Fall Flora and Fauna

10/25/12

aster ericoides

     I've been so busy with family things (a couple of minor surgeries, buying a house), that I've missed blogging for a few weeks.  We won't be able to move into the new house until mid-to-end of January, but I hope I can get some photos of what is growing in the lovely yard in a future post.

     We have had our first frost/freeze in the surrounding area, but not in my immediate area.  I have observed the gradual march of fall into the area, starting with the acorns falling at the end of August, then the pine cones in September, now the leaves in October.  The trees are just about at peak color here.  I took some photos of what is happening in the woods on the flood plain in my neighborhood.  I have seen only two of the aster ericoides bushes at the edge of the woods.  This herbaceous perennial is soil and drought tolerant.  There are many bushes with berries at the edge of the woods.

     I am not sure what the above bush is with the yellow berries.  A type of bush honeysuckle?

bush honeysuckle

     This is a bush honeysuckle.  There are several species that grow in the area.  Some species, from Asia and western Europe, are considered invasive.

wild grapes

     The wild grapes continue to ripen throughout the fall.

box turtle

     This box turtle has been spotted a few times in the back yard.

white-tailed fawn

     I have seen lots of fawns come through the back yard.

two fawns and mother doe

     Most of the time the fawns roam the back yard woods with their mother.  There are two fawns in this photo, one in the very center.  Mom is at right.

grey tree frog

     I took this photo in August.  The frog is sitting on a branch of the Japanese laceleaf maple in the yard.

     There is at least one and possibly two chipmunks that live in the yard, but they have always managed to scurry away before I could photograph them.  Every now and then I see a fox trot through the back yard, but it is always to quick to photograph also.

Seasonal Changes

8/12/12

flood plain stream

          As fall inches nearer, I have noticed changes in the wooded flood plain areas around our neighborhood.

     I walk there daily with the dog, and I took the following photos.

wild grape flowers

     The numerous wild grape shrubs have been flowering over the past several weeks with their insignificant white flower clusters.

ripening wild grapes

     Some of the wild grapes are just starting to turn from hard green berries to soft purple grapes.  Most will be done ripening by October.

grape vine tendrils

     One distinguishing characteristic that helps in identifying wild grape vines from other vines with similar leaves is their forked tendrils.

deer damage

     The bottom of these bushes have been eaten away by the deer.  All the wild raspberries that were pictured in a previous post have been eaten also.

pokeweed

     All the pokeweed bushes in the woods have berries that are ripening and turning purple.  When this happens, the stems and branches of the plants turn red to attract birds to the berries.

unknown flower

     I came upon this flower in the woods.  At first when I researched this, I thought it was horse nettle.  But horse nettle has spines which I don't see.  Can anyone identify this for me?  What's happening in your neck of the woods now?