Today, Dave Anderson and I re-discovered the location of a patch of Liparis liliifolia in bloom that Dave initially spotted last year on the North Tract after the blooming season. This is a new record…
Which species of Oxalis is this? I suspect it could be Oxalic colorea? Maybe. If not what other species could this be? We have measured the petals to be at least 7 mm, but never…
Viola affinis or Sand Violet is an acaulescent violet found in the eastern part of North America from Quebec and Ontario in the south and Florida to Texas in the south. (Acaulescent means the flower…
Today, my wife Becky and I paid a short visit to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Visitors to Myrtle Beach can't help but notice the Palmettos planted around the city and other cities in the area.…
Despite some rain, heavy at times, had a awesome time today meeting up with Joe Metzger and Karyn Molines to foray the Parris Glendening Nature Preserve, Jug Bay. We hiked about one mile to an…
[caption id="attachment_4814" align="alignleft" width="360"] Thomas Viaductpassing over Levering Avenue in Elkridge, MD[/caption] The venue for today’s foray took place in Oldtown Elkridge and in area of the nearby Thomas Viaduct (the world’s oldest multiple arched…
[caption id="attachment_1670" align="alignleft" width="300"] Close-up of a flower[/caption] Hood's Phlox (Phlox hoodii Richardson) is a highly variable, widespread species found in Western North America from Alaska to Northern Mexico on the west to Manitoba, Nebraska,…
Today, I had the day off because of Sandy and so this morning I decided to go the North Tract to check things out. As soon as I came up to the entrance of the…
[caption id="attachment_795" align="alignleft" width="300"]Giant Puffball with a Papermate pencil for perspective[/caption] Today at church my son A.J. pointed out a large fungus fruiting body in the flower bed just outside of the chapel. It is…
Today, I revisited the site where I found some Northern Slender Lady's Tresses Orchid (Spiranthes lacera (Raf.) Raf. var. gracilis (Bigelow) Luer.) two years ago. I visited the site last year but there were no…
[caption id="attachment_756" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Bill standing next to an old stump presumed to be an American Chestnut."][/caption] Today, due to the kind help of Dennis Green, one of the longtime volunteers at the North Tract,…
I spotted a patch of common teasel - Dipsacus fullonum ssp. sylvestris (Huds.) Clapham next to the road in Lawrenceville, PA and decided to take some pictures. This is the wild form of the teasel…
While exploring the south side of Beaver Valley, I came across a population of Small Green Wood Orchid or Club Spur Orchid (Platanthera clavellata (Michx.) Luer). The plants were found in a boggy seepage area…
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this article is to draw attention to and spark interest in a special parcel of land on the North Tract. For the purposes of this article, I will call it the…
[caption id="attachment_707" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Watch it buster!"][/caption]Today while slogging in the steam which flows between Beaver Valley and Shangri La I had a close encounter with a snake called a Black Racer - (Coluber constrictor).…
Today, I went back out to Beaver Valley to explore the east end and north bank. [caption id="attachment_678" align="alignleft" width="640"] Example of bog at Beaver Valley[/caption] I discovered that most of the good bogs are…
[caption id="attachment_643" align="alignleft" width="300"] Beaver Valley[/caption] I scoped out Beaver Valley today. It is another one of the remnants from the Little Patuxent River. It is further south from the Little Patuxent River than Shangri…
Today, I ventured into a part of the North Tract that I had not been to yet - Neverland Swamp. It is located south of the Old Forge Bridge along the Little Patuxent River. I…
While traipsing through the woods near Wild Turkey Way at Loblolly Fork I stepped on a log which broke and exposed a bunch of little critters scurrying about. I examined the log closely and discovered…
Mistletoe Bog [caption id="attachment_569" align="alignleft" width="300"] Boardwalk across Mistletoe Swamp[/caption] This afternoon, Barb Dyko and I scouted out some boggy areas near the Wood Duck Pond. There are several slow flowing streams throughout this area…