At least six kinds of deciduous trees in southeastern Pennsylvania have distinctive, decorative bark that is most readily seen in winter when the trees are bare. The bark of each tree helps identify it, and adds more beauty and intrigue to it, and the outdoors in winter. The six are shag-bark hickories in bottomland woods, river birches and sycamores along streams and creeks, black locusts in fertile farmland, and sugar maples and American beeches on wooded slopes.
Shagbark hickory bark peels off in long, vertical strips, with both ends of each one flared away from the trunk, but the middle still attached to it, giving hickories a shaggy appearance. Older hickories appear rough and picturesque, which we can enjoy in bottomland woods.
Brown creeper birds, mourning cloak butterflies, daddy long legs and other kinds of invertebrates shelter behind the partly dislodged planks of curled bark. Gray squirrels chew into the hard husks and shells of hickory nuts to eat the meat inside.
As the wood and bark of hickories, and other kinds of trees, grow in circumference, the older, outer bark of each trunk and limb is forced loose and away. The shedding of the outer bark makes room for new bark, and wood, growing underneath it.
The thin, pale-orange bark of river birch trees peels away in innumerable loose curls and strips, which makes the entire tree rustically attractive. River birches are commonly planted on lawns because of the shaggy appearance of their limbs and trunks.
In spring, long, hanging catkins, that cling to river birch twigs, produce pollen that is blown about in the wind. Fertilized female flowers on these birches grow tiny, winged seeds that also blow away on the wind and are eaten by mice and a variety of seed-eating sparrows and finches in winter.
White-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits and deer mice consume the twigs, buds and young bark of river birches in winter. Beavers ingest birch bark, but use the trunks and branches to help build their dams and lodges.
Sycamore trees' older, barker bark drops off the trees in small, thin pieces, revealing patches of newer, lighter-hued bark that creates the mottled appearance on those trees. Sycamores can grow massive along the waterways in the sunny meadows they call home. I know of a few huge sycamores, close to home, that have cavities at ground level so large that up to a half dozen people could sit comfortably in them. And this type of tree has seed balls that hang on long stems attached to the outer twigs of the trees.
Black locust trees have thick, twisted-looking bark that resembles powerful, knotted muscles, giving these trees a rugged, rustic appearance. And, in the middle of May, black locusts develop clusters of white flowers with a sweet fragrance that can be detected for some little distance across cropland fields. Beans form in thin pods where the blossoms were. This species of tree also has several cavities that make good homes for farmland screech owls and American kestrels.
Sugar maple trees have several interesting traits, including strikingly beautiful orange foliage in autumn, two percent sugar in their sap that is boiled down to maple syrup and candy early in spring, and bark that flares out in long, firm ridges from trunks and larger branches. Sugar maples are commonly planted on lawns because of their elegant shapes, colored leaves and maple syrup.
The handsome and stately American beech trees also have intriguing characteristics, including long, pointed leaf buds in winter, pale-yellow, curled leaves attached to twig moorings all winter and smooth, gray bark on trunks and branches. One can see how common beeches are in certain woods by seeing those dead, curled leaves on their trees through winter when other deciduous trees are bare. This is another species that grows to massive size. And it is commonly planted on lawns.
These are some of the deciduous trees that have distinctive and decorative bark in southeastern Pennsylvania. The bark on these trees helps make time outdoors more interesting and enjoyable.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Friday, October 25, 2019
Fall Forster's and Bonaparte's
Several times during September and October some years ago, I stood on a rock outcropping above the lower Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to see what birds were along the river at that time. The river there is bordered on both sides by steep hills, all of them clothed in deciduous woods.
From that overlook over the river, I saw an occasional bald eagle, or a pair of them, soaring majestically over the river, or a great blue heron and ring-billed gulls in powerful flight. And most every time I observed the river, with binoculars, from that vantage point, I saw little groups of Forster's terns, perhaps totaling up to 60 of them, winging swiftly up and down the river in their searches for small fish to catch and eat. They were post-breeding birds that might have come up river daily from the nearby Chesapeake Bay.
And, a few years later, from a dock near Perryville, Maryland, along the Upper Chesapeake Bay during an October evening, I observed about a dozen Forster's winging strongly and gracefully in circles about thirty feet above the water. Each tern powered along on narrow, swept-back wings, then dove abruptly, beak-first, into the water after small fish. All those fish-catching terns were entertaining and inspiring to see in action fairly close up.
And, occasionally, during November, I see little groups of Bonaparte's gulls pumping low and gracefully, into the wind, over the water of the lower Susquehanna. There they pick up small fish and other edible tidbits from the surface, or just below it.
Forster's terns and Bonaparte's gulls, though from different bird families, have characteristics in common. They are about the same size, the Forster's being about fourteen and a half inches long, and the Bonnies being around thirteen inches in lenght. Each of these species is a petite member of its family. Both species fly buoyantly over the water, with their thin beaks pointed down, while watching for insect and tiny fish prey. Both are entertaining and inspiring to watch in dainty flight, as they seek and procure food. Both kinds are mostly light-gray on top, white below and have white tails. And many individuals of both types migrate along rivers.
Little groups of Forster's and Bonaparte's are along the lower Susquehanna each autumn, the terns mostly in September and October and the gulls mostly in October and November. Both species slowly make their way farther south to spend the winter where water doesn't freeze, especially along coastal waters, so they can get food through winter.
Forster's terns live only in America. They fly on quick, powerful wing beats and have a black patch of feathers around the eye and ear on each side of their heads during winter. Each female lays a few eggs on a mat of grass in marshes along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, from Maryland to Texas. And these attractive, little terns winter from South Carolina to the Gulf Coast.
Bonaparte's gulls have an interesting bounding flight into the wind. In winter, each Bonaparte's has a small, black patch of feathers behind each eye. But a long, white stripe on each wing is the most distinctive feature on these gulls the year around. Those white stripes appear like banners on flying Bonaparte's gulls.
Bonaparte's build twig, grass and moss nurseries on coniferous tree limbs in marshes near lakes in the spruce-fir forests of Canada. And they winter on the shores of the Great Lakes and along Atlantic shores from southern New England to Florida and the Gulf Coast.
These beautiful species of petite water birds are intriguing to experience anytime of year. I have seen them only in migration, but am thrilled with them every time I do. They are lovely and entertaining.
From that overlook over the river, I saw an occasional bald eagle, or a pair of them, soaring majestically over the river, or a great blue heron and ring-billed gulls in powerful flight. And most every time I observed the river, with binoculars, from that vantage point, I saw little groups of Forster's terns, perhaps totaling up to 60 of them, winging swiftly up and down the river in their searches for small fish to catch and eat. They were post-breeding birds that might have come up river daily from the nearby Chesapeake Bay.
And, a few years later, from a dock near Perryville, Maryland, along the Upper Chesapeake Bay during an October evening, I observed about a dozen Forster's winging strongly and gracefully in circles about thirty feet above the water. Each tern powered along on narrow, swept-back wings, then dove abruptly, beak-first, into the water after small fish. All those fish-catching terns were entertaining and inspiring to see in action fairly close up.
And, occasionally, during November, I see little groups of Bonaparte's gulls pumping low and gracefully, into the wind, over the water of the lower Susquehanna. There they pick up small fish and other edible tidbits from the surface, or just below it.
Forster's terns and Bonaparte's gulls, though from different bird families, have characteristics in common. They are about the same size, the Forster's being about fourteen and a half inches long, and the Bonnies being around thirteen inches in lenght. Each of these species is a petite member of its family. Both species fly buoyantly over the water, with their thin beaks pointed down, while watching for insect and tiny fish prey. Both are entertaining and inspiring to watch in dainty flight, as they seek and procure food. Both kinds are mostly light-gray on top, white below and have white tails. And many individuals of both types migrate along rivers.
Little groups of Forster's and Bonaparte's are along the lower Susquehanna each autumn, the terns mostly in September and October and the gulls mostly in October and November. Both species slowly make their way farther south to spend the winter where water doesn't freeze, especially along coastal waters, so they can get food through winter.
Forster's terns live only in America. They fly on quick, powerful wing beats and have a black patch of feathers around the eye and ear on each side of their heads during winter. Each female lays a few eggs on a mat of grass in marshes along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, from Maryland to Texas. And these attractive, little terns winter from South Carolina to the Gulf Coast.
Bonaparte's gulls have an interesting bounding flight into the wind. In winter, each Bonaparte's has a small, black patch of feathers behind each eye. But a long, white stripe on each wing is the most distinctive feature on these gulls the year around. Those white stripes appear like banners on flying Bonaparte's gulls.
Bonaparte's build twig, grass and moss nurseries on coniferous tree limbs in marshes near lakes in the spruce-fir forests of Canada. And they winter on the shores of the Great Lakes and along Atlantic shores from southern New England to Florida and the Gulf Coast.
These beautiful species of petite water birds are intriguing to experience anytime of year. I have seen them only in migration, but am thrilled with them every time I do. They are lovely and entertaining.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Shagbark Hickories and Black Walnuts
Shagbark hickory trees and black walnut trees are a major part of fall in southeastern Pennsylvania farmland, but are not noticed by many people. These trees traditionally inhabit bottomland woods, which have moist soil. But both species, being adaptable, have been planted along rural roads and on lawns. Black walnuts are particularly common on those human-made habitats because many people like to gather the nuts to put in cakes, ice cream and ice cream toppings.
These hickory and walnut trees have much in common. In summer the six-inch larvae of regal moths, called hickory horned devils, eat the foliage of both species. Both kinds of trees are most evident in October, for different reasons. Both have compound leaves, each leaf bearing several leaflets. Both types produce nuts that have hard, green husks, that become dark. Both have hard shells under those husks. And many nuts of hickories and black walnuts litter the ground and country roads during September and October.
However, hickories and walnuts have differences, too. Local shagbarks mostly inhabit stream edges in farmland. They have striking yellow-bronze foliage in October. And the one and a half inch, green husks on their nuts have four sections that separate when those nuts fall to the ground. The inner shell of each nut is off-white and smooth.
Black walnuts are abundant in local farmland, particularly along country roads. Many of them were planted by people and squirrels, which promotes their abundance. In October, black walnut trees are characterized by having few leaves on their twigs, but having many green, two-inch nuts still hanging decoratively on those twigs, as well as many nuts on the ground and roads under the trees. The shells of their nuts are dark and grooved.
Poison ivy and Virginia creeper vines crawl up shag barks and black walnuts, and other structures, to reach sunlight. Poison ivy vines have red, orange and yellow foliage in September and October, while the leaves of the creepers are bright red at that same time. Shag bark and walnut trees along country roads are particularly beautiful and enchanting to us because of the striking autumn foliage of those two types of vines hanging from their stout limbs and trunks.
Gray squirrels and other kinds of rodents are the only creatures in southeastern Pennsylvania that have jaws strong enough and teeth sharp enough to chisel into the husks and shells of these nuts. After much gnawing, the rodents consume the nutrition-packed "meat" inside the shells.
Gray squirrels bury many black walnuts and hickory nuts a couple inches in the ground to be eaten in winter when food is scarce. But if some squirrels forget where they buried some nuts, or are preyed on by red-tailed hawks, great horned owls or other predators, some of the nuts they planted have a chance to sprout into young trees. Over the years, I've pulled many black walnut seedlings from our lawn and garden at home.
Other kinds of wildlife, including foxes, opossums, blue jays, American crows, northern cardinals and a small variety of seed-eating birds, have opportunities to ingest the meat of black walnuts and hickory nuts. Many of those nuts are crushed by passing vehicles on roads and streets, releasing the meat onto the blacktop. But these forms of wildlife must get off the roads ahead of traffic.
Shagbark hickory and black walnut trees are characteristic of October in local cropland. They are picturesque to us, and their nuts are valuable to certain kinds of wildlife through fall and winter.
These hickory and walnut trees have much in common. In summer the six-inch larvae of regal moths, called hickory horned devils, eat the foliage of both species. Both kinds of trees are most evident in October, for different reasons. Both have compound leaves, each leaf bearing several leaflets. Both types produce nuts that have hard, green husks, that become dark. Both have hard shells under those husks. And many nuts of hickories and black walnuts litter the ground and country roads during September and October.
However, hickories and walnuts have differences, too. Local shagbarks mostly inhabit stream edges in farmland. They have striking yellow-bronze foliage in October. And the one and a half inch, green husks on their nuts have four sections that separate when those nuts fall to the ground. The inner shell of each nut is off-white and smooth.
Black walnuts are abundant in local farmland, particularly along country roads. Many of them were planted by people and squirrels, which promotes their abundance. In October, black walnut trees are characterized by having few leaves on their twigs, but having many green, two-inch nuts still hanging decoratively on those twigs, as well as many nuts on the ground and roads under the trees. The shells of their nuts are dark and grooved.
Poison ivy and Virginia creeper vines crawl up shag barks and black walnuts, and other structures, to reach sunlight. Poison ivy vines have red, orange and yellow foliage in September and October, while the leaves of the creepers are bright red at that same time. Shag bark and walnut trees along country roads are particularly beautiful and enchanting to us because of the striking autumn foliage of those two types of vines hanging from their stout limbs and trunks.
Gray squirrels and other kinds of rodents are the only creatures in southeastern Pennsylvania that have jaws strong enough and teeth sharp enough to chisel into the husks and shells of these nuts. After much gnawing, the rodents consume the nutrition-packed "meat" inside the shells.
Gray squirrels bury many black walnuts and hickory nuts a couple inches in the ground to be eaten in winter when food is scarce. But if some squirrels forget where they buried some nuts, or are preyed on by red-tailed hawks, great horned owls or other predators, some of the nuts they planted have a chance to sprout into young trees. Over the years, I've pulled many black walnut seedlings from our lawn and garden at home.
Other kinds of wildlife, including foxes, opossums, blue jays, American crows, northern cardinals and a small variety of seed-eating birds, have opportunities to ingest the meat of black walnuts and hickory nuts. Many of those nuts are crushed by passing vehicles on roads and streets, releasing the meat onto the blacktop. But these forms of wildlife must get off the roads ahead of traffic.
Shagbark hickory and black walnut trees are characteristic of October in local cropland. They are picturesque to us, and their nuts are valuable to certain kinds of wildlife through fall and winter.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Migrant Monarchs in Clover
September and October is when most monarch butterflies in northeast North America migrate south to Florida and Mexico to find food during the northern winter. Most monarchs, it seems, pass through southeastern Pennsylvania in the middle of September. But on the second of October of this year, while I was out nature exploring near home in New Holland, Pennsylvania, I saw several pretty monarchs in a twelve acre field of fading red clover flowers.
I watched that field for about an hour and a half on a warm, windy afternoon, scanning it with my 16 power binoculars. At first I saw several yellow sulphur butterflies fluttering about the red clover blossoms, which was understandable for that time of year. However, I only spotted one or two monarchs in the air over the clover field at once, but that was enough to keep me interested in looking for more monarchs. And as I scanned back and forth with binoculars across the field, I began to see more and more monarchs rising from blooms at once, and settling on others. The field became ever more interesting to me on that sunny, autumn afternoon.
I soon saw up to six monarch butterflies in the air at once over that hay field. And after a half hour of watching the monarchs flutter up and drop down all over the field, I estimated there were about twenty of them sipping nectar from red clover flowers in the field that afternoon. I thought that number of monarchs was fairly remarkable, especially for October. And I don't think I ever saw so many monarchs in one place at one time.
The monarchs seemed to "take turns" rising in flight low over the clover field, as they sipped nectar from one red clover blossom, and pink knapweed flower, after another the whole time I was there. And, interestingly, the monarchs were strong fliers; none of them were tossed about in the wind, but maintained a controlled, purposeful flight at all times. They fed on nectar as the steady sparrows consume weed and grass seeds in windy fields. I was impressed!
Of course, the monarchs were lovely fluttering and floating gracefully in sunlight low over the green field. Their orange coloring glowed beautifully in the sunshine.
I was happy to find those twenty handsome monarchs in the red clover field. They were inspiring and I couldn't help but think that maybe there's more of them in North America than we realize. We couldn't possibly look everywhere they are.
I watched that field for about an hour and a half on a warm, windy afternoon, scanning it with my 16 power binoculars. At first I saw several yellow sulphur butterflies fluttering about the red clover blossoms, which was understandable for that time of year. However, I only spotted one or two monarchs in the air over the clover field at once, but that was enough to keep me interested in looking for more monarchs. And as I scanned back and forth with binoculars across the field, I began to see more and more monarchs rising from blooms at once, and settling on others. The field became ever more interesting to me on that sunny, autumn afternoon.
I soon saw up to six monarch butterflies in the air at once over that hay field. And after a half hour of watching the monarchs flutter up and drop down all over the field, I estimated there were about twenty of them sipping nectar from red clover flowers in the field that afternoon. I thought that number of monarchs was fairly remarkable, especially for October. And I don't think I ever saw so many monarchs in one place at one time.
The monarchs seemed to "take turns" rising in flight low over the clover field, as they sipped nectar from one red clover blossom, and pink knapweed flower, after another the whole time I was there. And, interestingly, the monarchs were strong fliers; none of them were tossed about in the wind, but maintained a controlled, purposeful flight at all times. They fed on nectar as the steady sparrows consume weed and grass seeds in windy fields. I was impressed!
Of course, the monarchs were lovely fluttering and floating gracefully in sunlight low over the green field. Their orange coloring glowed beautifully in the sunshine.
I was happy to find those twenty handsome monarchs in the red clover field. They were inspiring and I couldn't help but think that maybe there's more of them in North America than we realize. We couldn't possibly look everywhere they are.
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