Fieldnotes
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Pitcher Plant
One of the Sarracenia pitcher plants at NYBG; they’ve at least 7 American species in the Native Garden, though only one, S. purpurea, is native to New York. Something’s blocking the tube here, but this moth still can’t seem to get out. No, this isn’t a metaphor for the times. But, speaking of natives: my people came to…
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Oregonia
There’s your beautiful world, NW edition. Here’s Masha Gessen, an old hand at autocracy, on surviving Trumpism, very necessary reading now.
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Bronx River Dreams
Knowing the new regime is Republican is enough to know that the environment will be under assault. The air we breath, the water we drink, the soil that feeds us ~ it’s all real estate to these folks. Trump made many scattershot promises and threats, and his M.O. is blustery bullshit ~ his scriptwriter calls…
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Giganteum
Seeds of the Giant Sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum. Mighty oaks from little acorns grow, and the largest trees in the world from these itty-bitty little seeds. Speaking of interesting facts, did you know that 3/4s of all Americans DID NOT VOTE for Donald Trump? In fact, fewer of them voted for him than for the Democratic candidate. But, you…
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Woodcock Wednesday
Scolopax minor, the American Woodcock, blending in with the leaves. A lesson for today? Blend with the leaves, probe with the bill, and resist!
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The Riddle of the Trees
So the NYC Street Tree Map is now available on-line and it looks amazing. Excitedly, I went to my corner of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Uh-oh. The trees right outside my window are Hackberries (Celtis), but they’re both mapped as Hawthorns (Crataegus). Leaves. The really distinctive bark. It so happened that I passed a pair of…
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Lizard City
Did you know that there are lizards living in New York City? No, I don’t mean captive ones. As their name suggests, these Italian Wall Lizards (Podarcis sicula) originated elsewhere but seem to have adopted to our climate and habitat (NYC and Naples are on the same latitude, you know). Last week, when the temp…
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Sunset Park Elm
I’ve been photographing this big American Elm in Sunset Park for the last year.The long shadows if not the temperature tell of the days drawing nearer. Today’s the first day of the end of daylight savings time, meaning an hour sooner sunset, and we’ve still a month and more to go to the shortest day.…
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Pignut!
Pignut Hickory, Carya glabra. Let this fill your screen…In addition to birds, bugs (warmth-dependent), and the last of asters, we’ll be looking for similar leaf color tomorrow on our tour of Prospect Park.
Backyard and Beyond 