October 21, 2014
October 20, 2014
Taking Flight
Was lucky enough to see this Great Egret the other day, and took these pictures of it taking flight. Watching it was a marvel. No wonder mankind has always been fascinated with flight!
October 17, 2014
Beautiful Decay
These mushrooms are quickly decaying but I thought they were still amazingly beautiful:
October 13, 2014
October 9, 2014
Flying High
I took a glorious river walk after work and was treated to the sight of this eagle:
I believe this is a year-round resident and one that I've seen before.
I was walking along the shore when I heard a rustling overhead. I looked up and it flew over my head and up over the river.
I believe this is a year-round resident and one that I've seen before.
I was walking along the shore when I heard a rustling overhead. I looked up and it flew over my head and up over the river.
Evening Primrose
You have probably heard of evening primrose oil, and all of its wonderful benefits - from aiding skin conditions to lowering blood pressure to helping reduce cramping and breast tenderness in women. Here's the source of that oil:
Visually, this wildflower really comes into its own in the fall, when its pretty yellow blossoms stand out against the dead and dying grasses around it.
It's a biennial plant, like mullein. In its first year, it forms leaves close to the ground, in a rosette. During the second year, the stems grow quite tall ( 6 feet or more) and the blossoms appear, as in this stand that Hyperion is examining, below:
Evening primrose has distinctive, barrel-shaped seed pods, which spiral their way up the stalk like little stair steps.
Another identifying feature is the color of the buds. They are first green, and then take on a rusty color before blooming.
Parts of the plant are edible, but do your homework first! Some people are allergic to compounds in the plant.
The blossoms open in the evening, hence its common name. The blossoms apparently give off a lemon scent but I did not notice that at the time I took these pictures. The blossoms open in the evening, hence this plant's common name.
To see very cool videos of blossoms opening in real time, check out this website for Yosemite National Park:
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/wildflowers/evening-primrose/evening-primrose.htm
The scientific name Oenothera refers to wine generally. I read that this name means everything from "wine-scented" to "wine-imbibing". The jury is also still out on whether this is truly a native species. Some claim it originated in Europe, but this seems unlikely.
Visually, this wildflower really comes into its own in the fall, when its pretty yellow blossoms stand out against the dead and dying grasses around it.
It's a biennial plant, like mullein. In its first year, it forms leaves close to the ground, in a rosette. During the second year, the stems grow quite tall ( 6 feet or more) and the blossoms appear, as in this stand that Hyperion is examining, below:
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Evening primrose has distinctive, barrel-shaped seed pods, which spiral their way up the stalk like little stair steps.
Another identifying feature is the color of the buds. They are first green, and then take on a rusty color before blooming.
Parts of the plant are edible, but do your homework first! Some people are allergic to compounds in the plant.
The blossoms open in the evening, hence its common name. The blossoms apparently give off a lemon scent but I did not notice that at the time I took these pictures. The blossoms open in the evening, hence this plant's common name.
To see very cool videos of blossoms opening in real time, check out this website for Yosemite National Park:
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/wildflowers/evening-primrose/evening-primrose.htm
The scientific name Oenothera refers to wine generally. I read that this name means everything from "wine-scented" to "wine-imbibing". The jury is also still out on whether this is truly a native species. Some claim it originated in Europe, but this seems unlikely.
October 6, 2014
Mother Wood Ducks
Please note: THE PHOTO IN THIS POST IS NOT MINE.
It was taken from the Wood Duck Society page, at http://www.woodducksociety.com/qanda.htm . Please visit that website if you would like to learn more about wood ducks.
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Wood ducks make their nests in holes in trees and in wood duck boxes built especially for them. They like to nest near the edges of ponds. Mother wood ducks lay about 15 eggs in one brood. Their babies are able to swim within 24 hours of hatching.
When the time is right, and after checking for nearby predators, the mother wood duck calls to her babies from the ground or the water underneath their nest. She uses a particular call, and they leap from their nest like fuzzy little paratroopers. Depending on the height of the nest, they may jump from 50 feet or more. They land near their mother, and never return to the nest again.
Ducklings face many predators. Even before hatching they are subject to raccoon and snake attacks. In the water they are gobbled up by large fish and snapping turtles. On land, they are prey to mink, fox, and owl. A mother wood duck keeps a weather eye out for dangers and will quickly lead the ducklings away into tall grasses to hide. Sometimes she will even feign injury to lead predators away from her young.
In 60 or 70 days, the ducklings that are left alive are able to fly. That's not a very long time to teach these young ones all they need to know to face the world successfully.
If they survive this precarious beginning, they still face the threat of duck hunters who employ powerful tactics to call them in and woo them with promises of safety among a floating flock of decoys. Wood ducks are one of the most popular game birds in North America. So - yeah, a rough beginning and no easy life. They have to be on their guard all the time.
As I researched wood ducks, I was struck by the correlation between mother wood ducks and those of us trying to help young people grow up in this world. While baby wood ducks can swim soon after hatching, they are still novices in the wider world and subject to many dangers of which they have no knowledge or experience. In the same way, young people leave home at tender ages. They are equipped with many abilities but are not always aware of potential dangers around them. They don't yet have the experiences that we older folks have.
Like the mother wood duck, we parents, aunties and uncles, grandparents and youth leaders can call to them and invite them to follow us on safe paths. We can raise the alarm when dangers threaten. And we can do our best to help them sail in safe waters.
We have a distinct advantage over our feathered friends, too. We have a Heavenly Father who knows and loves us, and who knows the beginning from the end. He knows the plans He has made for us. Through prayer, and personal revelation, we can receive inspiration on how to help these young ones leave the nest and thrive. Life will not always be easy, but when we rely on the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will have a sure foundation to lead them along.
It was taken from the Wood Duck Society page, at http://www.woodducksociety.com/qanda.htm . Please visit that website if you would like to learn more about wood ducks.
..................................................................................................
Wood ducks make their nests in holes in trees and in wood duck boxes built especially for them. They like to nest near the edges of ponds. Mother wood ducks lay about 15 eggs in one brood. Their babies are able to swim within 24 hours of hatching.
 |
| Photo taken from the Wood Duck Society page, at http://www.woodducksociety.com/qanda.htm . |
When the time is right, and after checking for nearby predators, the mother wood duck calls to her babies from the ground or the water underneath their nest. She uses a particular call, and they leap from their nest like fuzzy little paratroopers. Depending on the height of the nest, they may jump from 50 feet or more. They land near their mother, and never return to the nest again.
Ducklings face many predators. Even before hatching they are subject to raccoon and snake attacks. In the water they are gobbled up by large fish and snapping turtles. On land, they are prey to mink, fox, and owl. A mother wood duck keeps a weather eye out for dangers and will quickly lead the ducklings away into tall grasses to hide. Sometimes she will even feign injury to lead predators away from her young.
In 60 or 70 days, the ducklings that are left alive are able to fly. That's not a very long time to teach these young ones all they need to know to face the world successfully.
If they survive this precarious beginning, they still face the threat of duck hunters who employ powerful tactics to call them in and woo them with promises of safety among a floating flock of decoys. Wood ducks are one of the most popular game birds in North America. So - yeah, a rough beginning and no easy life. They have to be on their guard all the time.
As I researched wood ducks, I was struck by the correlation between mother wood ducks and those of us trying to help young people grow up in this world. While baby wood ducks can swim soon after hatching, they are still novices in the wider world and subject to many dangers of which they have no knowledge or experience. In the same way, young people leave home at tender ages. They are equipped with many abilities but are not always aware of potential dangers around them. They don't yet have the experiences that we older folks have.
Like the mother wood duck, we parents, aunties and uncles, grandparents and youth leaders can call to them and invite them to follow us on safe paths. We can raise the alarm when dangers threaten. And we can do our best to help them sail in safe waters.
We have a distinct advantage over our feathered friends, too. We have a Heavenly Father who knows and loves us, and who knows the beginning from the end. He knows the plans He has made for us. Through prayer, and personal revelation, we can receive inspiration on how to help these young ones leave the nest and thrive. Life will not always be easy, but when we rely on the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will have a sure foundation to lead them along.
End Band Net Wing Beetle
Here's an End Band Net Wing - just another beautifully colored beetle of the deciduous forest:
Each antenna is jagged, like a saw blade. These are harmless insects. I loved the colors of this one against the nondescript gravel.
Each antenna is jagged, like a saw blade. These are harmless insects. I loved the colors of this one against the nondescript gravel.
October 5, 2014
American Toad
This is an American Toad.
You can tell because it has warts on top of each spot on its back. This is a most common variety of toad in North America, and one that most people are familiar with.
The species name for the American Toad is Anaxyrus americanus.
Anaxyrus is a from Greek. "Anax" stands for king, and "yrus" may stand for tail. (That's the best I can tell you, based on the research I've done.)
Toads don't have tails as adults, but they do as tadpoles. Americanus is from Latin, meaning America, of course.
By the way, toads do not give you warts!
You can tell because it has warts on top of each spot on its back. This is a most common variety of toad in North America, and one that most people are familiar with.
The species name for the American Toad is Anaxyrus americanus.
Anaxyrus is a from Greek. "Anax" stands for king, and "yrus" may stand for tail. (That's the best I can tell you, based on the research I've done.)
Toads don't have tails as adults, but they do as tadpoles. Americanus is from Latin, meaning America, of course.
By the way, toads do not give you warts!
October 4, 2014
Running Deer
Here are a couple of pictures of a running deer I took last weekend:
Must have heard that my friend Art was in town, and wanted to get well off the roads before he came by!
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