Baby Birds

These are new baby starlings that are living in our grill!


The starlings have been coveting our grill for the past three years. I been keeping flower pots over the holes on either end to keep them out. If the pots got moved, it has been amazing how fast the birds have found it open and immediately start building a nest.

This spring I again made sure the holes were covered but one of the pots ended up getting moved. Sure enough, the mama starling started to build her nest that day. Our grill really doesn't work anymore so I just let her stay, wondering how big her nest would be inside. Well, she worked for several weeks bringing materials to the grill. Turns out she has made herself quite a home!

Back to the Buffalo - April 21, 2009

I'm working on some projects on Buffalo Mountain for part of my Master Naturalist project. I met with the nature preserve's southwestern region steward to visit some of the areas I will be working on. During our hike, I found some pretty exciting plant finds along the way!

Viola pedata (Bird-foot Violet)
Violaceae - Violet Family

Bird's Foot Violets are a rare find. They also are unusual because they only have chasmogamous flowers which are normal opening flowers. All other violet species have both chasmogamous and cleistogamous flowers. Cleistogamous flowers are self-pollinated and do not open. Cleistogamous flowers are typically at or below ground level.

These violets were mostly in bud with just one flower beginning to open. Stamen ends (appendages) are brilliant orange.

Polygala paucifolia - Gaywings (Fringed Polygala, Fringed Milkwort)

Polygalaceae - Milkwort Family

An orchid-like flower found in rich, moist woods. Finding this milkwort was a treat for me. I have never seen one in "real life".

Dactylorhiza virids (Green Frog Orchid)

Orchidaceae - Orchid Family

This orchid has previously had several Latin names. Most recently, it was Coeloglossum viride. There are several varieties of this species. I'm not sure yet which on this is until the flower buds open. At which time, I can update this post. :)

Wildwood Park - April 13, 2009

I was really glad to be able to make it back to Wildwood Park with my camera before the Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) stopped blooming. The latin name means double-spurred, and hooded respectively. The hillside is covered with Dutchman's breeches, Perfoliate Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata), Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense), Spring Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne) Toothwort (Dentaria sp.), and Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica). There are even some trillium blooming on a rocky outcropping at the top. It's really amazing.

Hiking the Buffalo

We took a hike in early November when the Mountian Ash (Sorbus americana) was in full fruit on Buffalo Mountain. One of my favorite places to go is the Buffalo Mountain Nature Preserve in Floyd, VA. The mountain gets its name because of its strong resemblance to a buffalo's hump. It's unique geologically because it is a monadnock, an isolated ridge that rises abruptly from the surrounding area. It also has five mafic glades on the southern side of the mountain. Mafic refers to areas where there is a high content of magnesium and iron in the rock. A glade is an open area within a woodland often with little or no soil for trees to grow on. Conditions in glades may be more desert-like because the ground is not protected from the sun by trees or other larger shrubs and temperatures can be as much as 20 degrees higher than in surrounding areas.

You can view more information about Buffalo Mountain on the Natural Heritage website:

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/natural_area_preserves/buffalo.shtml