The Natural Capital

Do Plants Behave?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Last month the PBS program Nature had a fantastic episode about plant behavior -- a controversial term. Do plants really "behave"? This show argues yes: plants can communicate, move purposefully, and compete selectively. They just do it in ways that are much harder to observe than the animal behaviors that usually make it into nature documentaries:

Parasitic plants use their sense of smell to choose the best host plants, and grow toward them.
Some plants can change their blooming pattern and chemical composition to avoid overpredation -- and pick up cues to do this from other plants that are getting eaten.
Some plants can recognize siblings, and their roots grow less competitively with their siblings' roots.
A vast underground network of fungi not only takes carbon from trees in exchange for nutrients, but actually helps shuttle carbon to baby trees.

In another interview, one scientist featured in this episode says, "I was raised to believe that plants are plants. You eat them, you grow them, and they look pretty, but this is suggesting that there is a lot more to them than just that. I really think that we’re at the cusp of a real paradigm shift and that people are going to be viewing plants very differently in the next ten years."

Check it out:

Watch What Plants Talk About on PBS. See more from Nature.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome: One more reason to look out for ticks

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Lone Star Tick from CDC
via the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.

We're not big consumers of red meat here at the Natural Capital. In fact, I haven't eaten it in years. But Matt has been known to eat a burger now and then...until recently.

The last three times he has eaten red meat -- even organic, free range meat -- he has broken out in hives. Itchy, all-body, take-several-Benadryls-and-go-to-bed-til-it's-over hives.

For some people, the reaction can be even worse: they can go into anaphylactic shock.

The culprit? Researchers at the University of Virginia think it's tick spit.

More precisely, the spit of lone star ticks that contains a sugar known as alpha-gal (galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose) -- a sugar that's also in red meat. If a tick bites you, and the alpha-gal gets into your bloodstream, you may develop antibodies to it. Then, when you eat that hamburger, your immune system attacks the alpha-gal, releases lots of histamines, and you end up with hives...or worse.

Source: Viracor-IBT Laboratories

There are over 1,500 reported cases of alpha-gal syndrome, and probably many more that have gone unreported -- including Matt.

Lyme disease is still much more prevalent and problematic than alpha-gal syndrome. But as with Lyme disease, the DC area is right on the edge of the highest-prevalence area.

I've written before about how important it is to avoid tick bites and to get any ticks that do bite out as soon as possible. If you like to eat meat, you can now add this as one more reason to be vigilant.

Things to look for in May

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:17:00 +0000

Last spring was hot and way ahead of schedule, and this spring has been cold and a little slow. Morels, in particular, took forever to show up. We just found some on Wednesday, later in the year than we ever have before. I have a feeling that May will even out to be about normal...so below are all the things we've highlighted before on the Natural Capital in the month of May. It's getting to be a long list!

What else have you been seeing out there? Enjoy the beautiful weekend outdoors and come back and leave us a comment here or on Facebook!

yellow ladyslipper at TWMA by Carly&Art

We often make it out to Thomspon Wildlife Management Area in early May to see the trilliums and ladyslipper orchids. I know I usually say that there's so much to see in the DC metro area that roadtrips are unnecessary, but the display at Thompson's is really unbelievable. Last weekend the trilliums were out in Charlottesville so I think they should also be going at Thompson's.

Photo credit: cotinis

Pinxter Azaleas - Some yards are an absolute riot of hot pinks and purples in the spring with azaleas bred from Asian species. But there is actually an azalea native to this area, and it's quite showy in its own right. They're blooming in Rock Creek Park right now.

Photo credit: The Natural Capital

Tuliptree Flowers - Tuliptrees are one of the dominant species in the forests in and around Washington, DC. But because the trees are so tall, many people have never seen their flowers. You may find some falling on the ground even if you can't see them in the treetops. (But the real treat is, you can drink their nectar.)

Photo credit: Eric Begin

Baltimore Orioles - Migrating right along with the tuliptree nectar are the orioles. Learn to recognize their pretty song and you may greatly improve your chances of actually seeing one. We just saw one for the first time this year on Wednesday, and we knew to look because we heard it first.

Hummingbird by Jason Means

Ruby throated hummingbirds - Need I say more? Love, love, love these birds and I'm always so happy to see them come back in the spring. We saw our first one of the season last weekend near Charlottesville, so they're probably around here too -- or will be soon.

Canada warbler by Jeremy Meyer

There are also many species of migratory warblers -- pretty little songbirds with pretty little songs. In the last several years, we've had a day or two in mid-May when a lot pass through our yard. This post shows some of the species we see the most.

Photo credit: ac4lt

Mountain Laurel - The gnarled, shaggy trunks of mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) make it a showy shrub at any time of year. But in late May or early June, they burst into flower.

Tufted Titmouse by RunnerJenny

Tufted titmice - These birds are in the Washington DC area year round, but (like many birds) they're nesting in May. This post was inspired by catching a pair flying back and forth repeatedly to their nest to feed their young.

Blue flag iris by dermoidhome

Blue flag iris - This gorgeous iris can be found in our local wetlands. It's one of the showiest flowers native to the DC region.

Oyster mushrooms by justresting

Oyster mushrooms - These are quite possibly my favorite local mushroom. They're not showy like chicken of the woods or early like morels, just a reliable, plentiful mushroom with a nice mushroomy flavor.

Photo credit: NC Orchid

Putty root orchid - I had been looking for this flower for years. I finally saw one last May.

Serviceberries by dbarronoss

Serviceberries - We first learned these native, edible fruits as "Juneberries," but we're starting to think they should maybe be called "Mayberries" around here. (Does something already have that name, or is it just a place in tv land?) They should start ripening at the end of the month. They're scattered throughout the woods in the DC area, but you'll get the most fruit from trees that have been planted ornamentally...see our list of some of the best areas we've found, and a few more in the comments to the post.

Photo credit: Mary Keim

Eyed click beetles - We love these funky insects and their acrobatics. If you've never seen one in action, check out the videos in our post. For some reason we seem to always see them around this time of year. I'm not sure if that's just chance, or something about their life cycle.

Photo credit: USDA

And while you're out looking for all these things, don't forget to start checking for ticks. I've already found one crawling on me this year. Lyme disease is rampant in our area, and a big deal if you get it. But if you find a tick within 24 hours of it attaching itself to you, chances are you won't get Lyme. So just suck it up and look for the little bloodsuckers.

Things to Look For in April

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:09:00 +0000

This time of year is one of our busiest times: Matt's landscaping business is in full swing, our own garden is plenty of work, and there are so many things we want to look for in the wild! What are you seeing out there lately? Leave us a comment!

Morels by It's Greg

Morel season usually starts in early April and goes for several weeks.

Photo credit: natural history man

Sometimes when we're looking for morels I give up and start pulling out invasive garlic mustard instead. It makes me feel like I'm at least getting something useful done, and every once in a while this strategy has even uncovered a mushroom for me. Check out the recipe for garlic mustard pesto in the comments to our previous post -- it has become a spring staple in our house.

Bear corn by The Natural Capital

Bear corn often catches my eye at morel season as it emerges, because it's about the same size and general shape as a morel -- but it's not a mushroom, it's a parasitic plant.

Photo credit: Nemo's great uncle

Dogwoods also tend to have a similar season to morels. In fact, when they start blooming is when we really start looking in earnest for mushrooms. But there's a lot to look at in the dogwoods themselves.

Photo credit: dancing nomad

And then there are the bluebells. William Cullina says of bluebells , "As best I can determine, Mertensias are not plants at all, but delicate clumps of sky, thinly disguised and sent here for a few weeks each year to bring us earth-bound folks briefly closer to heaven." There are some patches still holding on out there -- this week may be your last week to catch any of these lovely flowers.

Earth from Galileo (NASA)

Speaking of earth-bound, Earth Day is April 22. It's hard to look for the big-picture earth while you're standing on it, but our post has a way to feel the earth move.

What have you been seeing out there lately? We'd love to hear about it. Leave a comment here or on our Facebook page!

Restorying the Anacostia River

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 15:02:00 +0000

The Environmental Film Festival brought this short film to our attention. It makes the argument that to restore the Anacostia River, we have to "restory" the Anacostia River. Because really, what's the first word that most people would associate with the Anacostia?

You hear it in the first few seconds of the film: Nasty.

This film's opening argument resonated with me, as I have had many beautiful experiences along this struggling river.

What's your Anacostia story?

Upworthy style:
At 0:44, a beautiful, wild river.
At 1:10, Dennis Chestnut talks about the terrible reason he learned to swim in the Anacostia as a child.
At 1:57, a three-foot tide! It makes the Anacostia have more trouble flushing its system than the Potomac.
At 3:45, beautiful photos by Bruce McNeil.
At 6:02, something magical happens.
At 8:30, dreaming big.
At 9:00, go on a vacation and be back for dinner.

DC Environmental Film Festival March 12-24

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:31:00 +0000

Honestly, I always wish that the Environmental Film Festival were in the dead of winter. Spring is the time of year it's hardest to stay inside and look at a screen! That said, there are always some amazing films in the lineup and this year is no exception. We'll just have to stick to the nighttime screenings.

This year's special theme is the vital role of rivers and watersheds, which certainly resonates here in DC. There are works from 50 countries showing at 75 venues throughout the greater Washington area, including museums, embassies, universities, libraries and local theaters. The offerings are way too numerous and diverse to list here -- check out their website. As we have for the last few years, I'm listing here the films that seem to have a particular link to the DC region. Descriptions are all from the festival website.

Specifically about DC

SHORT FILMS ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER
March 17, 1:45, National Museum of American History. Free.

URBAN WILDLIFE ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER (USA, 2013, 9 min.) Daryl Wallace, Environmental Education Coordinator at the Earth Conservation Corps, shot this film entirely on iPhones on or near the Anacostia River. The wildlife activity he captures “goes on in local parks and picnic areas right under our nose, most people just don’t take the time to stop and observe what’s going on around them.”
RESTORYING THE ANACOSTIA RIVER (USA, 2011, 10 min.) How would you describe the Anacostia River? This film makes a compelling case that the best way to serve the continuing clean up of the Anacostia River is to change how we talk about it.
MAKING DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE (USA, 2011, 4 min.)Francis Wheeler recalls growing up black and poor in southeast D.C. with all the riches of a clean river and a bounty of fish.
SHARIFA (USA, 2011, 5 min.) Senegal native Kalin Williams is working to build sustainable “transition” communities through her nonprofit.
THE DIGITAL STORY OF GABE HORCHLER (USA, 2011, 5 min.) River rat Gabe Horchler, law librarian at the Library of Congress, commutes to work each day on the Anacostia River in his boat.
SMALL MOMENTS (USA, 2011, 6 min.) Vaughn Perry found his passion while volunteering with Groundwork Anacostia and connecting young people with their environment.

POTOMAC: THE RIVER RUNS THROUGH US (USA, 2013, 27 min.)
March 18, 6:30 PM, Sidwell Friends School. Free.

World Premiere. Most of the six million people living in the Potomac River watershed do not realize that their drinking water comes from the Potomac. Since the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, the health of the river has improved. However, it is still in trouble and faces a number of serious threats: urban development, population growth and runoff from farms, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. The film follows the flow of the Potomac water from its origin, into our homes and businesses and back into the river. Followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Stephanie Flack of Nature Conservancy, with Bob Irvin, American Rivers; Hedrick Belin, The Potomac Conservancy; and filmmakers Peggy Fleming and Sean Furmage.

Animals that live here

AN ORIGINAL DUCKUMENTARY (USA, 2012, 56 min.)
March 23, 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM, National Wildlife Visitor Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Patuxent Research Refuge. Free.

Ducks are ancient creatures. True originals, they practice habitual lifestyles that have been essential to their evolutionary success for millions of years. They are surprisingly athletic birds; some have been clocked flying almost 100 mph, allowing them to outpace eagles and hawks. This film follows a wood duck family as a male and female create a bond, migrate together across thousands of miles, nurture and protect a brood of chicks, then come full circle as they head to their wintering grounds. Produced for the PBS “Nature” Series. Discussion after screening with retired USFWS biologist Frank McGilvrey, a leading wood duck expert at Patuxent. A live wood duck will be present. Presented in collaboration with the Annual Friends of Patuxent Art Show and Sale.

HUMMINGBIRDS: JEWELLED MESSENGERS (Austria, 2011, 53 min.)
March 24, 1:00 PM, National Museum of Natural History. Free.

Hummingbirds have become the greatest aerial acrobats on earth. They can hover, fly backwards and even fly backwards and upside down simultaneously. Plants have “created” hummingbirds as their messengers, carrying pollen from flower to flower. The smallest warm-blooded creatures on the planet, hummingbirds also have the highest metabolism of any vertebrate. The film explores the evolution of the birds, as they are shaped by their role as go-betweens for plants. These glittering birds live on the edge of what is possible, even going into a kind of hibernation each night, and all because of plants.

Other picks

THE LAST MOUNTAIN (USA, 2011, 95 min.)
March 14, 7:30 PM, The Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church. Free.

The fight for the last great mountain in America’s Appalachian heartland pits the mining giant, Massey Energy, which wants to explode the mountain to extract the coal within, against the community fighting to preserve the mountain and build a wind farm on its ridges instead. Discussion with Mike Tidwell, Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) will follow screening.

MOTHER NATURE’S CHILD (USA, 2011, 57 min.)
March 17, 11:30 AM, National Building Museum. Registration required. $10 for students and National Building Museum Members; $12 for Non-Members.

Nature’s powerful role in children’s health and development is explored through the experience of toddlers, children in middle childhood and adolescents, from Vermont to Washington, D.C.

NOW, FORAGER (Poland, 2012, 94 min.)
March 17, , AFI Silver Theater. $11.50 (discounts for seniors, students, children, and military).

Lucien and Regina are a husband-and-wife team of foragers who make their living gathering wild mushrooms in the woodlands of New Jersey and selling them to New York City restaurants. The foraging lifestyle is unpredictable and financially unstable, however, and puts the couple's marriage to the test.

IDLE THREAT (USA, 2012, 60 min.)
March 17, 12 noon, Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. Free.

Self-described vigilante George Pakenham walks the streets of New York to stop what many see as a victimless crime: idling their cars. Discussion with filmmaker George Pakenham follows screening.

TRASHED (UK, 2012, 98 min.)
March 19, 7:45 PM, Atlas Performing Arts Center. Free.

Following the film’s apocalyptic opening scenes set to epic music by Vangelis, narrator and actor Jeremy Irons takes us on a journey around the world, from Indonesia to Lebanon and from the Mediterranean Sea to San Francisco to find out what happens to our garbage. It's shocking, it's informative and it's, beyond all, a call to action.

Things to Look for in March

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 19:45:00 +0000

We have emerged from the non-snowquester into a glorious weekend. I hope you get some time outside! The wood frogs are out and have already laid their eggs. Not far away: spring beauties, spring peepers, and all kinds of other cool stuff. What have you been seeing lately?

Photo credit: Carly & Art

Bloodroot is one of our favorite spring flowers. Each plant blooms only briefly, and there's a window of only a few weeks that the bloodroots bloom at all. It's one more thing that inspires us to spend as much time as possible in the woods at this time of year.

Photo credit: PIWO

Every year we look for the cheery flowers of the
spicebush as they emerge to light up the understory. It's common throughout our local forests.

Photo credit: jpwbee

Maple flowers aren't as showy, but they're an important source of nectar for early-season pollinators -- and an unexpected spot of springtime color if you know to look for them.

Photo credit: bbodjack

Spring peepers are another pilgrimage-inspiring phenomenon in our household. How are these tiny critters so LOUD? And why are they so hard to find? Last spring we finally figured out how to spot them.

Wood frog eggs by The Natural Capital

The frogs are noisy because they're looking to mate. Spring peepers lay their eggs in out-of-the-way places, but we often find wood frog eggs in March, easily visible in vernal ponds in many of the local parks.

Photo credit: PIWO

Spring Beauties are not a showy flower, but we find them dainty and adorable. They're one of the first spring ephemerals: perennial flowers that emerge every spring on the forest floor, and they last a little longer than most.

Photo credit: Dandelion and Burdock

Bittercress is less adorable, but more abundant than spring beauties -- and edible! Throw some in your spring salad mix for a vitamin-packed punch.

Photo credit: bcfoto70

I love to watch yellow-bellied sapsuckers as they feed: they make a series of round holes in a tree's bark, then lap up the sap that comes out -- and the insects that are attracted to it. The yellow-bellied sapsucker is considered a "keystone" species by some ecologists because so many other birds rely on them, following along for their leftovers.

Photo credit: Henry McLin

As the sapsuckers are coming to town, the Canada Geese are leaving. We've seen several flocks over the last few days.

Photo credit: Gene Han

Woodcocks are much harder to spot, but they'll put on even more of a show than the sapsuckers and the geese, if you can find them.

Want more? See also the list of things we found on a walk we took in mid-March a couple of years ago.

Backyard Bird Count This Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual event that takes a massive snapshot of where birds are in North America. In 2012, volunteers reported on a mind-boggling 17.4 million birds. It always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to be part of something so huge.

Here's all it takes to participate in this weekend's count:

Look for birds for at least 15 minutes on February 18-21. You can count anywhere; it doesn't actually have to be a backyard.
Keep track of the species that you see, and for each species, the largest number that you see together simultaneously.
Enter the information on the GBBC website.

For those of you who are just starting your bird watching careers, here's a quick guide to the 10 birds most commonly reported by DC Backyard Bird Counters in the last few years. Seasoned birdwatchers: any surprises on this list?

House sparrows by Melvin Yap

House Sparrow (66% of lists)
Passer domesticus
6.25 inches

If you've got a birdfeeder, you've got house sparrows. These birds were brought over from Europe sometime in the mid-1800s and have proceeded to make quite a home for themselves. Males have a lighter breast with black patch on their throat; females are plain and brown.

Cardinals by Henry McLin (male/female)

Northern Cardinal (66% of lists)
Cardinalis cardinalis
8.75 inches

There's something about a bright red bird that makes people happy. But female cardinals are pretty too: a hard-to-define mix of tan, red, and orange, with a bright orange bill. You'll often hear both sexes making short "chip" noises to check on each other.

Mourning dove by Eric Bégin

Mourning Dove (64% of lists)
Zenaida macroura
12 inches

What color is a mourning dove? A brownish-grey, with pink undertones in the breast and maybe some blue if the light hits it right. We almost always see them in pairs or groups, walking around in our yard or perched on the utility lines, where they show off their long tails. Their song is in fact mournful sounding.

Starling by Kelly Colgan Azar

European Starling (50% of lists)
Sturnus vulgaris
8.5 inches

This bird is another import that has become widespread. Every once in a while a huge flock lands in our yard to forage, then disappears again. Starlings are smaller than crows, and their beaks are longer and thinner. Juveniles are covered in small white flecks, which make a beautiful pattern.

Robin by Mr. T in DC

American Robin (43% of lists)
Turdus migratorius
10 inches

Everyone knows the robin, but you can amuse your friends by learning the Latin name for this bird (my brother in law calls out "turdus!" every time he sees one). Some robins spend the winter in our area, so they're not necessarily a sign of spring -- though they do become more plentiful as it starts to warm up.

Downy Woodpecker by Ed Gaillard

Downy Woodpecker (43% of lists)
Picoides pubescens
6.75 inches

Downies are our smallest woodpecker. I was surprised to see this bird on the list as frequently as robins, but we do see them almost every day on our peanut bird feeder. Males have that red spot on the back of their head; in females it's just white.

House Finch by Henry McLin

House Finch (41% of lists)
Carpodacus mexicanus
6 inches

We used to have a pair of house finches that visited our windowboxes in Dupont Circle and delighted us with their sweet songs and the splash of color on the male's head. These birds are the third import on our list; they're native to the western US, but someone brought them east in the 1950s.

Chickadee by ehpien

Chickadee (41% of lists)
Poecile carolinensis/atricapilla
5 inches

Chickadees are the shortest, roundest birds on our list: fluffy balls of cuteness that fly from tree to tree looking for insects. Washington DC is in the overlap of the range of two hard-to-distinguish species; Carolina chickadees are smaller than their black-capped cousins.

Junco by Jason Means

Dark-eyed Junco (40% of lists)
Junco hyemalis
6.25 inches

Juncos are snowbirds -- and Washington is part of their southern winter home. When it warms up a little more, they'll be off for Canada. For now, look carefully for these grey or grey-brown birds on the ground: they can blend in quite sneakily. (See our full post on juncos)

White-throated sparrow by Stephen Little

White-throated Sparrow (39% of lists)
Zonotrichia albicollis
6.75 inches

White-throated sparrows are another winter resident of the DC area. If one thing surprised me more than seeing the tiny yellow patches on this sparrow's head for the first time, it was learning that it's named for the white patch just under its beak, and not that eye-catching yellow. (See our full post on white throated sparrows.)

That should get you started...for more, browse posts about birds here on the Natural Capital, or check out the fantastic online guide at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Things to Look For in Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:08:00 +0000

The days are getting noticeably longer, but spring is still long away. And yet, there are still plenty of things to look for outside.
>> What have you been noticing in nature this winter? Leave a comment below.

Rock Tripe by Paul J. Morris

Among wild edibles, rock tripe is not prized or even particularly appetizing...actually, it's pretty cardboardy. But as a survival food, it's been used for centuries. And even if you don't want to eat them, lichens are a pretty amazing phenomenon.

Photo credit: Annie in Beziers

Mica is another fun thing to look for when there's less going on in the plant world. For bigger pieces look especially in sandy or pebbley streambeds. But I see tiny flakes all the time in our local trails.

Squirrel by Vicki's Pics

Squirrels stay active through the winter, unlike their cousins the chipmunks. We know you know squirrels when you see them, but do you know them when you hear them? Listen to the chirps in our post and you may realize some of the birds you thought you'd been hearing were actually rodents.

Hemlock cones by DaveSF

Eastern Hemlocks are rare in our area due to our climate (they prefer the mountains), and becoming rarer due to an imported insect known as the wooly adelgid. It's worth seeking out these "redwoods of the East" while you still can. And winter's an easy time to do it, since they're evergreen.

Squirrel in the snow by ehpien

No big snows yet this winter, but we've had a couple that have left enough to enjoy for the day. If you get out early enough in the morning, you have a better chance of finding footprints in the snow. See our guide to some of the common animal tracks you might see. This Sunday in Rock Creek Park we saw deer, fox, squirrel, and raccoon.

Ice at Scott's Run by the Natural Capital

Even when it doesn't snow, looking for beautiful ice formations can be enough to entice me out into the cold for a good walk...usually. If we get another spell that stays at or below freezing for several days, go check out your favorite body of water.

Skunk cabbage by Rupert G.

Skunk cabbage is one of the select group of plants in the world that attracts pollinators by imitating rotting flesh. And, it's just about the only native flower you're going to find blooming at this time of year. It's prehistoric-looking and stinky, but it's a flower. In January and February.

See also: for those of us (myself included) who tend to feel a little house-bound as it gets colder and colder outside, we wrote a Southerner's Guide to Staying Warm Outside in the Winter. We also put together a list of Nature Centers in the DC area, in case you need a nature fix when you really can't stand to be outdoors for too long.

Now get out there and explore!

LOOK FOR: Light Pollution

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:00:00 +0000

My parents live in north Florida, and every few years Matt and I go even further south, to the Everglades, after Christmas. And then we head out by canoe, and camp somewhere far away from any electricity or any roads. It makes for amazing wildlife viewing -- birds, dolphins, sharks, massive stingrays -- but also, at night, for amazing star viewing.

When you're used to the view from your backyard (or apartment window), it's hard to know what you're missing. But let me tell you, the view from my backyard -- and probably yours -- is missing something.

These two pictures are views of the same patch of sky, with very different levels of background light (from houses, businesses, and streetlights). One of them looks about like what I saw in the Everglades, and the other is about what I see from my backyard. Which one looks more like your view?

Image credit: Jan Hollan via Globe at Night

A citizen science project called Globe at Night is asking exactly that question, and trying to gather data from around the world about how much light pollution is affecting what people see in the sky at night.

But it's not just about our enjoyment of the night sky. Light pollution affects the reproductive success of many species and wreaks havoc on migrating birds and nocturnal critters.

For the next four months, Globe at Night has listed the moonless nights when they want you to look up, then match the brightness of what you see to one of their charts and report back on their website. One of the windows is now through February 9. The instructions are easy. Take a friend and get outside!

Want to learn more, or get active on this issue? Check out the International Dark Sky Association.

LOOK FOR: Snowflakes

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:06:00 +0000

Photo credit: Tom Gill

Photo credit: ViaMoi

When was the last time you actually looked up close at a snowflake? I was feeling inspired today and bundled up to go stick my nose in the snow. Nature is so amazing!

You can see a surprising amount of detail with your naked eyes (or reading glasses...), if you bother to look. But a magnifying glass really shows off the beauty of the snow crystals. I've got an inexpensive jewelers loupe that worked really well.

If you don't have a magnifying glass, do you have binoculars? Look through the wrong end and hold the eyepieces so they're almost touching the snow. It should work like a magnifying glass. Wow!

Of course if you have a special microscope, you could get views like these. But take a look -- I think you'll be impressed with what you can see with the tools you have on hand, even if it's just your own two eyes.

Photo credit: CaptPiper

Best Nature Books of 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Every year we scan the book awards for the year and share titles that have some relationship to the things we write about at the Natural Capital. As usual, I found a couple I'm excited to add to my reading list, one we already really enjoyed...and a couple of books that look like great kid gifts, to boot.

In the National Outdoor Book Awards:

The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Natureby David George Haskell

"One square meter. That’s what Forest Unseen is about: one square meter of a Tennessee forest. But in George Haskell’s able hands, that’s all that is needed to reveal a world of wonder and magic. An engaging and poetic writer, Haskell takes us on a journey through the seasons, documenting the changes in an old growth forest and describing the many ecological processes occurring there. Through Haskell's words, the forest comes alive and seeps gently and unobtrusively into our conscience. Haskell has done it masterfully — writing with a quiet humility and a deceptive simplicity that mirrors the life in his small patch of the natural world."

For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson by Peggy Thomas and illustrated by Laura Jacques

"For the Birds is a delightful biography for children from 7 to 11 years of age. Who is it about? Why . . . none other than “Professor Nuts Peterson.” Professor Nuts, who might carry a snake in his pocket or a bird’s egg in his hat, is the American artist and passionate bird lover who created the Peterson Field Guides. His guides weren’t designed for scientists and specialists. Rather, they were for everyone, making it easier for adults — and kids of all stripes and ages — to identifying birds, animals and plants. Author Peggy Thomas quite handedly describes Peterson’s life from his childhood, to his success as an illustrator, and to his work as a conservationist. Fitting winningly with the text are bright and cheery illustrations by Laura Jacques."

Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History by Carol Gracie

"Spring Wildflowers is as elegant as the flowers found within its pages. That’s due to the multi-talented Carol Gracie who is a writer, a botanist and a photographer. In the book, she describes a host of Northeastern plants, but she doesn't stop at the usual botanical boundaries. Unique among plant guides, she goes on to include what species pollinate each plant. She further firmly places each plant into the context of its habitat, what animals consume it, how it has been used as a medicinal plant. Gracie’s book is a noteworthy achievement and quite effectively broadens our thinking about plants to include their many-sided relationship with all aspects of the ecosystem." (We received a copy of this book and I can vouch for its beauty and depth: each plant description is extensive and the photographs are wonderful.)

AMC Guide to Outdoor Digital Photography: Creating Great Nature and Adventure Photos by Jerry Monkman

"If you’ve been prospecting for just the right book on outdoor digital photography, look no further. You’ll strike pay dirt with this new Appalachian Mountain Club guide. Accomplished photographer Jerry Monkman who has worked for a variety of national outdoor and wildlife magazines, nicely elaborates on the subject in one easily readable and visually instructive book. The book covers equipment, lenses, lighting, composition, exposure, and processing software. The text is supplemented with case studies and expert advice. This is outdoor photography after all, and Monkman doesn’t leave out suggestions on taking photos in adverse weather. You’ll find plenty to be mined from this fine reference, and you won’t even need a pick and shovel."

From the San Francisco Green Book Festival:

Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature
by Nicola Davies

(Ages 3-7) "Reading poetry may seem an activity for the winter-bound and introverted, but this lovely collection, organized by season, urges children to dash outside, slamming the screen door behind them. Unlike so much poetry geared toward children, not all the verse here rhymes, introducing readers to poetic language outside the predictable cadences of Dr. Seuss. Mixed-media illustrations, with an emphasis on woodblock and silhouette, offer plenty of beauty to contemplate." —The New York Times

From the Nautilus Book Awards:

The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age by Richard Louv

"In this sanguine, wide-ranging study of how humans can thrive through the "renaturing of everyday life," Louv takes nature deficit disorder, introduced in his seminal Last Child in the Woods, a step further, to argue that adults need nature, too. "A reconnection to the natural world is fundamental to human health," he writes, asking, "What would our lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in electronics?" Louv's "Nature Principle" consists of seven precepts, including balancing technology excess with time in nature; a mind/body/nature connection, which Louv calls "vitamin N," that enhances physical and mental health; expanding our sense of community to include all living things; and purposefully developing a spiritual, psychological, physical attachment to a region and its natural history. The book presents examples of these precepts, from studies of how exposure to a common soil bacteria increases production of serotonin in the brain to designing shopping malls inspired by termite mounds. Although lightweight for longtime nature lovers, the book may be just what our high-tech, urban culture needs to bring us down to earth." -- Publishers Weekly

Also see our lists from 2011, 2010, and 2009

What have you been reading lately? What would you add to this list?

Things to look for in December

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:25:00 +0000

It's been hard to believe it's December with the warm weather we've been having, but the plant and animal world have slowed down on schedule. I'm hoping for a little cold weather to make us appreciate our family trip to Florida -- but not so much that it keeps everyone inside! Here are some of the things we like to look for in the greyer world of winter.

Dark-eyed Junco by ehpien

When the cold whether does come, I tend to get grumpy about it. It's good to remind myself of the junco -- who comes down from Canada to enjoy our (relatively) balmy winter. At least we're not in Canada, I say. Plus, they're cute little birds.

Squirrel nest by Heart Windows Art

Meanwhile, the squirrels have built their nests for the winter and are hunkering down. Cute alert: this post includes BBC footage of baby squirrels.

Holly by Kevin H.

The garlands of greenery went up in my office building last week, just like clockwork. But the tradition of bringing holly inside at this time of year pre-dates Christmas. And there's plenty to celebrate about these berries -- and the birds they attract -- even if you're not decking the halls.

Christmas Fern by K.P. McFarland

Christmas ferns were also once used as holiday decorations, for the same reason -- they stay green all winter.

Hemlock by Mr.Mac2009

While you're out and about enjoying the winter sunshine, try your hand at identifying some trees. It's a lot harder without the leaves! We made a quick guide to ten winter trees that often catch our eye.

Ben's Breath by nordicshutter

Your breath is often visible around this time of year. Look at it as a measure of temperature and humidity, or enjoy the visible reminder of the breath of all life.

And, for those of you who tend to feel a little house-bound as it gets colder and colder outside, last year we also wrote a Southerner's Guide to Staying Warm Outside in the Winter. Now get out there and explore!

Great Falls After Hurricane Sandy

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:12:00 +0000

If you can go to Great Falls in the next couple of days, it's worth the trip. Call ahead to make sure trails are open: the water level is likely to rise before it falls. On Wednesday, the MD boardwalk to the falls was closed (towpath was open) but the VA side was all open -- and amazing.

There are usually a lot more rocks visible here.

The DC area definitely dodged the worst of this storm -- there's a post on the VA side of Great Falls showing how much higher the water has gotten in the past. This is really nothing in comparison. And yet it's still a dizzying amount of water. Huge logs are floating downstream. The familiar landscape of rocks is almost completely covered. And it's all moving so FAST.

We also stopped by Carderock to check out the Billy Goat C trail -- which is completely underwater in many places:

I hope you all get a chance to get out and enjoy ever-changing nature soon...be safe!

LOOK FOR: Moths

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00:00 +0000

I suspect those of you who have ever had a hole eaten in a sweater by a Tineola bisselliella are repelled by the title of this post, but stick with me -- we're keeping the moths outside this time. (And, if you like, there's beer involved.)

More than 11,000 species of moth have been recorded in North America -- and there are probably still some that haven't been discovered yet. Here's a challenge: how many different species can you find in an evening?

Photo credit: Cyndy Sims Parr

There several ways you can try to increase your moth census. Many methods rely on the tendency of many moth species to fly toward light:

1. Turn on an outside light and just look for whatever stops by.

2. String up a white sheet and put a lightbulb behind it; this distributes the light and gives you a larger surface for attracting the moths.

3. String up a white sheet and put a UV light behind it; this will attract even more moths than a normal lightbulb.

4. If you want to get really into this, you can build a moth trap with a light and a funnel and leave it out for a while. Just be sure to let your moths go in a few hours, or at the latest, before the trap heats up in the morning.

Some species of moth do eat, and couldn't care less about your white sheet. For them, you can mix up a concoction of bananas and beer, with some molasses and brown sugar thrown in for good measure. Some people recommend letting this mixture ferment for several days or weeks; others say you can use it immediately. Spread this moth goo on a tree or fencepost (not on anything that can't be stained) in the late afternoon and see who comes in for a snack over the course of the evening.

Once you've attracted some moths, you can either just enjoy them for their diversity and beauty, or you can pick some that you want to identify. There are three amazing web sites that can help with identification if you're so inclined.

BugGuide.net has an extensive collection of moth pictures organized by family. You can browse through until you find a likely family, then drill down until you think you've found your moth.
Or, try your luck with this binomial key from North Dakota State University, which will ask you to look at a series of things about your moth (starting with the shape of the antennae) to narrow down your identification.
Bob Patterson has photographed over 1,000 moths and listed the pictures on his website Moths of Prince George's County.

Happy hunting! Let us know what you find!

Photo credit: David Heise

Things to Look For in September

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:30:00 +0000

We're just getting back from a week of visiting family and a four-day canoe trip in Wisconsin. In the northern part of the state, the leaves are already changing. We kept feeling like we were taking pictures for jigsaw puzzles: birch trees with yellow foliage and white trunks being reflected in the water. Back in DC I'm kind of glad we've got several more weeks before fall really sets in. Time flies too quickly!

Here are some of the things we like to keep an eye out for in September. Links are to previous posts on the Natural Capital.

What have you been seeing out in nature lately? Leave us a comment!

Photo credit: Metric X

The goldenrods in our yard are beautiful right now. Open sunny areas should be full of their yellow glow. Be sure to look closely for all the cool little critters that are attracted to the bright flowers.

Photo credit: oceansdesetoiles

Ragweed is also blooming: the scourge of the fall allergy sufferers of Washington, DC. Unlike goldenrod, which attracts all kinds of pollinating insects, ragweed relies on the wind to spread its pollen. I just wish it wouldn't spread it into my nose. Rain makes things better: those airborne pollen particles get sogged down and don't fly around as much.

Photo credit: knitting iris

Black Walnuts are starting to fall from trees all over the DC metro area. They're a hard nut to crack, which could explain why they sell for $16 a pound. But they are prized by bakers for adding a special something to brownies and other treats. Pick up a few for yourself and see what all the fuss is about.

Mockernut hickory nuts

While you're looking for walnuts, you may also find hickory nuts. They've got a similar green husk but slightly smaller, with four divisions in it. The nuts of some species of hickory are much more edible than others.

Pawpaws by dmitri_66

Pawpaws are the largest fruit native to the DC area. In groves of mature trees, you can find them littering the ground, ready for eating. Of course, you'll have to beat the raccoons and opossums to them. Since we've been out of town, I haven't been able to monitor the season, but I suspect they may be just about gone by now. If you can find enough, you can make pawpaw-walnut cookies.

Chicken of the woods by girlguyed

Chicken of the woods is a hard-to-mistake and hard-to-match mushroom. We found several with all the rain in August...keep an eye out in September as well.

Male goldfinch by ehpien

Goldfinches live in the DC area year-round, but we seem to see more of them at this time of year as they come to feed on the seedheads in our flower garden. They're such a pretty little bird.

Spicebush berries by The Natural Capital

Spicebush is a common understory shrub in our local forests. In the early spring, it's got pretty yellow flowers. Over the course of the summer, the pollinated flowers transformed into little green berries. And soon, they will be turning bright red. Also, keep an eye out for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars, who you can sometimes found curled up inside a leaf. In my opinion, they're one of the best-looking caterpillars around!

Five Amazing Facts About Crows

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:27:00 +0000

Crows are so common and well-known in our area that I've never bothered to write about them -- or really think much about them. I finally got around to reading a copy of Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans that I received as a review copy, and am blown away.

Here are my top 5 amazing facts:

1. Crows display remarkable teamwork. You may have seen them mobbing a hawk to make it go away. They've also been seen to steal from other animals in pairs -- with one pulling a seagull's tail, say, while the other crow grabbing the tasty mollusk the seagull drops. And they have been seen to come to each other's aid, helping an injured crow walk to shelter.

2. Did you ever learn in elementary school that one of the things that separates humans from the animals is that humans use tools? Well, crows use tools. For example, this one figured out how to bend a wire into a hook to retrieve food.

3. Crows recognize faces, remember the behavior of the people with those faces, and pass on knowledge of the faces to other crows. If a person wearing a certain mask does something to threaten or annoy a crow, anyone wearing that mask in the future will be scolded and harrassed by crows in the area.

4. Crows are very persistent. One Seattle resident spent a day shooing crows away from a robin's nest in his yard (crows steal and eat eggs). For a year, scolding crows followed the man to the bus stop every workday, sometimes dive-bombing and hitting him in the head. When he moved to a new house 20 blocks away, he left at three in the morning to be sure the crows were asleep and wouldn't start pestering him at his new location.

5. A raven saying "Nevermore" is actually possible. Crows and ravens have been known to learn short words and phrases. Some even appear to understand the context of human language: one responded "what?" when its owner called it by name; one would say "Hello, Bob" only to its owner Bob; one would reply to "that's for you" with "that's for me."

There's much more detail on how crows do this, and possible reasons why, in Gifts of the Crow. Have you observed any cool crow behavior? We'd love to hear about it.

Trip Report: Scott's Run

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 00:35:00 +0000

We had a great walk at Scott's Run with a nice surprise: the pawpaws are just starting to drop. In fact, a few dropped with a loud *plunk* right as we were walking by!

We found a nice stand of cardinal flowers, sat down for a bit, and sure enough, a hummingbird came by and fed on the flowers just a few feet in front of us. It almost never fails, but it never fails to take my breath away when one comes so close.

Photo credit: Bill Buchanan / USFWS

Also blooming:

Mistflower by Pris Sears

Joe pye weed (Eupatorium sp.)
Jimson weed (but no sphinx moths, not a big surprise since we were there during the day)
Woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)
Wingstem (Actinomeris alternifolia)
New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
Mistflower (aka Wild Ageratum, Eupatorium coelestinum)
Blue lobelia (Lobelia syphilitica)
Sharpwinged monkey flower (Mimulus alatus)
Phlox (Phlox paniculata?)

and the spicebush berries (Lindera benzoin) are starting to turn red.

Green heron by Tom Coleman

other critters of note:
Baltimore oriole
Spicebush and tiger swallowtail butterflies
Great blue herons
Green heron
Piliated woodpecker
and lots of toads

And some fun fungi:
A nice flush of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)
A big Berkeley's polypore (Bondarzewia berkeleyi)
and bright orange Mycena leaiana.

What have you been seeing on the trail lately? We'd love to hear about it!

Pawpaws by Jerry Edmundsen

LOOK FOR: Katniss (a.k.a. Wapato, Duck Potato, Arrowhead, Sagittaria)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:19:00 +0000

I finally got around to reading The Hunger Games this summer. The main character, Katniss, has grown up hunting and foraging in Appalachia, which turns out to be a real asset when she is forced to spend weeks fighting to the death with other teenagers in a large expanse of forest. I haven't read a novel with so much foraging in it since My Side of the Mountain.

Photo credit: Jerry Oldnettel

But it drove me crazy that I didn't know one of the main vegetables she relies on: katniss. When she was a child, Katniss's father told her: As long as you can find yourself, you'll never starve.

I was too engrossed to put the book down and look it up, but as the story went on katniss sure sounded a heck of a lot like a plant I know by three other names: wapato, duck potato, or arrowhead (for some reason "duck potato" always comes to mind first -- what a great name!).

This abundance of names is why botanists like Latin names (in this case, Sagittaria). It's not just to be arcane: they help make sure we're all talking about the same plant.

And sure enough, katniss is an Algonquin name for Sagittaria. It's another nice link to the main character: she's not just a forager, but an expert archer -- just like Sagittarius.

And you can see from the leaf how the plant got its name:

Photo credit: Tom Brandt

The USDA plants database lists 10 different species of Sagittaria as growing in the mid-Atlantic. They've all got arrowhead-shaped leaves -- some skinner than others.

There are other wetland plants with arrow-shaped leaves, but you can tell Saggitaria from its beautiful vein pattern: all veins starting from a single point at the stem, with some pointing down to end in the pointy bottoms of the arrowhead.

Sagittaria was cultivated by native people of North America for its tubers, which are also eaten by ducks, geese, and muskrats. Sam Thayer gives an extensive account of how to find and harvest the tubers in his excellent book The Forager's Harvest.

In some parts of North America (including Sam Thayer's Wisconsin) there are wetlands with acres of Saggitaria growing in clean water, just begging to be eaten. The Washington, DC metro area is not in that category. All of our water is polluted, and while Saggitaria is growing somewhere in most wetlands I've visited, it is not abundant. It's just not realistic to get up your hopes of responsibly foraging for katniss in our area.

But you can find it, and appreciate knowing the connection to foragers in centuries past...and in the futuristic world of the Hunger Games.

In the wild: There's quite a bit of Saggitaria growing in the C&O Canal between the westernmost parking lot at Carderock and the Marsden Tract Campground (map). I'd love to hear about other patches!

In your yard: We've had a single Sagittaria growing in our pond for a few years...the leaves are smaller than in the wild, possibly because it wants deeper mud to form bigger tubers? We haven't mucked around in the water to figure out what's going on. Right now I'm just enjoying the lovely flowers!

Photo credit: Tom Brandt

LOOK FOR: Katydids

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

On Saturday Matt and I went out to hike, watch the sunset, and see if the sky would clear up so we could catch the Perseid meteor shower (it didn't). We've been trying this summer to learn some insects by their sounds, and just hanging out at sunset with nothing in particular going on was a fantastic chance to practice.

The most striking thing, now that I recognize more of the sounds, is what a changing of the guard there is as it gets dark.

At dusk, the cicadas are noisy. They sing in big masses, in a pulsing drone.

And then, as it gets dark, the katydids start making themselves known. Singly at first, then choruses of the Common True Katydid.

Ah, summer.

These are the five species we've been trying to learn, thanks to the DC/Baltimore Cricket Crawl organized for Friday, August 24. There are more species out there, but five seems like a good set to start with:

Photo credit: Lisa Brown	Common True Katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia) Constantly repeating TCH-TCH-TCH (like ka-ty-did), from the tops of trees. One of the lowest pitched songs.
Photo credit: Patrick Coin	Lesser Anglewing (Microcentrum retinerve) A faster, higher-pictched TCH-TCH-TCH, with long pauses in between each set.
Photo credit: Jerry Oldnettel	Greater Anglewing (Microcentrum rhombifolium) High pitched clicks that rapidly speed up, coming from the tops of trees
Photo credit: Eric Begin	Oblong-winged Katydid (Amblycorypha oblongifolia) ZEE-TIC every few seconds. From shrubs, usually in wooded areas.
Photo credit: Marcia Cirillo	Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata) A single high-pitched TCHIP, well-spaced-out. Usually given from short trees.

Only once now since we really started listening, we've been able to follow a single chirper, shine a flashlight, and find the katydid to confirm our ID. Many just hang out in the treetops -- we'll just have to listen. How many can you hear where you live?

Hooked? Check out Lang Elliot's wonderful book/CD set, The Songs of Insects.

Things to Look For in August

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 01:02:00 +0000

As the temperatures and humidity hover at their yearly highs, I've been soaking through my t-shirts on walks lately. But there's still plenty to see outside, if you're in town and you're willing to put up with a little sweat. Links are to previous LOOK FOR posts:

Photo credit: Rongem Boyo

The Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 11 -- a Saturday night, with a crescent moon that won't interfere with the show until early morning. The shower has already started, it just isn't at its peak yet...you have increasing chances of seeing shooting stars all week.

hummingbird on cardinal flower in our yard

We've been seeing hummingbirds in our yard nearly every day. What a treat to watch them go from hovering in mid-air, to zipping away, fast as lightning.

Monarch larva by The Natural Capital

Monarch butterflies are laying their eggs, and if you look closely on milkweed, you may see some stripey caterpillars. Every year, we bring a few inside and raise them. It's a pretty amazing process. (This post on raising monarchs has been one of the all-time most popular posts on the Natural Capital.)

Joe Pye weed by Garden Beth

Joe Pye Weed is another butterfly magnet at this time of year -- not so much for the monarchs as for the swallowtails. Keep an eye out for Joe Pye weed in wetland areas and then watch for the butterflies...look closely and you'll find lots of other pollinators, too.

Passionflower by Texas Eagle

Joe Pye is one of our tallest flowers; passionflower is surely one of the most exotic-looking. The tropical look of this flower may lead you to think of steamy nights of passion, but the 17th century missionaries who named it claimed to have religion in mind.

Dragonfly by afagen

Dragonflies are common sight this time of year. They hang out around water, because they lay their eggs there and spend their nymph stage as aquatic creatures. In our post we highlighted 6 common species, and shared a video of a dragonfly shedding its aquatic skin to become an adult.

Sumac berries by j.e.s.1981VA

Sumac has extremely distinctive clusters of dark red, hairy berries in the late summer. They're great for making pink lemonade! Check out our post to find out how.

Last year we really enjoyed watching a sphinx moth nectar on jimson weed by the Potomac River. So much so that we're hoping to head back to the same spot this year. If we end up just watching the sunset by the river, that's not so bad either.

What have you been seeing lately? Leave a comment and let us know!

LOOK FOR: Blue-tailed, Five-lined Skinks

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Photo credit: Holly Sparkman

I was on a pretty intense site visit in Greenville, SC for a few days last week, but you know me -- I had an hour off and I ended up on the walking path that goes along the river downtown. A tiny blue-tailed skink ran right across the path in front of a colleague and me. I pointed it out: hey look, a blue-tailed skink. My colleague was astonished: How did you know that? she said.

I don't know. I don't remember learning the blue-tailed skink. But if you ever saw a lizard with a bright electric-blue tail, wouldn't you want to know what it was?

Just one catch: it turns out that "blue-tailed skink" isn't really their proper name. There are two species of skinks in our area that have blue tails when young. Most likely to be seen is the Five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus): they tend to nest on the ground, in leaf litter. Broad-headed skinks (Plestiodon laticeps) also have blue tails for part of their lives, but they tend to hang out in trees (though they may come down to forage).

In both species, though, that blue tail is eye-catching. And it's brightest on the juveniles; the blue fades as they age.

Why would a species evolve to have their young be so visible? The trick is that the tail is a relatively dispensable part of a skink. In fact, if a predator grabs the tail, it will break off, and the skink will escape and grow a new one. So, it's not so much that the blue makes the young visible: it makes the tail visible, and gives the rest of the skink more of a fighting chance.

Skinks lay eggs once a year, and the hatchlings appear in late summer. So keep an eye out for those little blue tails.

Photo credit: Teague O'Mara

Things to Look for in July

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Better late than never, our monthly roundup of things to look for this month:

Photo credit: InspiredinDesMoines

I originally wrote about bald eagles for the 4th of July, but they're around all summer -- and some stay over the winter. Still, it's a great time of year to get out on the water and look for them. Matt went canoeing last weekend on Jug Bay and had the pleasure of watching an eagle fight an osprey for the fish it had just caught -- evidence of the theiving behavior that made Ben Franklin prefer the wild turkey for national bird.

Photo credit: The Natural Capital

While you're hanging out in wet places, keep an eye out for moisture-loving jewelweed. It's a pretty flower, a sparkly wonder, a trailside snack, and a soothing skin treatment. What's not to love?

Photo credit: The Natural Capital

Another moisture-lover is cardinal flower. I used to love cardinal flower just because it's a gorgeous flower. It took a few years before I realized that if you sit quietly for long enough by a large patch, a hummingbird will come by. And that takes it to another level.

Photo credit: The Natural Capital

I always thought of hibiscus as a tropical flower. It's the kind of thing you expect to see printed on Hawaiian shirts, or tucked behind a hula dancer's ear. But we've got native hibiscus right here in DC. It blooms in July, also in wet areas. (I guess I spend a lot of time on the water in July!)

Photo credit: brocktopia

Also out in July: Chantarelles. They are a choice culinary mushroom prized by chefs around the world. And they grow in Washington, DC. Have you seen any yet?

At this time last year we also found several other wild edibles, including milkweed buds, black locust beans, and sassafras.

On Walden (Happy 195th Birthday, Henry!)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hargrave) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:25:00 +0000

I first read my dad's copy of Walden when I was in high school. It's a 35-cent paperback edition that, if I recall correctly, my dad picked up while he was teaching in East Africa in the early 60's.

Somehow the book survived his motorcycle ride from Africa to the Middle East and Europe, an ocean voyage, and the subsequent pilfering of the motorcycle's saddlebags on the docks of New York City. It has spent another 40+ years on our family's bookshelves, in at least 6 states and the District of Columbia. It's now a loose collection of pages held together by a rubber band.

This book has seen a lot of the world, but it's not for that cachet of adventure that I love it. It's for the sense of adventure found inside its pages -- the sense of adventure Henry David Thoreau found in staying in one place.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived...I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.

What follows is part nature observation, part simple living, part transcendental philosophy, all recorded during two years in which Thoreau didn't venture farther than he could walk in a day. The ultimate message of Walden is one of introspection: explore thyself. But in the process of exploring himself, Thoreau explores the world around him. He watches the birds, the mice, the ants, the weather. And, ultimately, it becomes one process.

In the midst of a gentle rain...I was suddenly sensible of such sweet and beneficent society in Nature, in the very pattering of the drops, and in every sound and sight around my house, an infinite and unaccountable friendliness all at once like an atmosphere sustaining me...Every little pine needle expanded and swelled with sympathy and befriended me...There can be no very black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of nature and has his senses still.

That's the spirit that keeps me coming back to this book again and again -- and the spirit that moves me to write the Natural Capital.

Happy Birthday, Henry!

The Natural Capital

Do Plants Behave?

Alpha-Gal Syndrome: One more reason to look out for ticks

Things to look for in May

Things to Look For in April

Restorying the Anacostia River

DC Environmental Film Festival March 12-24

Things to Look for in March

Backyard Bird Count This Weekend

Things to Look For in Winter

LOOK FOR: Light Pollution

LOOK FOR: Snowflakes

Top 10 Posts of 2012

Best Nature Books of 2012

Things to look for in December

Great Falls After Hurricane Sandy

LOOK FOR: Moths

Things to Look For in September

Five Amazing Facts About Crows

Trip Report: Scott's Run

LOOK FOR: Katniss (a.k.a. Wapato, Duck Potato, Arrowhead, Sagittaria)

LOOK FOR: Katydids

Things to Look For in August

LOOK FOR: Blue-tailed, Five-lined Skinks

Things to Look for in July

On Walden (Happy 195th Birthday, Henry!)