Nature Notes: Early May

Finally I am getting out a bit onto the trails before spring is fully gone by. So I thought I’d share a few images, mostly from the iPhone, with not so many words.

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I have taken quite a few images over the years of Dame’s Rocket, but never before from above. I was glad to have been tempted for yet another view of a familiar roadside wildflower.

And speaking of roadside botany here: so far I have not seen chicory, Queen Anne’s Lace, teasel, or the usual assortment from Floyd County roads. But I am mostly driving city streets and the season is new, so won’t compare quite yet.

Ann nudged me and pointed out the window at the Edgewood apartment building where turkey vultures were drying their wings in the first warm rays of morning sun.

I had hoped to get a full-frame shot of the red-headed woodpecker that was in the Lenoir Woods when we arrived in September. But so far, the only woodpecker in the lens has been this red-bellied woodpecker.

I remember when we first arrived, becoming aware that the small mammals around us in the city environment were at relative ease with humans coming and going nearby. The fox squirrel was unperturbed and gobbled his acorn, start to finish, while I stood ten feet away.

This is butterweed, Packera glabella, formerly Senecio genus—a ragwort. This one was new to me.

This is Marasmius oreades—known as fairy ring mushroom, fairy ring champignon or Scotch bonnet. It is described as “edible, choice” but I never tried it. And now we don’t cook anything more involved than toast.

This is the invasive bush honeysuckle that dominates the understory in so many woodland areas. It is perhaps the single most obnoxious non-native woody plants I have encountered. I am sorry to learn that it has made its way into SWVA and is north and west of Floyd County.

And finally, we had heard that there were gar in Hinkson Creek, Gans Creek and the rest of the intersecting creeks that eventually empty into the Missouri River, less than 10 air miles from here. These were visible from one of the bridges. Length is approximately 30 inches.

All for now. And don’t be surprised if I miss a week or two. Longer than that, send out the search party.