Nature
The purplish pink buds of Eastern Redbud trees have been putting on their annual show this past month or so. I came across what looked like a redbud growing near one of the picnic pavilions at the park, but was confused because it had white flowers. I've learned
This Week At Nixon Park 2025
May has arrived, a little warmer and drier than you'd expect. The NOAA drought information system information for Kennett Square predicts the drought we've been in since last September will be lifted this month. As I noted perviously the Green Herons have returned. This morning I
Nature
The Red Clay Creek has carved a gently rolling landscape out of the remains of ancient mountains.
Birds
Our Green Herons (Butorides virescens) have returned. They are roughly the size of a crow. At rest they are hunched and stocky, when extended their surprisingly long neck dramatically changes their silhouette. Green Herons are not very green at all. In the right light their crest, back, wings and tail
Flowers
There's so much to see in April! Here's some of the observations from this week.
I've been watching the Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) emerge and open their umbrella-like leaves over the past few weeks. Colonies of mayapples blanket much of the beech grove having emerged just after the trout lilies to join the parade of spring ephemerals. I'll post pictures of the
The History of Anson B. Nixon Park
This is a chapter in an occasional series about the history of Anson B. Nixon Park. Other entries At the Foot of the Mountains Waterworks Somehow just over thirty years have passed since the idea of a park became an actual park. There were times it wasn't clear
I heard this fish crow before I saw it. It was one of a pair having a fairly long distance conversation, probably something spring related, like getting on with building their nest. The American crow (what most of us think of when we think of a crow) is a bit
Nature
Trout Lily Growth Stages Year 1 (June-December): Seed stage. Year 2 (April): The seed sprouts, a single embryonic leaf (the cotyledon) grows down into the soil first, then the tip pops up above ground. At the bottom, underground, the very first tiny bulb starts to form. Notice it's
Some wild (and not so wild) flowers seen while walking the dogs around town in the morning.
Nature
I had no idea that squirrels ate tree flowers. I don't know why the idea surprised me when Mark Volpe sent me the picture above, but it did - after all squirrels do eat or gnaw on just about everything else. The practice was confirmed for Red Squirrels
The Box Elder is unfairly considered by som to be the black sheep of the maple family. Box elders are a hearty native tree that will grow just about anywhere. While they may not a conventional beauty they have a certain charm. They are dioecious having separate male and female