March 23, 2018 - by DOF Area Forester Richard Reuse March and April are the most beautiful months in Virginia. Relative humidity is low, the spring ephemeral wildflowers are blooming and the bugs aren’t out yet….except for the ticks. Here are some of the things I’ve seen this month. These are trout lilies. It’s very unusual to find them in eastern Virginia. Oh deer…there’s a fungus among us. A nice loblolly pine stand that... Read More
March 23, 2018 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Wildlife and Clearcuts, Part-One Cutover tracts of timber can look bleak during winter, but this leaf-less time of the year presents a great chance to see signs of wildlife. It is also easy to encounter wildlife in clearcuts because many species take advantage of the change in habitat. The Young Forest Project provides much more information on growing wildlife habitat and the benefits of young... Read More
February 22, 2018 - by Forestry Technician Jesse Bander Can you identify these tracks found on a muddy stream bank? If you guessed a raccoon (Procyon lotor lotor), you know your tracks! Raccoons are very active this time of year, with February being the middle of their breeding season (January – March). For more information on this common, but mischievous, mammal please visit: https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/raccoon/
February 21, 2018 - Owls and Berries by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Last week began with finding an owl pellet in my yard. Lately I have been hearing the call of great horned owls. In the past, we have seen barred owls and eastern screech-owls. There are many good branches on the loblolly pine directly overhead for an owl to perch and digest a meal. I took a second look at the pellet after... Read More
February 12, 2018 - Waiting for Spring by Area Forester Lisa Deaton This great blue heron, like many of us, seems to be contemplating warmer weather. The daffodils in the eastern part of the state are getting ready to bloom. The squirrels are carrying mouthfuls of leaves from the forest floor and adding them to their nests in the trees. I tried to catch a photo of that, but squirrels move so fast. The... Read More
January 31, 2018 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Those Hidden Roots Homeowners often contact our local Department of Forestry or Virginia Cooperative Extension offices when they are worried that a yard tree might be diseased or dying. This loblolly pine (above) is located on the shore of a tidal creek that flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The needles and branches in the top of the tree have been dying for the past several months. We... Read More
January 10, 2018 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Snack Bars for Birds Winter is a time of year when people start to notice damage to their trees. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers are a member of the woodpecker family, and they can drill an alarming number of holes into a single tree in search of sap and insects. This is a large yellow-poplar in Gloucester County. While the holes are... Read More
November 28, 2017 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton ‘Tis the Season! Trees provide us with a colorful show every autumn, and then reveal yet more “decorations” once the leaves are gone. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows in the tops of trees. The American holly berries are ripe. Partridgeberry is one of my favorites for its fall berries and white flowers in the spring. Running cedar can form quite a carpet,... Read More
November 21, 2017 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton A Day of Double Takes It is still close enough to Halloween that I thought I saw a ghost in the woods last week. Upon looking closer, it was just a tarp, but it was hanging very high in this tree. It protected a hunter’s tree stand at one time. Then a bright red dot on a yellow-poplar caught my eye. I think it... Read More
November 14, 2017 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Mushrooms! When you work in the woods every day, it can be joyful to see something new. After the rain last week, quite a variety of mushrooms sprouted. The most unusual one I saw was hairy on top. These mushrooms were so tiny I almost missed them. This mushroom is keeping company with a small army of lichens, and perhaps fungi, on the decaying log... Read More
