10-FEB-2012
Irpex lacteus
This is the crust-like polypore you often see on branches of many types of trees. This is a macro shot showing the details, but in reality, it often looks like a smooth, flat white covering on branches. It has various common names, one of which is milk-white toothed polypore.
10-FEB-2012
Ice crystals by the pond
There was a bit of open water under the bridge over the Amphibian Pond and ice crystals had formed.
10-FEB-2012
Red squirrel with walnut
I've photographed this particular red squirrel many times. He has it made. He has staked a claim to a nest site on this walnut tree, and the tree itself provides him with a large store of food, and as you can see here, he has dug up one of his walnuts and is having a feed.
10-FEB-2012
Red squirrel with plum
This red was sitting at the top of the plum tree. On the ground, were a chipmunk and several robins.
10-FEB-2012
Chipmunk
Another view of the little chipmunk stocking up on fresh fruit!
10-FEB-2012
Winter chipmunk
I was both surprised and not surprised, to see this little guy. Chipmunks are not true hibernators and will emerge on mild days, such as this was, to seek food. It is supposed to get cold again tonight, so no doubt it will be some days yet before he climbs back out of his underground den.
10-FEB-2012
Chipmunk burrowing in snow
Underneath the last plum tree with fruit at the FWG, was this little chipmunk. The weather was mild enough today at +1 celsius, to entice him out for some fresh fruit! I watched him for some time and he seemed quite oblivious to me. He ate some of the fruit, and then stuffed as much as he could into his cheek pouches and set off for his den. He had obviously travelled a distance. I followed him as he ran alongside the trail, through a snow tunnel, out onto the top of the ravine, down the ravine to the bridge, under the bridge where I lost sight of him.
10-FEB-2012
Old Field
That spindly little "twig bundle" halfway along the snowmobile track, is our precious tulip tree. The snowmobile ran right up by the sapling, literally alongside, breaking one branch. I guess it is a miracle that the tree was not entirely crushed. I now have it wreathed in yellow caution tape. The tulip tree is a Carolinian species that is beyond the limits of its range here. Nonetheless, a few are known in the area, including one (there used to be two) in the Arboretum. This one appeared a year ago, not planted by us, probably planted by a squirrel, and that it has survived last winter, and carried on growing through last year, is interesting. I don't want to lose it!
10-FEB-2012
American robin eating wild plums
This was one of several robins I saw today at the FWG. Not the big numbers I noticed a week ago, but they may be more widely dispersed as food diminishes. This tree was popular with the robins, a red squirrel and a chipmunk.
04-FEB-2012
American robin
Diane saw this robin in brilliant sunlight at the FWG, along with 2 Cardinals, 3 Crows, 10 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Houses Finches, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, and 6 Mourning Doves.
02-FEB-2012
Nibbles on sumac
Squirrels will frequently nibble on bark as yet another way to find nutrients. In this case, a sumac has been freshly chewed. Sumacs, while often thought of as a nuisance plant, are not only a native species, but do provide food for many birds and animals.
02-FEB-2012
American robin and cedar waxwings
One of the 15 robins in this tree, along with a few of the 35-40 cedar waxwings that were hanging around the FWG for a couple of hours. They were descending on red cedars (junipers) and crabapples.
