Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Acorns

Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, is ubiquitous in NYC. The smallish acorns are all over the sidewalks now. (Palustris means swamp; the trees can take the compacted, anaerobic soils of tree pits.)

I enjoy hearing them blonking atop cars this time of year. Other creatures enjoy them for other reasons.

Bur Oak, Q. macrocarpa is unusual in the city. But the binomial says it all: large fruit.

mthew

2 responses to “Acorns”

  1. nature969

    Wonderful photos and descriptions!

    Reply
  2. Titmice, Black-capped | Backyard and Beyond

    […] just bird-feeder-gangsters, Turfted Titmice will evidently go for the processed grains as well. And acorns. Remember that time I saw one scavenging a Winter […]

    Reply

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