Answers for Winter Plant ID Quiz #2

Thanks to all who participated in my winter plant identification quiz #2 featuring trees, shrubs, vines and forbs. Click on any photo for a closer look.

And now for the reveal…

Click on any photo for a closer look.

Plant #1 (tree) = Hickory (81% of respondents); Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)

Plant #2 (tree) = Basswood (17% of respondents); American Basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) View/read helpful winter ID tips for this tree.

Plant #3 (tree) = Maple (14% of respondents); Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
View a helpful video for winter ID tips for Sugar Maple and Red Maple (Acer rubrum).

Plant #4 (tree) = Birch (97% of respondents); Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)

Plant #5 (tree) = Hickory (31% of respondents); Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis)

Plant #6 (tree) = Birch (33% of respondents); Black Birch (Betula lenta)

Plant #7 (tree) = Ash (19% of respondents); Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Plant #8 (tree) = Maple (92% of respondents); Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

Plant #9 (tree) = Pear (Pyrus communis) (0% of respondents)

Plant #10 (tree) = Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana ssp. virginiana) (74% of respondents)

Plant #11 (tree/shrub) = Hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) (48% of respondents)

Plant #12 (shrub) = Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) (5% of respondents)
View Helpful Characteristics for Shrubs in Winter (page 6).

Plant #13 (shrub) = Burningbush (Euonymus alatus) (63% of respondents)
Read more about this invasive species and how to control/eradicate it.

Plant #14 (shrub) = Maple-leaved Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) (26% of respondents)

Plant #15 (shrub) = Multi-flora Rose (Rosa multiflora) (80% of respondents)
Read more about this invasive species and how to control/eradicate it.

Plant #16 (shrub) = Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) (41% of respondents)

Plant #17 (shrub) = Northern Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) (43% of respondents)

Plant #18 (vine) = Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) (50% of respondents)

Plant #19 (vine) = Dodder (0% of respondents); Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii)

Plant #20 (vine) = Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata) (35% of respondents)

Plant #21 (forb) = Lopseed (Phryma leptostachya) (22% of respondents)

Plant #22 (forb) = Mad-dog Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) (11% of respondents)

Plant #23 (forb) = Shinleaf (Pyrola elliptica) (11% of respondents)

Plant #24 (forb) = Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) (32% of respondents)

Plant #25 (forb) = Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) (55% of respondents)

Plant #26 (forb) = Aster (76% of respondents); White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)

Want to learn some winter ID tips for trees and shrubs? Want to learn some winter ID tips for vines and forbs? Want to learn some winter ID tips for invasive species?

Next time while you’re out for a winter stroll, take a closer look to see if you can find any of these plants along your path.

Happy trails!

A Fisher Runs Through It

Today’s bright sunshine beckoned me outside. I chose to take a stroll at Swatling Falls Nature Trails in the Town of Halfmoon.

First, I headed to the falls along McDonald Creek. On my way there, I came across these tracks made earlier today – click on the photo for a closer look.

Tracks of Fisher (Pekania pennanti)

Yellow mark indicates location near Swatling Falls where I first came across Fisher tracks, which were heading SE’ly. Click on this image for a closer look.

Before my visit here would come to an end, I would encounter these tracks again. However, the next set I found were at the far end of the most distant trail from this location – more than a mile away. Each of the yellow marks on these trails maps indicate where I came across this critter’s tracks: near the falls (NW) where the Fisher entered the property and again along the McDonald Creek at the loop the end of the trail in the SE portion of the property.

Yellow mark (near green dot) indicates location along McDonald Creek at end of this trail in SE portion of the property where the Fisher departed, still heading SE’ly and more than one mile from where I first encountered its tracks (see yellow mark near upper left corner). Click on this image for a closer look.

Looks like I wasn’t the only one out for a stroll today!

Happy trails!

Winter Plant ID Quiz #2

I invite you once again to peruse the photos below of trees, shrubs, vines and forbs and offer your answers to this winter plant identification quiz. All photos were recently taken at Anchor Diamond Park at Hawkwood in the Town of Ballston.

Click on any photo for a closer look.

I’ll post the answers next week.

Have fun!

Check back next week for the answers!

More diner mysteries

During recent visits to area parks, nature preserves and trails, I came upon several scenes that depict tell-tale signs of a particular critter who feasted at the featured spot in each photo.

Look closely at these photos of the “who dunnit” diner mysteries below; how many do you recognize?  Have fun!

White Pine cones have been shucked of their bracts to enable the diner to remove the pair of seeds under each bract. Who dined here?  Answer

Who bored into this tree?  Answer

Who debarked and also pruned this Black Willow?  Answer

Who is still eating near the top of this tree along the left side of its trunk?  Answer

Who left these empty hickory shells? Answer

Who created this oval cavity while searching for insects?  Answer

Happy trails!