- Image via Wikipedia
New Flash! It’s that time of year again! The annual arrival of the fall warblers is upon the Gramercy!
The colorful, adorable little birds can be found frequenting the Box Elders trees, Devil’s Walking Stick stands and along the hedgerows foraging for bugs and berries. So far, American Redstart, Yellow, Black and White, and Black Throated Blue Warblers have been spotted. You will quickly identify them by their small size, coloring, and high activity levels, not staying in one place long.
Devil’s Walking Stick: A Nuisance Plant that is Precious to Wildlife.
The Devils’ Walking Stick, Aralia Spinosa, is a shrubby tree native to the Southeast that can reach heights of 30 feet. True to its name, the trunk sports formidable spines on its lanky frame that one would do well to avoid. It is the flowers and berries of this plant, however that make it a shining star to the woodlands. In July, huge, showy branches of yellow-white flowers cascade from its boughs, drawing butterflies in abundance. Tiger Swallowtails are especially fond of the blooms, and it is common to see ten at a time on a single stalk. The berries that make their debut in late august become a welcome treat to just about every bird species at the Gramercy. If you cans spot a stand of Devil’s walking stick in August-September, you are in for a treat of watching every bird from Robins, warblers, Blue Jays to woodpeckers compete to get their share of the little purple berries.
Happy Birding!
Kim Gough is a licensed massage therapist practicing at the Gramercy. She has been an avid bird watcher since childhood, and believes in birding without binoculars, simply enjoying feathered friends up close and personal on the grounds of the mansion, a place she considers one of the best unofficial bird sanctuaries in the area.
Tags: Aralia Spinosa, Bird, Birdwatching, Devil's Walking Stick, Recreation