trout Lily

aka Yellow Trout Lily, Adder's-tongue, Dog's-tooth Violet

Érythrone d'Amérique

(Erythronium americanum)

First blooms found this year - April 17, 2017

Photo taken - April 28, 2017

Wood Anemone

Wood Anemone

Anémone à cinq folioles

(Anemone quinquefolia)

First blooms found this year - April 17, 2017

Photo taken - April 28, 2017

Common Violet

Common Violet

aka Woolly Blue Violet

Violette parente

(Viola sororia)

First blooms found this year - April 11, 2017

Photo taken - April 19, 2017

Common Storkbill

Common Storksbill

Érodium cicutaire

(Erodium cicutarium)

First blooms found this year - April 11, 2017

Photo taken - April 21, 2017

Silver Maple Tree

Silver Maple

Érable argenté

(Acer saccharinum)

First blooms found this year - March 24, 2017

Photo taken - April 3, 2017

Narrow-leaved Spring Beauty

Narrow-leaved Spring Beauty

aka Eastern Spring Beauty

Claytonie de Virginie

(Clayton virginica)
First blooms found this year - April 11, 2017
Photo taken - April 11, 2017

Early Saxifrage

Early Saxifrage

Saxifrage de Virginie

(Micranthes virginiensis)

First blooms found this year - April 7, 2017

Photo taken - April 21, 2017

Sharp-lobed Hepatica

Sharp-lobed Hepatica

Hépatique à lobes aigus

(Hepatica acutiloba)

First blooms found this year - April 7, 2017

Photo taken - April 14, 2017

(Most of the leaves in the photo are of Virginia Waterleaf.)

Whitlow Grass

Whitlow Grass

aka - Spring Draba or Common Whitlowgrass

Drave printanière

(Draba verna)
First blooms found this year - March 24, 2017
Photo taken - April 28, 2017

Slender Speedwell

Slender Speedwell

Véronique filiforme

(Veronica filiformis)

First blooms found this year - March 24, 2017

Photo taken - April 28, 2017

(Flower about the size on one's small fingernail or smaller.)

Red Maple Tree

Red Maple

Érable rouge

(Acer rubrum)

First blooms found this year - March 9, 2017

Photo taken - April 14, 2017

Common Chickweed

Common Chickweed

Stellaire moyenne

(Stellaria media)

First blooms found this year - March 17, 2017

Photo taken - April 28, 2017

Coltsfoot

Coltsfoot

Tussilage pas-d'âne

(Tussilago farfara)

First blooms found this year - March 24, 2017

Photo taken - April 10, 2017

Beaked Hazel

Beaked Hazel

aka Beaked Hazelnut

Noisetier à long bec

(Corylus cornuta)

First blooms found this year - March 24, 2017

Photos taken - March 24, 2017

Hairy Bittercress

Hairy Bittercress

Cardamine hérissée

(Cardamine hirsuta)

First blooms found this year - February 12, 2017

Photo Taken - April 19, 2017 - going to seed but still flowering

Brush Pile Sit Spot

In Edwin Way Teale’s book “A Naturalist Buys an Old Farm,” he writes of sitting in a brush pile. The book was written in 1974 and I read it in 2007. Since 2007 I have been thinking of trying to do the same experiment of making a brush pile with space inside to sit and observe nature around me. 

I am not sure how old the idea of a “sit spot” has been around but I had heard about  using a special spot to sit and observe years before and had done it almost every day for a few months. With all that as background, I decided during late winter this year to make a brush pile for my sit spot and to sit at least 10 minutes for starters on as many days as possible.

I started piling brush when there was still snow on the ground by picking up loose branches in the area near the west end of the property. Gradually the pile got larger and larger by only adding a few branches each day. I put the pile next to some deer trails with hopes of someday being in the pile as deer went by. No luck so far but then I have been going fairly late in the day and only spending 10 minutes so I am not expecting much yet. Sometime later I want to spend a few hours in the spot starting before sunrise. That should be more rewarding. Meanwhile, following are a few observations from the brush pile:

No records for the first two sits . . .

Sit 3: Mar. 30, 2017

Turkey just called

Duck calling from being disturbed 5 min ago at willows

Flicker calling 

Train & car noises in background 

Also Crows in background

Hands cold!

Sit 4: 9:20 Apr. 2

far away Crows

moths fluttering 

traffic noise - cars, jet

Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Woodpecker 

Gull

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Flicker calling

Some grasses &moss green - all else grey, Brown

Chickadees 

Sunshine & blue sky 

Sit 5 - Apr. 3 - 9:10

Crows & Song Sparrow in background

(+ Jet & car traffic)

Blue Jay's call 

unidentified bird chips 

Red-winged Blackbirds calling &  Cardinals 

Robins chatting 

Sun breaking through catching spider's Web

(jets & traffic noises never stopped)

Sit 6: Apr. 5, 9:00 a.m.

Crows close  by

Mourning Dove, Robins call 

(Usual traffic noises & jets)

Blue Jays scream 

short, high chips - Chickadees?

scattered clouds with sunshine 

Cardinal calling 

Sit 7: Apr 9: 9:25 a.m.

Wood duck alarm

Crow cawing 

Cardinal & Song Sparrow calling

(traffic noises)

Red-bellied Woodpecker call 

Starlings chatter 

Robin chirps 

Red-winged Blackbirds 

(Usual jet crossing overhead)

unidentified chirps

Sit 8: 9:25: Apr.10:+17° 

(loud train & traffic noises)

(oh yes-jet too)

wind in trees

Flicker, Red -wing Blackbirds 

Geese flying over

Song Sparrow calling

Robin chirping & singing 

Crow cawing 

more wind noise than usual

Sit 9: Apr.12 - 9:07 a.m.

Cloudy +4 (+1)

Goose overhead 

Flicker, Crows, Song Sparrows 

Dog barking in far distance 

(Traffic & Jet)

 Red-winged Blackbirds 

(Train horn, traffic noise > loud)

unidentified chirps 

Sit 10: Apr.14 9:17 a.m.

Sun +7 

Cdn Goose overhead 

Red-winged Blackbirds 

(traffic, jet)

seed fluff floating by 

Towhee?

Song Sparrow 

Mourning Dove 

Crows 

Red-bellied Woodpecker 

Looking Out

Sit 11: Apr 16-9:20

Cloudy +18

Cardinal, Song Sparrow 

Robin 

(Traffic, jet noises)

American Toad trilling 

Field Sparrow 

Red-winged Blackbirds 

Horsetail coming up 

Leaves on Honeysuckle growing

Apple tree leaves just starting 

Garlic Mustard shooting up taller 

Sit 12: Apr 17- 9:25

clear +8

Mourning Dove, Crows, Song Sparrow 

Red-bellied Woodpecker 

(Traffic, jet)

Field Sparrow 

Cardinal 

Buzzing Fly

fast chirping - lower than F.Sparrow 

Red-winged Blackbirds 

Mallard flying over