Monday, August 21, 2017

Common Mullein



Common Mullein
Grande molène
(Verbascum thapsus)
First blooms found this year - July 4, 2017
Photo Taken - August 21, 2017








Sunday, August 20, 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.


Sunday, July 30, 2017

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!

Thursday, July 13, 2017

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.



Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Meadow Evening Primrose



Meadow Evening Primrose
Onagre piloselle
(Oenothera pilosella)

First blooms found this year - June 27, 2017
Photo taken - June 28, 2017








Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Moonseed



Moonseed
(aka Canada Moonseed)
Ménisperme du Canada;
(Menispermum canadense)

First blooms found this year - June 23, 2017
Photo taken - June 23, 2017









Saturday, May 20, 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









Sunday, May 14, 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.







Saturday, May 13, 2017

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






Tuesday, May 09, 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






Saturday, May 06, 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






Thursday, May 04, 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






Tuesday, May 02, 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





Monday, May 01, 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.)



Sunday, April 30, 2017

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.)

Saturday, April 29, 2017

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


Thursday, April 27, 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


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

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