The Annual Great Backyard Bird Count

Photos by RLHall ArtfulExpress

This weekend, Feb. 18-21, 2011, is The Annual Great Backyard Bird Count and you can join in!

It's easy and fun! Just count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count. Count longer if you want to!

It's a great family activity and can become an annual tradition in your household. All you need is a Bird Identification Book, paper and pencil to keep a record of the different kinds of birds you see, and how many of that species you identify. A pair of binoculars might make it easier and more interesting. Plus access to the internet is necessary to enable you to report your results online. 

You can watch your feeder from a window at home, take a walk in your neighborhood or a local park. Or better yet, plan a hike in the country. It makes a great project for home schooled children and Scout Troops. You could really make a weekend of it and do them all... then simply go to the site listed below and report your findings.

Be sure to read the entries in the bird book about each bird you identify and it can be a real learning experience. More interesting information is available at The Great Backyard Bird Count site, as well as helpful tips and suggestions for your bird count weekend. Have fun by helping scientists and conservationists study and protect nature and it's many feathered inhabitants!



Sunlit Icicles

One nice thing about an ice storm is the beauty it creates when the sun finally shines! When the trees were glazed with a layer of ice yesterday morning the sky was overcast. But with this evening's sunset, the slanted rays targeted these crystalline stalactites and seemed to set them afire. Though this photo did not capture the full affect, there was actually a bright aura of reflected light that surrounded them, shrouding them with glory. Beautiful! 

"In Icicle I try to regain the innocence of my childhood." - Hit Krant

"It's very unusal for Michael not to show up for work. My guess, he's either deeply depressed or an icicle has snapped off his roof and impaled his brain. He has this terrible habit of standing directly underneath them. And staring up at them. And I always say, "Michael, take two steps back and stare at the icicle from the side." And he's like, "no, I like the way they look from standing directly underneath them." It was only a matter of time." ~ Dwight Schrute

Mushroom Identification?

I'm wondering if anyone can help identify these mushrooms? I think this may be a type of Inky Cap Mushroom, which is an edible mushroom. And is safe when picked early when the gills are still white and seem solid. It has a pleasant mild taste. As it matures, the gills become darker and more visible. It eventually turns black and liquefies. Therefore it must be cooked quickly after harvest as it takes only a short time to break down and spoil

Inky Cap Mushrooms are also called Tippler's Bane because if consumed within a few days of alcohol consumption there is a very unpleasant reaction.

My boyfriend took these photos with his cell phone. When our 7 year old buddy, Jayde, saw them she was excited that he had taken pictures of a fairy ring...

I thought they were interesting and beautiful too, and became curious about them. I found the possible ID and further information even more intriguing

.

PLEASE NOTE:

This is not a positive identification. I had never seen these mushrooms before, and am not knowledgeable in edible or poisonous mushrooms. Do not eat wild mushrooms unless you are well versed and completely sure in the safe consumption of wild plants and mushrooms.

The Resilience of Nature - October Lilac Blossoms in North-East

Photo taken by JLTaft

A few days ago I received this photo from a friend. The blossoms on one section of this plant had opened beautifully in mid October. As you can see from the background trees, the colorful autumn foliage was well underway and yet this spring blooming shrub was putting forth lovely sweet smelling flowers. A happy surprise!

Especially since early this spring, the gardener had lamented that her favorite Lilac Bush had been damaged when her husband had used carburetor cleaner (of all things) to dispense of an especially pesky bee colony. The chemical spray had apparently killed the bees and part of the Lilac as well. The affected leaves were dying off, and even the branches looked unhealthy. She was sure that at least that whole portion of the plant would eventually need to be pruned away.

But she babied it, and decided to wait and see how it fared. Gradually the original leaves seemed to perk up, though still not healthy appearing, they did still have some life. Suddenly late in the year, new growth began to appear at the ends of the limbs where the leaves had completely died off. Soon the blossoms made a miraculous showing. I wonder if, in an effort to extend the unseasonal bouquet, she covered the flowers during the two subsequent frosts that we had soon after? Knowing Jan, I can bet she did! 

Attractive White Caterpillar with black spots/stripe...be careful it's poisonous...

I spotted this lovely white Caterpillar crawling along the deck railing the other day and tried to get a decent picture with my cell phone. Something told me not to touch it. I was never squeamish about picking up caterpillars, but have found that I have a nasty reaction from the slightest touch of a Gypsy Moth Caterpillar - so I am more careful now. Besides those long black guard hairs sometimes indicate the 'stinging' type and as I tried to get close enough to snap a pic, it seemed quite aggressive and kept rearing up towards my hand. Pretty feisty for a little guy.

Upon investigation, at Wikipedia, I find that it is indeed one of the top poisonous caterpillars. Caterpillars represent the larval life stage of a Moth, and acquire chemical defenses from their host plants on which they feed. This caterpillar primarily consumes hickory, pecan and walnut leaves, but will also eat those of ash, elm, oak, and willow, among others. Their feeding occasionally causes local defoliation of nut trees, but usually doesn't cause lasting damage.

The long black hairs, two near each end, cause itchy rashes in some people. And these caterpillars can also bite. Mature caterpillars are found from July to September, and feed in groups of 100 or so in the early period, skeletonizing the leaves. They become solitary later.

 It's cocoon in the pupal stage is woven loosely with hairs in it, is dark in color and is found in the leaf litter over the winter. In spring Lophocampa caryae emerges, also called the Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Halisidota. It's Fore-wings are yellowish-brown, marked with white blotches with a stained glass appearance. The hind wings are mostly white. The body is 'hairy' and pale brown or tan. They fly as moths through May and June.

(This photo from Wikipedia)

From North American Moths, I read that "The adults of most species of moths don’t eat – they don’t even have mouth parts, and for the duration of their adult life they live off of the fat reserves they built up as a caterpillar. In these species, the adult moths will live for only about a week or so, during which their main purpose is simply to seek out a member of the opposite sex and reproduce."

 They lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves, where the larva can find nourishment upon hatching.

At the American Journal of Emergency Medicine you can find information on the treatment of poisonous reactions to this caterpillar.

Also check out The 20 Most Toxic Caterpillars, accompanied by beautiful photographs of each.

Autumn Visitors

Suddenly it seems Dragonflies have come up the hill from the stream near my Studio and are descending on our main Cabin area. They are all over, where we seldom noticed them before. All different kinds and sizes. This large one, about 3" inches in length, got trapped in the cabin and made a loud ruckus in the window until I rescued it by placing a scrap of wood near it until it landed on it and then slowly transferred it outside. Upon investigation into Autumn behavior of Dragonflies I've found that they migrate much as songbirds do. Apparently migrating every couple of days, while resting in between or on windier days, and then moving south again. I read that they migrate only in the day after two nights of successively lower temperatures. I guess I'd never thought about what happened to them as winter approached. I found it interesting reading and assume that their visit to our cabin must have been their first push to the south. Though they may have been visitors from other parts, since our stream is south of our cabin. Perhaps they have spent the summer on the ponds just over the rise north of us.


Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragonfly

Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky.

~Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Silent Noon


The Dragon Fly

In the bottom of an old pond lived some grubs. They could not understand why none of their group came back after crawling up the stems of the lilies to the top of the water.

They promised each other that the next one who was called to make the upward climb would return and tell what happened to her.

Soon, one of them felt an urgent impulse to seek the surface. She rested on top of a lily pad and went through a glorious transformation that made her a dragonfly with beautiful wings. In vain she tried to keep her promise - flying back and forth over the pond. She peered down at her loved ones below.

Then she realised, even if they could see her they would not recognize such a radiant creature as one of their number.

The fact that we cannot see our loved ones or communicate with them after the transformation, which we call death is no proof they cease to exist. ~ Unknown

Fall is in the air, I can almost smell it...

Photo Art by RLHall, ArtfulExpress

Fall is in the air, I can feel it. It's been rainy the last couple of days here in New York. But the night air is cooling down and I've seen Canada Geese in v-formation, and smaller song birds are starting to flock up as well. Lately the calls of the Blue Jays seem to be announcing the season's change.

We took a short cut over the hills yesterday, and on the way, climbing up a seasonal dirt road I commented that autumn was just around the corner...the woods are starting to thin out now, you can see the deer through the forest trees as they start moving towards the streams to drink just before dusk. You have a little more warning, as they prepare to cross the roads as you pass by. We stopped for a mother and twin fawns, who had probably just lost their spots recently, to let them cross in front of us safely. And caught sight of many more whitetails both in the more distant fields and nearby at the woods edge. As we finally reached the very top of the hill we saw our first view of Maple Trees whose leaves had begun changing to that almost fluorescent orange color.

Yes, Fall is in the air, I can almost smell it. I don't think I could live anywhere that doesn't experience four distinct seasons. I welcome each one with joy, but tire of it as it's end draws near. Though autumn is my favorite time of year, it always brings a kind of melancholy feeling along with it. I suppose because it brings to mind the harshness of the winter months, and loss of the vibrant life that surrounds us in more hospitable times. It's a time to reflect on our lives as another year's end begins to seem within reach and to regret all the things we had hoped to accomplish while the weather was fine, but never quite got around to because we were too busy with our carefree summertime living.

There is still the fall, with it's more comfortable temperatures and that colorful beauty that inspires us anew every time it comes around. There is still that wish for peacefulness and quiet that the cooler seasons brings, and the hope for spring with it renewal of life and love and another new vivacious beginning.