Even though the days are cold and gray, there’s still plenty of nature out there to experience. One of my favorite parts about the winter is that I seem to have an easier time spotting some of my favorite creatures- raptors. With the leaves off of the trees, it is much easier to spot a hawk perching on a branch. This is even easier when we have snow and the brownish bird is set against the white background.
Recently, local birder, Keith Costley spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) at Irvine Nature Center. Though these birds have been spotted in some of the surrounding areas, this was the first confirmed sighting on the Irvine property. Red-headed Woodpeckers are among the more rare woodpeckers in this area.
People often confuse the Red-bellied Woodpecker for the Red-headed. While the Red-bellied does have a streak of red down on much of its head, the Red-headed looks like his entire head has been dipped in red paint.
On a recent hike with a friend, we found a strange, bumpy looking, round fruit on the ground. It was about the size of a large apple or an orange, but bright green. My friend was stumped, but I recognized it immediately as the fruit of an Osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera). These fruits are a common find this time of year, though they are not native to the Mid-Atlantic. In fact, I was surprised to find out that Osage orange trees have a very limited natural range of only the Red River valley of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, though they are now widespread over much of the United States.
Recently, local birder, Keith Costley spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) at Irvine Nature Center. Though these birds have been spotted in some of the surrounding areas, this was the first confirmed sighting on the Irvine property. Red-headed Woodpeckers are among the more rare woodpeckers in this area.
On a recent hike with a friend, we found a strange, bumpy looking, round fruit on the ground. It was about the size of a large apple or an orange, but bright green. My friend was stumped, but I recognized it immediately as the fruit of an Osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera). These fruits are a common find this time of year, though they are not native to the Mid-Atlantic. In fact, I was surprised to find out that Osage orange trees have a very limited natural range of only the Red River valley of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, though they are now widespread over much of the United States.
