Wildflowers-2016--March

In the past three years, March  has seen no real wildflower action, but this year there is very early action all around the state. So I headed to Camp Creek on March 28 and found a good start after reports elsewhere. The elevation here generally keeps us a week or two behind other places in WV. We are expecting a cold snap beginning next week so this was a nice kickoff before a lull in the action. I will be traveling to Albuquerque, New Mexico soon and hope to have time to explore there and then when I'm back in WV, wildflowers should be going gangbusters.

                          

                                                           Virginia Heartleaf (a ginger)

                                   

                                                                            Trout Lilly

                                   

                                                                        Trout Lilly

                                         

                                                                         False Rue Anemone 

                                         

                                                                     Hepatica White Variety

                                        

                                                            Trillium- should open by April 1  

                                          Mash Fork Falls at Camp Creek State Park

                              Throwing rocks in the creek

Fall Ramble-Sandstone Falls

Spent a wet, cool Saturday morning with my dad at Sandstone Falls, which are the largest waterfalls on the New River within the New River Gorge National River. There is a boardwalk crossing to two of the islands with terrific views of the river. Even though winter is at hand, there is much to explore and see, even on a grey day. I found an Aster still in bloom and many colorful sights.

West Virginia has beauty in every season if you are willing to get out into some less than idea weather .

I wanted to get there last month because I had heard there are native persimmons there, a native fruit. It was a little late in the season but I was able to find them and even though they were mostly mush, they had a great taste and I was able to take a few seeds home. I also found one that was still too hard to eat, but I tried and got a full taste of the astringent property that causes severe puckering. Which I can now say is the truth. 

Early April Trip to Camp Creek State Park

Today, I got out on my first lengthy outing, heading to Camp Creek State Park to see if the Trout Lilies were accompanied by any other wild flowers. It was chilly and had rained a lot the previous days, but the park was busy. I found many Trout Lilies but also found the first of the year Hepatica, Spicebush and sedge in bloom. I could not find the Rue Anemone that I've seen in the past nor Cut Leaf Toothwort.
It was a great afternoon and the first of many outings.

The first of the several color variations of Hepatica

Pink Variation of Hepatica

Light Blue Hepatica

White Hepatica

I tried some macro shots and was not real pleased but could get a better look at the blooms on Spicebush and Sedge

Trout Lily

Trout Lily 

Trout Lily; All Yellow.
I keep a close watch for color variations on most Wildflowers so this all yellow caught my attention,
 but I suppose it could be because it has just opened

Mash Fork Falls 

Frozen Brush Creek Falls

Brush Creek Falls is one of my favorite places in all seasons. This morning it was 5 degrees Farenhite and the snow that has been accumulating for the past two weeeks was over 18 inches deep. I knew the falls were probally froze and worth a hike in. I have seen them froze even more than this but it is still pretty awesome. Below are pictures from the front side and behind the falls. Also a small trail side falls was in good form with interesting greens and blue colors.

A Sedge

Yesterday, I was traveling to be with students at a state competition and stopped near Charleston, WV at a roadside waterfall. I was really looking for a geocache because it still is a little early for any wildflowers (woke up to a couple of inches of new snow today). But, as usual I was scanning the area for any possibility. The elevation was only 850 feet as oppose to the 3000+ where I live and Daffodils were blooming in the area. On a wet cliff below the waterfall, I saw the following Sedge; I thought it it may be Long Stalked Sedge, but after  the owner of the blog , "The Natural Treasures of Ohio" chimed in, I believe he is correct in identifying it as Plantain-leaf sedge, Carex plantaginea , an early blooming Sedge with the unusual lower fringes that I had not seen before. So, I continue to photograph and identify as many of West Virginians wildflowers as possible. Last year, I found 308; all in one calendar year, so this Sedge makes # 309 for this blog.

                                                      # 309-  Plantain-leaf sedge, Carex plantaginea

Another view that better shows those wide, deeply veined leaves.

Trout Lilly

Six to eight inches of snow had not melted around the house by this morning (elevation 3050 feet), so I went to Camp Creek State Park (elevation 2000 feet) early this morning in hopes that Trout Lilies had managed to bloom. The snow was gone in areas and the Trout Lillies were frozen solid in the 27 degree temperature. There would probably be several in full bloom by the end of the day when the temps hit upper 50's, but I will be out of the area for a while and may not see them before they are gone.
         This flower must be tough, the morning temperatures have been in the low 20's for most of the week, so the flowers that were up must thaw and grow when the temps warm up each day. I found some that had pushed or thawed through the snow. Life is tough and desperate for an ephemeral.
Trout Lilly # four for the Big Year.

Trout Lilly

  

Elevation 3050 feet and under snow for over a week

Tough Flower 

Camp Creek Falls, Elevation 2000 Feet

Winter Hike on a Warm Day

Out for a three mile ramble today, limbering up while waiting for spring. I went to Camp Creek State Forest where, in a few weeks, the best display that I know of anywhere of Trout Lilly's will be blooming, plus dozens of others. I am hoping to find a white variation of the Trout Lilly there this spring.  What was I looking for today? Nothing really, but I was looking the whole time. I did not see one bird the whole afternoon even though it was sunny and in the 50's. I find myself watching for birds more nowadays, probably because I have read several birding books lately. I looked for the winter leaves of wildflowers and photographed a couple of waterfalls. 

        Camp Creek has a great trail system that uses many forest roads as well. I passed through marshy areas created by beaver ponds, damp hillsides that will be covered with Hepatica, Wild Ginger and Trout Lilly's, dry forest that will have Yellow Lady Slippers and piney flats that have Trailing Arbutus and Painted Trillium. All-in-all it is a great place to hike and the best part; 10 miles from home. 

Find information and park maps here: Camp Creek State Park and Forest.  

Bitter Cold, Snow, Grandchildren and a Library

Woke up this Groundhog day and it was 1 degree Fahrenheit and snowing. I had two of the grand babies so we headed for the library to find something to keep us busy for the day. After they got a dinosaur book and a Judy Moody movie  I picked up a new book to read; A Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All by Luke Dempsey. 
         I still refuse to become obsessed with birding even as I spent half the day with binoculars watching the feeders for Red Polls and Pine Siskins; two far north Finches that have been seen further south this year. I believe I enjoy the genre as much as anything; a combination of nature, travel, culture, adventure and wit. That genre includes several books I have read recently:
The Big Year, by Mark Obmascik 
The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds by Julie Zickefoose 
Into Thick Air: Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents by Jim Malusa
And many fly fishing books by John Gierach, M.R. Montgomery and James Prosek.  I've also added to my wish list Orchid Fever: A Horticultural Tale of Love, Lust, and Lunacy by Eric Hansen and The Scent of Scandal: Greed, Betrayal, and the World's Most Beautiful Orchid by Craig Pittman.
         I also spent a little while reviewing February pictures from the last eight years in Picasa, the photo organizer I use. I had convinced myself that I should see some wildflowers before February is over, but I could only find pictures of snow, ice storms and occasionally, a crocus. 
So, I leave you with one of my favorite waterfall pictures. I took it last year during winter runoff at Brush Creek Preserve and it hangs in my office and is the desktop on my computer and iPad. 
That March day was great;  I found three Trillium, one was new for me,Trillium sulcatum (furrowed wakerobin). So I am looking forward to March, which I can now say is just a month away. 

Winter Hike - Orchids and Frozen Waterfalls

I was able to get out for a couple hours today between church services. I went to the only Nature Conservancy property in my area; Brush Creek Preserve with two goals:
1. To see how much of Southern West Virginia largest waterfall was frozen after a week of bitter cold.
2. To locate the globally rare shrub Canby’s mountain-lover. It is evergreen and I am hoping to locate it   
     while it is winter so that I can find it easier when it blooms. 
     
           The waterfall was about 75% frozen, I have seen it almost totally froze a few years ago. 
There were several smaller falls along the trail that were interesting as well.

Brush Creek Falls

The rest of the hike was just enjoying the day and keeping my eyes open for the Canby's. I saw several evergreen plants including this one. With help by Jim from "Jims Blog"  it is identified as    Tsuga canadensis or Canada hemlock. Jim is a great photographer of wildflowers and you can find his blog here or linked in the 'My Blogs List' to the right. I never found the Canby's so it seems that this summer I will be trekking into the hills and hollers of the Brush Creek Preserve rather than just on the path.

 Canada hemlock

I also found a cluster of Putty-Root, an interesting orchid with a winter leaf. When I find these, I always look for the Crane-fly orchid, which also has a winter leaf. I have yet to find it in winter or to see one in bloom. This cluster of Putty-Root had at least five plants and two seed capsule bearing stems from this summer, amazing after two feet of snow in October and several other heavy snows. 

Putty-Root Orchid

It was a great day and I enjoyed the hike immensely  I am looking forward to March and April when this same snow and ice coated preserve will be covered with many of my favorite wild flowers; Spring Beauty, a beautiful blue Hepatica, the best stand of Large Flowering Trillium anywhere, Purple Trillium, Trillium sulcatum,or Furrowed Wakerobin and many others.