3-31 Big Night?

 3-31

Big Night?

John

3-30 Dandelions

 3-30

A few Common Dandelions are showing their faces.

   Also seen but not shown - a Phoebe, a Kingfisher and 5 sub-adult Bald Eagles.

John

3-27 Myrtle

 3-27

Myrtle, a commonly cultivated and commonly escaped alien species, is opening a few flowers. This plant is also known as Periwinkle.

Hairy Bittercress, an infrequently documented alien in Vermont, is starting its flowering.

John

3-26 Shepherd's Purse

 3-26

Shepherd's Purse - a common plant of gardens and waste places - is said to flower from early spring to late fall and sometimes in winter. The triangular seed pods which gave this species its common name will be more noteworthy than its tiny flowers are now.

John

3-25 Hepatica

3-25

Today's warmth opened a few Hepatica flowers. In the coming weeks each plant will produce a new set of leaves.

John

 

3-24 Daphne

 3-24

Daphne, an alien shrub, is putting out a few flowers.

John

3-22 Beaked Hazelnuts

 3-22

The tiny stigma of Beaked Hazelnut's female flowers are opening but easily overlooked. The shrubs male catkins are much more noticeable.

Hazelnuts are edible and sweet, a fact understood by chipmunks everywhere.

John 

3-21 Early Saxifrage

 3-21

Early Saxifrage, AKA Rock Break, has opened a few flowers. This plant faors cracks and crevasses in ledges as the common name implies.

John

3-20 Whitlow Grass

 3-20

The little, deeply cleft 5 petaled flowers of Common Chickweed and the even littler 4 petaled flowers of Whitlow Grass are opening. both species are alien. And both could easily be overlooked.

John

Common Chickweed

Whitlow Grass

3-19 Mouse-ear Cress

 3-19

Last night a Woodcock was "peenting" in a field near my house.

   And, the tiny white flowers of Mouse -ear Cress - another early flowering alien - are open.

Joh

n

Coltsfoot

 3-18

The ditch in West Dummerston village is full of Coltsfoot. Like many flowers coltsfoot is only open in full sun light. It is also an alien which explains its very early flowering as aliens tend to flower early. But, today it is a more than welcome sight! 

John

 

Dummerston Conservation Commission announces its first in-person event of 2022.

On Saturday February 5^th at 4:PM , John Anderson will give a talk about the 48 year history of the Putney Mountain Hawkwatch, culminating with an overview of the watchers’ record breaking 2021 season when 18,649 raptors were tallied.

John is a naturalist, roaming every nook and cranny of Dummerston and beyond.  He has identified 800 flowering plants in Dummerston alone!!!!!  John is also the author of numerous articles on natural history.

The presentation will be held at the West Dummerston Community Center.  Masking and proof of vaccination is required. Seating is on a first come basis and will be limited due to social distancing needs.       

 Unfortunately the Dummerston Conservation Commission workshop, due to Covid,  is cancelled for this evening 1/6 and will be rescheduled. 

 

Dummerston Conservation Commission announces its first in-person event of 2022.

On Thursday, January 6^th, at 7 p.m., John Anderson will give a talk about the 48 year history of the Putney Mountain Hawkwatch, culminating with an overview of the watchers’ record breaking 2021 season when 18,649 raptors were tallied.

John is a naturalist, roaming every nook and cranny of Dummerston and beyond.  He has identified 800 flowering plants in Dummerston alone!!!!!  John is also the author of numerous articles on natural history.

The presentation will be held at the West Dummerston Community Center.  Masking and proof of vaccination is required. Seating is on a first come basis and will be limited due to social distancing needs.

       

10-23 Bird's Nest Fungus

 10-23 Bird's Nest Fungus

Bir's Nest Fungus is a saprophyte - it grows on decaying matter: rotting timber, wood mulch or dead vegetation. The "eggs" are the spores or periodoles. When a rain drop hits the periodoles they are cannonballed out of the nest. The nest is about the size of a fingernail.

John

9-28 Water Smartweed

 9-28

Water Smartweed, a plant of ponds and wet shores, is in full flower.

John

9-27 Woolly Bear Caterpillar

 9-27

Woolly Bear Caterpillars, larva of Isabella Tiger Moth, are looking for sheltered places to overwinter. This species produces two generations a year.

John

9-25 Witch Hazel

 9-25

Witch Hazel has begun to flower. John

9-22 Beechdrops

 9-22

Beechdrops are parasitic on the roots of beech trees.

9-21 Earthstar fungus

 9-21

Earthstar fungi are at their best. John