French Broad Hollow Ramble

It’s been a while since my last post; I spent a week visiting my mom and other family in Roswell, NM, where it was sunny and HOT most of the time I was there. (Highs near 100 almost every day) I walked in the neighborhood two or three mornings but stayed inside a lot more than I usually do.

Here are some pics from my Roswell rambling. (The glare was so bright that I couldn’t see to get all the words on the plaque; it’s an interesting story.)

And more pics from the morning I flew home from Roswell International Air Center, which was formerly Walker Air Force Base and, before that, Roswell Army Air Field. (The planes in the distance have all been decommissioned from many airlines and are in various states of being dismantled.)

As you can see, the land around Roswell is flat and brown, and I was happy to get home to the green woods of the Hollow. Although someone else had been feeding them, I think the deer were glad to see me back home, too.

And, as usual, they are waiting now. I’ll post again soon.

8-3-18

8-12-18

8-13-18

8-14-18

8-15-18

The fawns are growing, the migrating hummingbirds are emptying the feeders rapidly, the trees and undergrowth on the sides of the two roads in the Hollow are being cut back dramatically, and the weather—oh, the weather! Here we are in the first days of August, and it’s been raining pretty steadily and has struggled to get above 70.

The biggest change for me has been the passing of my canine partner of 14 years, Jet. She accompanied me on my rambles for years before I ever started this blog, but it began to be difficult for her several years ago. Walking became harder and harder, and we both knew it was time to take our last walk together, which we did yesterday.

Jet soon after I adopted her (8-4-04)

Jet in the meadow (5-22-13)

Jet on the deck (7-27-18)

Changes in Facebook policies with regard to third-party apps mean that these blog posts are no longer posted in Facebook automatically, and I will be posting the url myself. Of course, you can easily subscribe to the blog by entering your email address on the right side of the page.

7-28-18

7-29-18

7-30-18

7-31-18

8-2-18

The chicken-in-the-woods by the road is fading,

7-28-18

7-29-18

7-30-18

7-31-18

8-2-18

and the one in the woods in changing, too, although it’s hard to tell from these photos. The dark and rainy skies make it hard to zoom in.

7-28-18

7-29-18

7-30-18

7-31-18

8-2-18

The rain usually gives me a chance to sit here and write, but I am too restless today. I’ll write more another day.

7-28-18

7-29-18

7-30-18

7-31-18

8-2-18

(Remember, you’ll get a better view of this post if you open it in your browser, not in email or Facebook.) frenchbroadhollow.wordpress.com

This “chicken of the woods” (Laetiporus sulphureus) (I think!) has appeared every year for as long as I have been rambling in the Hollow. I have been watching for it for over a month this year and hoping it would emerge. And then it did! You can see how much it grew in less than a week—even in the one day I missed.

7-21-18

7-22-18

7-23-18

7-24-18

7-26-18

7-27-18

It is stunningly beautiful, and I was delighted to spot another one in the Hollow today.

7-23-18

7-24-18

7-26-18

7-27-18

I’ve seen plenty of mushrooms and other fungi this year, including what I think was an Indigo milky mushroom (Lactarius indigo). I’m glad I noticed it; it was gone the next day! I welcome any help in identifying any of these (but I don’t plan to eat any of them!).

The deer, turkeys, and butterflies continue to visit. Sometimes the butterflies seem to swarm the coneflowers. Here’s a video.

The turkeys are walking up the path from the meadow now, and the deer are waiting in the woods. I’ll post again another day.

7-23-18

7-24-18

7-26-18

7-27-17

I guess it’s a good thing that I’m retired, as lately I seem to have spent a lot of time chasing butterflies. (And it’s not easy—Look at these videos 1 2! from May!) Maybe it’s because there seem to be so many, especially in the meadow, where milkweed is abundant. They also like the purple coneflowers and butterfly bush. (I know—it’s invasive….)

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)

Checkerspots mating

Great Spangled Fritillary

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)

Checkerspot butterflies

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus [Papilio] appalachiensis)

Silver-spotted skipper

Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) 7-21-18

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Appalachian Brown (Lethe appalachia)

Sometimes I don’t have to chase them at all; it’s more like they’re chasing me! When I walk, I often see them on the road, and these red-spotted purples like resting on doormats, the patio, etc. (I have tried to identify the butterflies but welcome suggested corrections.)

Silvery Checkerspot

Red-spotted Purple

Question Mark Butterfly

Red-spotted Purple

The first time I saw a hummingbird clearwing moth, I wasn’t sure what it was.  They hover like hummingbirds!

Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe)

Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe)

Snowberry Clearwing Moth 6-17-18

I continue my rambles in the Hollow. The river has been up most days, although we hadn’t received as much rain as they did upriver.

7-13-18

7-14-18

7-15-18

7-16-19

7-17-18

7-19-18

7-20-18

7-21-18

7-22-18

Today a peloton went by!

The deer and turkeys continue to come for meals. One (the mother of the twins) is brave enough—or hungry enough to eat from my hand!

And they are waiting now, so I’ll post again soon!

It’s been a year to the day since I started this blog; it hasn’t been every day, or even every week, but I’ve posted 55 times. I’m looking forward to more posts and more rambles!

7-11-18

7-12-18

The Hollow has had lots of young wildlife activity recently. Earlier this week several of us saw a hen turkey with tiny poults. I got this video of them feeding in my driveway; they’re so small that they’re hard to see. One neighbor, Josh Klaaren, got a close-up video from his vehicle. Then there are some that are a bit bigger. I was able to get this video when they passed by the house. If you listen closely, you can hear them peeping.

The fawns are active, too. Sometimes I see them when I walk. The twins and their mom stay in my part of the Hollow, and I see the twins several times daily. Usually they run off as I approach, but I was able to record them yesterday. Video here. Their mom comes very close (look here!), and I’m sure the fawns will come closer soon. They are very curious!

Of course, there are still turtles, mushrooms, flowers and trees to observe, and I’ll post more about them soon.

7-11-18

7-12-18

I guess the fawns are getting big enough to hang out with their moms; today I have had visits from three (or maybe the same ones three times). One pair was too far away for a good pic, but two of them walked right past the house! This pair walked by this morning when I was on the deck, and this pair came by when I was outside weeding! It may be

the same doe that greeted me at the end of my walk yesterday. I’m sure she thinks I should carry apples or corn when I walk! 🙂 (Videos re-uploaded for clarity 4:40 PM 7-9-18.)

I always enjoy my walks, and that has been especially true the last few days. The weather has been mild but will soon turn hot again.

7-8-18

7-9-18

7-8-18

7-9-18

After a few days with no rain (but high humidity), the rain is back today (and keeping me inside). With all the rain, the Hollow has plenty of mushrooms and other fungi. Some are quite large,

and some are covered with leaves and/or other fungi.

This one appeared in my yard, then shriveled up after a couple of days.

The river continues to be up and down, green and brown, depending on rain upriver.

7-1-18

7-2-18

7-3-18

7-4-18

7-5-18

7-6-18

7-7-18

I see fawns almost daily, and I can tell that many of the does have milk. I think Vee hangs out near my house; he also emerges from the woods when I walk out.The deer are all plagued by flies and other pests; I wish I could do something to help, but they are, after all, wild animals.

The summer flowers are blooming. The meadow is full of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), and the bee balm (Monarda didyma) has exploded. The staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) has started to bloom; I’m used to seeing it in the fall but am watching it more closely this summer. And the Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) makes me think of my mom, who loves it.

The rain is supposed to clear by tomorrow, and it’s supposed to be cooler than normal. If so, it will be an outside day!

The deer keep coming, especially Vee (above) and Fuzzy (below). Sometimes they eat together.

It seems that my meadow has become a fawn nursery (and maybe a birthing space). I have seen two tiny single fawns (including the one from the last post), as well as a set of twins. It’s hard to see the twins in this photo, but here are a couple of videos: Fawn meets Vee, tiny fawn and turkey I expect to see more fawns, and more of these particular fawns, in the coming days and weeks.

Summer is definitely here—the weather has been hotter than usual, and we often have thunderstorms in the afternoons. The mountains to the south (upriver) often get a lot more rain than we do, and sometimes the river runs high, even though it hasn’t rained in the Hollow.

6-22-18

6-23-18

6-24-18

6-28-18

6-29-18

6-30-18

The spring flowers have faded, and now it’s berry time! The mulberries are almost gone (and most are out of my reach!), but it looks to be a great year for blackberries.

The small blueberry bushes in my “orchard” have produced about two quarts of berries, which is about twice as many as last year. Both apple trees have apples, and there is at least one pawpaw. (I thought I had photos but can’t find them right now.)

The butterflies and other insects fly and flutter;

the lizards bask in the garden;

and the turtles come out after a rain. (Jet spotted one for me!)

So, life goes on in the Hollow. Death does, too, but I can’t bring myself to write about it. It’s that circle of life again.

6-22-18

6-23-18

6-24-18

6-28-18

6-29-18

6-30-18

It’s hard to see in the photo, but there is a tiny fawn nursing the doe. I noticed her walking up the path and then watched from my bedroom window as she walked into the tall plants. Then I saw the tiny fawn stand up to nurse! You can imagine how excited I was! I couldn’t get too close without disturbing them and was disappointed when the doe led the fawn across the road and into the woods.

6-15-18

6-16-18

6-18-18

She must have felt the fawn was safe near the house, however, because I saw her feeding and cleaning the fawn in the meadow several days. Here’s a video.

She seemed to lead the fawn into the cooler woods during the day and bring it back later. I think they moved on when the fawn got strong enough to keep up. Here they are meeting with Vee in the feeding area (video). I have seen only one fawn so far, but I know there will be more!

6-15-18

6-16-18

6-18-18

Look closely at the first photo, and you’ll see a tiny fawn nursing. The mother stashed the fawn in the meadow right below my house! I watched her from the house as she walked around the mowed perimeter of the meadow and checked for danger before she went to the fawn. What a wonderful surprise to see the tiny fawn appear out of the grass! Later she led the fawn across my road and into the woods. I think she moves the fawn when the field gets sunny, then brings it back later; I have watched her lie down next to the baby for the past two days.

6-13-18

6-14-18

It’s been hot and muggy, but my rambles continue. I was dismayed to see a dead garter snake in the road last week and devastated to find a smashed box turtle earlier this week. I don’t understand how anyone could be going fast enough on our steep gravel road, which has been eroded by the heavy rains and has rills and gullies, to run over a turtle.

I see turkey hens with poults when I walk, but they disappear into the bushes and trees before I can get a clear photo. Meanwhile, toms and hens without poults (chicks) come by the house several times a day. I often hear them gobbling and clucking before I get up in the morning (and I am an early riser!).

The deer come, too, but not as many. It seems that the yearling bucks and the young does who were not bred have reached the point where they are expected to make it on their own. I think they are a bit confused my their mom’s behavior, but at least these two have each other for company. Some of the does are still pregnant, and I keep watch for more fawns. You know I’ll post photos when they show up!

6-13-18

6-14-18