About Fungi
Photo by Mason Rowe
Mason Rowe Talks Fungi…
In his role as our 2023 Summer Garden Intern, Mason was very busy. The garden redesign was in full swing when he arrived; he jumped right in to tasks involved in the garden, but was also able to share his passion for foraging for mushrooms in two pop-up fungi walks. Mason shares his expertise on fungi here, and for that we are grateful! Enjoy!
Tree Swallow
The Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a familiar bird in our region, inhabiting open areas, usually near water, in the nesting season. Like our other swallows, it is an aerial insectivore, catching its prey almost exclusively on the wing, during the course...
Turkey Vulture & Black Vulture
The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) and the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) are two of the most conspicuous birds in our area. Both vultures are large, mostly dark-colored birds which soar above the landscape searching for their primary food, carrion, making them...
Warblers
The May influx of warblers is one of the most glorious events of our spring bird migration. This quiet spectacle is essentially confined to eastern and central North America, as the west coast has far fewer warbler species. We have about 30 species of warblers come...
White- & Red-breasted Nuthatch
Nuthatches are droll little birds, entertaining backyard birdwatchers with their habit of making their way through life upside down as they search for tiny invertebrates and seeds hidden in crevices in the bark of trees. They are also frequent visitors to feeders...
Wood Thrush & Veery
Of the breeding birds of our area, probably the two most accomplished singers are the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and the Veery (Catharus fuscescens). These species are both brownish, secretive thrushes that mostly stay in the shadows of the woods, but...
Yellow Warbler
Many birders find warblers a difficult group of birds to identify. Fall, when warblers tend to have drab plumages, is the most challenging season for warbler identification. Even in spring, when their more colorful breeding plumages make them easier to distinguish,...
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Many birders find identifying fall warblers to be a tricky proposition. One good species to start with is the Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) since it is probably the most common fall warbler in our area. The most consistently distinctive feature of this...
Yellow-throated Vireo
The Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) is a bird often overlooked by more casual observers of the natural world, perhaps largely because it spends much of its time in the treetops, foraging for caterpillars and other invertebrates. Our most strikingly plumaged...