Apple tasting, North Carolina

 10/24/26: Tried 

• Evercrisp - indeed crisp, with a light sweetness
• Mutsu - bland
• Tigress - crisp and tart!

Wildflowers 2026

10/20-23  Walnut Creek Preserve, Mill Spring, Polk Co., NC:

• NC Extension plant toolbox
• Sourwood trees (Oxydendrum arboreum) - brilliant red leaves!
• Kidney-leaf Rosinweed (Silphium compositum) - huge leaves with red ribs, not flowering
• Dog Fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) - feathery, like garden fennel
• Running Cedar (Lycopodium digitatum) - nonflowering club moss, like tiny cedar leaves, with an upright cone-like shoot that produces spores
• Bushy or Rice Button Asters (Symphyotrichum dumosum) - tiny flowers, like pale blue/lavender Daisy Fleabane
• Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides) - tiny flowers, like pale blue/lavender Daisy Fleabane - or were these Rice Button Asters?
• Forest or Thin-leaved Sunflowers (Helianthus decapetalus) - 3-5' tall, light green stems, 3" flowers with yellow centers
• Appalachian or Purpledisk Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens) - 3-5' tall, red stems, 2-3" brownish-purple centers, opposite leaves at the bottom of the stems 
• Bearded Beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) - 2-4' tall, red stems, 1-3" yellow sunflower-like flowers with yellow centers
• Maryland Golden-Aster (Chrysopsis mariana) - 1' tall, with 1-3" yellow centers 
• Pennsylvania Smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica) - 1" to 2" tiny pink-red flowers
• Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
• Sweet Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium)

9/1  Kal-Haven Trail (near trailhead), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Large-leaved Aster (Eurybia macrophylla)

8/25  Canmore & Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada:

• Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)
• Red Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)
• Showy Aster (Aster conspicuus)
• Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)
• Bunchberry / Dwarf Dogwood (Cornus canadensis)
• Fringed Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia fimbriata) - leaves resembled violet leaves
• Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum)
• Meadow Death Camas (Toxicoscordion venenosum)
• Western Canada Violet (Viola canadensis)
• Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
• Alpine Goldenrod (Solidago multiradiata)
• Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa)
• Yellow Avens (Geum aleppicum) - seed heads! Flowers look like buttercups & cinquefoils
• Groundsel (Senecio) - don't know which
• Soopolallie / Canadian Buffaloberry (Sheoherdia canadensis) - red & orange berries

7/8  Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

On the Common Milkweed flowers:

• Variable Dancer Damselflies (golden females with brown spots near the segment lines) (Argia fumipennis), like this image
• Monarch !

6/12 Asylum Lake Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• White False Indigo (Baptisia lactea)
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis)

5/19  Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Great Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum) - there are some in the "raised" bed in the backyard: transplant
• Great Waterleaf and Canada (white) Violets grow well under maples; Canada Violets turn pinkish after being fertilized, like Trillium!
• Go to West Lake: on the boardwalk at the back, go past the chain to the "closed" section and look down into the plant foliage for Lady Slippers! Wear boots - it'll be wet.
• Golden Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) in 2 places
• American Cancer-root or Bear Corn (Conopholis americana)

5/12  Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
• Starry False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum stellatum)
• Aniseroot or Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza longistylis)

5/4  Home, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
• Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
• Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

5/4  Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Wild Geranium (maculatum)
• Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
• Large-flowered Trillium (grandiflorum)
• False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum)
• Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
• Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris)
• Swamp Buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus)
• Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)
• Downy Violets (Viola pubescens)
• Canada violets (Viola canadensis)
• Common violets (Viola sororia)
• Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) 

4/22  Home, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
• Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virg.) 
• Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)
• Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)
• (Lilacs!)

4/21  Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
• Wild Geranium (maculatum)
• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
• Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dioicum) - fringed flowers
• Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) - starry yellow-green flowers
• Large-flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)
• Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
• Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)

• Common violets (Viola sororia)
• Canada violets (Viola canadensis)
• Downy Violets (Viola pubescens)
• Celandine Wood Poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum) 
• Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris)
• Large-flowered Trillium (grandiflorum)
• Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
• Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)
• False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum)
• Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica)

4/17  Home, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Serviceberry tree
• Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) in backyard tub
• Large-flowered Trillium (grandiflorum) in SE corner of backyard
• Virginia Bluebell buds in SE corner of backyard

4/14  Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Common violets (Viola sororia)
• Canada violets (Viola canadensis)
• Downy Violets (Viola pubescens)
• Celandine Wood Poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum) 
• Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris)
• Hepatica
• Large-flowered Trillium (grandiflorum)
• Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
• Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)
• False Rue Anemones (Enemion biternatum)
• Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica)
• Spring Cress (Cardamine douglassii)

4/13  Home, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum)

4/7  Home, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) (SE corner of backyard, near border)

3/31  Home, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
• Sharp-lobed Hepatica (acutiloba) - white
• Common violets (Viola sororia)
• Canada violets (Viola canadensis) - white

3/22  Kleinstuck Nature Preserve, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) blooming

Birding 2026

* = new to life list 

10/30  Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Juncos - 1st of autumn!

10/20-22 Walnut Creek Preserve, Mill Spring, Polk Co., NC:

• Ravens
• Bluebirds
• Carolina Wrens ("duets" & "rattle calls")
• Phoebes
• Mockingbirds
• Worm-eating Warbler*
• Eastern Towhee (alarm calls a high-pitched wheep)
• Black Vultures

Not a bird:

• Six-lined Racerunner lizard (Aspidoscelis Sexlineatus)!
• Green anole (Anolis carolinensis)!
• Jorō spider (Trichonephila clavata), a golden orb-weaver from East Asia

9/29  Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Brown Creeper
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Black-throated Blue Warbler
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpeckers
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker (hc)

8/25 Canmore & Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

• Black-billed Magpies 
• Ravens
• Clark’s Nutcrackers*
• Dark-eyed Juncos: gray-headed*

7/25 Asylum Lake Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Common Yellowthroats
• Yellow Warblers
• Field Sparrows
• Song Sparrows
• Tree Swallows
• Goldfinch
• Blue Jays
• Red-winged Blackbird

6/23-6/24 Honor, Benzie Co., MI: 

• Brown Thrasher
• Ravens

• Red-winged Blackbirds
• Cardinals
• Titmice
• Nuthatches
• Mourning Doves 

Heard calls: 

• Ovenbirds 
• American Redstarts
• Common Yellowthroats
• Red-eyed Vireos
• Black-throated Green Warblers 
• Baltimore Oriole
• Wood Thrush 
• woodpeckers

Frogs: Bullfrogs, various others

6/12 Asylum Lake Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Song Sparrows
• Common Yellowthroats (warbler)
• Red-winged Blackbirds
• Turkey Vultures

Crickets!

5/30 Kalamazoo Nature Center, Habitat Haven Trail, Kalamazoo Co., MI:

Heard calls:

• Indigo Bunting
• Common Yellowthroat (warbler)
• Northern Yellow Warbler
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Catbird
• House Finch
• Song Sparrow
• Cardinal

5/28 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Great Crested Flycatcher calling

5/24 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Swainson's Thrush sang in the backyard between 9-10 p.m.!

5/19 Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Gray Catbird
• Northern Yellow Warbler
• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
• Sandhill Cranes (pair)
• Song Sparrow (heard call)
• Red-eyed Vireo (heard call)
• Wood Thrushes - many! (heard calls)
• Eastern Wood-Pewees (heard calls)
• 
  
• Common Yellowthroat (heard call)
• Blackpoll Warbler (heard call)

5/17 Rose St. north of Fairview, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Pileated Woodpecker flew across the road right in front of me!

5/6 Bow-in-the-Clouds Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI. p.m.

• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

5/6 Bow-in-the-Clouds Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI. a.m.

• Peregrine Falcon
• 2 Sandhill Cranes
• Baltimore Orioles (male & female)
• Northern Yellow Warblers
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Song Sparrow
• 2 Great Blue Herons
• Palm Warbler (heard call)

5/6 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• White-crowned Sparrow
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male)

5/5 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• White-crowned Sparrow
• Leucistic female Cardinal (she has a mate this year!)

5/4 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Black-throated Green Warblers
• Nashville Warbler
• Blue-winged Warbler
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak female at feeder

4/21 Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Yellow-rumped Warblers (flock)
• Double-breasted Cormorants (3 flying over)
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (heard call)
• Ruby crowned Kinglets
• Kingbird

4/14 Kal-Haven Trail (trailhead to F and 8th), Kalamazoo Co., MI:

• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker* 
• Swamp Sarrow

4/10 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

4/6 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• 16 Sandhill Cranes flew over

4/5 Al Sabo Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Cooper's Hawk
• Golden-crowned Kinglet

3/29 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• 18 Sandhill Cranes flew over

3/27 Asylum Lake Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Bluebird 
• Hairy woodpecker
• Robins
• Phoebe
• Titmouse
• Blue jays
• Red-winged Blackbirds

3/22 Kleinstuck Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Phoebe (heard call)

• Spring Peepers, Wood Frogs (chuckle)

3/16 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• White-throated Sparrow (heard call)

3/14 Asylum Lake Preserve, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• 2 Sandhill Cranes
• Red-winged Blackbirds
• House Finches
• Robins
• Song Sparrow
• Fox Sparrow
• Cardinals
• Blue Jays
• Black-capped Chickadees
• White-breasted Nuthatch

3/8 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• 35 Sandhill Cranes flew over
• Carolina Wren singing

2/28 Plainwell, Allegan Co., MI

• Common Merganser

2/27 6th and TU, Prairie Ronde Township, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Snow Buntings*
• Lapland Longspurs*

2/27 Home, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• 20 Sandhill Cranes flew over

2/11 6th and TU, Prairie Ronde Township, Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Horned Larks (many)

2/10 Southern Kalamazoo Co., MI

• Tree Sparrows 
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Red-shouldered Hawk 
• Rough-legged Hawk 
• Northern Harrier 
• Sandhill Cranes (3) 
• Wild Turkeys (flock)