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
Nature
All count as "usual suspects" you are likely to spot any day you visit the park this time of year.
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Over the past several weeks the red squirrels have been in their breeding season. Females are in estrus for one day, and they cause a lot of chattering and chasing about. Besides being the fastest thing in the forest they are a watchful and cautious creatures; so much so I
Om today's visit to the park I found Trout Lillies that were in bloom. These were in a small patch of the forest where sunlight manages to get through for long enough to keep the plants growing there develop slightly ahead of the rest, a microclimate. Thanks for
Nature
Two more spring ephemerals started showing up this week. Wild leeks grow thickly in one section of the park. I may be wrong but I suspect they are lasting remnant of an area that the Lenape people harvested. I think this because the abundance of them points to a long
Nature
To be short lived, temporary, or fleeting. The Greek origin is "ephemeros" (meaning "lasting only one day"). Right now the spring ephemerals are making their annual appearance. The ephemerals appear when the weather warms, but before the tree canopy fills with leaves shading out the forest
The Tree Swallows provide quite a show. They spend all summer swooping around and skimming the ponds to satisfy their huge appetites (and those of their nestlings) for insects. Right now it's all about pairing up and finding a nest. I saw this pair chattering away, swooping around,
Spring continues to gather momentum.
I watched this White-breasted Nuthatch preparing a nest in a natural tree cavity , they were tearing off bits of bark and transporting them the nest. I'll keep an eye on the spot to see what develops.
Some recent images of Kennett Square
Nature
March 18, 2025 There's no turning back now. We may have a frosty night or two but the woods are on their way into spring no matter what . About iNaturalist About Anson B. Nixon Park About cagksq