Category Archives: Plants & Flowers

Fall Woods Walk 1

Ginger and I have been exploring a local forest and its network of trails. Yesterday, we walked and birded for nearly three hours and never saw anyone.

It was quiet: there were no road noises, chainsaws, people, or dogs – all was I could hear was the jingle of her harness, the chirps and trills of the ever-present chickadees, and calling of crows and the drumming of woodpeckers. It was lovely as the temperature climbed from 45 into the sixties – a perfect Fall morning and a welcome break from the onslaught of disturbing news in the nation and the world.

I took my time and saw a lot of birds but thought I’d first give you a flavor of the trek. I’ll sort the birds out next post.

These old farmlands have a variety of stone walls, old foundations, interesting debris, and lots of natural features that catch your eye. This massive boulder right near the start has a big crack and missing piece that piques the imagination.

Just across the trail is an old hubcap which probably has a story behind it.

The leaves are starting to turn and it’s goldenrod and aster time in Vermont.

A Common Yellowthroat enjoying fall color

Some of the forest is being used for sugaring.

The sap transmission lines are left up year-round.

This tree had an interesting family using it.

Here are a few more shots from the walk:

My Birding Buddy – ready for the next adventure

It is heartening to know that these trails and quiet forest have been preserved and protected for future generations.

Some Flowers from Ecuador

Tandayapa Lodge -1

We arrived at Tandayapa Lodge, a lovely site located within the verdant cloudforest on the western slope of the Andes. In spite of a long day of birding already, we spotted the wonderful balcony with many feeders and dozens of hummingbirds. We were slow to check into our rooms with all the action underway.

Many of us had not seen Pufflegs before.

Throughout our stay, hummers came for hand-feeding. These found Sally’s Iphone and finger intriguing. Photo credit: Kate Thompson

As would be our habit, we were up for breakfast and on the bus before light. It was cool and foggy but just after we got to our hiking spot and had started to walk, our guide heard and then spotted the bird of the day, a Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan.

The yellow rectangular plate on the upper bill helps differentiate this toucan from most others.

Plate-billed Mountain-Toucans inhabit a restricted range and are listed as near threatened. They are threatened both by deforestation and subsequent habitat loss, and by illegal capture for the pet trade.

After birding a couple of hours, we boarded the bus and were descending this winding dirt road when the guide yelled “stop”, we bailed out to seeing him holding an earthworm.

This worm was docile on a chilly morning, just trying to cross the road.

That’s my size 15 boot for comparison. We left him in the bushes unharmed.

We no sooner had loaded back up and driven a kilometer when the bus stopped and off we trooped to see a big, bad tarantula crossing the road. We watched her – she was almost the size of my hand.

A purple tarantula

One of the things we did on this foggy day, since the birds were relatively quiet, is to delight in the flowers we encountered. I’ll share them with you in the next post. Adios, amigos.

Signs and Sounds of Spring

As I sat outside last evening, dozens of Red-wing Blackbirds were in the tree above me, chattering and calling away, and I thought, "I’m certainly not in Vermont anymore."

Here in deep South Texas where spring comes early (winter never arrives), Northern Mockingbirds are starting to work on their great array of songs. At times it seems like there is a tree full of different birds as the "mocker" run through its repertoire.

Growing season in the Southern Rio Grande Valley is listed as 340 days – I have no idea when the twenty-five non-growing days occur. The thing I have noticed is that fields, one day barren, are after a few days of plowing and planting, are in about a week, green ( often with stoop laborers bent over, tweaking things.) it is an amazing growing system, complete with scarce water from the shrunken Rio Grande, intensive pesticide and fertilizer use, and cheap migrant labor.

Here at Falcon State Park, the Yucca plants are blossoming.

Yucca

One of the indicators of spring for many Texans is the greening of Mesquite trees, such as this one I saw yesterday on the trail. It is a sure sign for many that the last frost has occurred and that it is safe to plant.

Mesquite

After a brief rain the other night, some flowers are beginning to pop. Here’s some Texas Lantana, a common, but pretty shrub.

Lantana

I just walked by two Curved-bill Thrashers perched in a tree, singing away to one another. Love is in the air in South Texas.

Arizona Desert Flowers

Just before we left Arizona, we got a couple of modest rainfalls and the flowers started popping out. Of course, I have a dozen bird books but nothing on desert flowers – and we haven’t been near a bookstore since. So I’ll identify the few I know and ask you to comment on the others. Here in New Mexico, it is drier and the plants are just dry and dusty.

This plant, which my friend, Heather Campbell identifies as Narrowleaf four-oclock *mirabilis linnearis*, was where I saw my first Costa’s hummingbird.

This yellow roadside plant was everywhere.

The creosote bush is all over the Southwest and while having no connection with the sticky black substance we use on fenceposts, it does have some interesting properties that cause it to grow apart from its kin. You can read more here.