What to See This Week

Sweetgums have beautiful and very variable fall color. Between individual trees as well as across different leaves on the same tree, the color can range between yellow, orange, red, and deep purple. This sweetgum in the main parking lot has some of the best color range of any sweetgum on grounds.

More fall fungus is popping up this week with the first sighting of shrimp of the woods! Shrimp of the woods is a particularly strange mushroom. It grows from wood and looks similar to packing peanuts scattered on logs. These weird mushrooms are actually a result of parasitization. Honey mushrooms are common and grow from wood and a common species of entoloma mushroom grows into the honey mushroom, resulting in the white, deformed fungus you see here. While that may not sound appetizing, shrimp of the woods is a popular edible mushroom.

Pholiotas are beautiful examples of fall mushrooms. There are several species of pholiota and they typically grow in clusters from wood and have caps decorated with scales. Pictured here are golden pholiotas, one of the more brightly colored species of pholiota that appear with a slimy or sticky cap, especially if conditions are wet outside.

A fascinating and small but beautiful mushroom that can be found this time of year is called the burgundydrop bonnet or bleeding fairy helmet. Many mushrooms are given spooky names, and this one’s name is fitting as when the cap is cut, it exudes a deep red fluid that looks just like blood.

While scoping out the fall mushrooms, keep an eye out for critters in the forest. This American toad pictured here blends in nicely with the leaf litter, almost unnoticeable until it hopped. American toads will soon burrow into the ground to wait out the winter, only to emerge once temperatures reach a consistent 40 degrees or higher in the spring.

During these cooler days with warm sunlight streaming through the trees, it is not uncommon to run into snakes sunning themselves like this garter snake. Snakes are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature matches the temperature outside. Although they have not been quite ready for brumation yet, the cold temperatures overnight have them moving more sluggishly and needing to take advantage of any sunbeams they encounter.

As our winter sparrows like white-throated sparrows and dark-eyed juncos begin to return to The Arboretum for the season, we’re going to take a moment to feature a sparrow that is with us all year long. The song sparrow is our most common year-round sparrow and can be easily encountered just about anywhere at The Arboretum. This one was hopping around in the Bird Watching Garden picking insects off leaves. When winter comes they will focus their diet more on seeds that are more readily available. Song sparrows are overall very streaky, typically with a prominent brown spot in the center of their chest. 

Eastern towhees love forest edges and shrubby undergrowth, but they are regular visitors in the Bird Watching Garden throughout the year. They are among the most asked about with many people being a little less familiar with these distinctive birds. Pictured here is a female, recognized by the brown color on the head and back (in a male this area is black). They are a member of the sparrow family and can most often be seen scratching at the ground in search of food beneath the bird feeders.