What to See This Week

Chickadees are a favorite visitor of the bird feeders. Pictured here is a Carolina chickadee, the chickadee you are most likely to spot at The Arboretum. The black-capped chickadee is very visually similar but is generally found in the northern 1/3 of Ohio. 

Nuthatches are some of the most entertaining birds to watch in the Bird Watching Garden. Aside from some of their fun behaviors like spending a lot of time upside down, they are also tough birds that will defend their place at the peanut feeder if other birds try to knock them off. This is a white-breasted nuthatch, a species that is with us throughout the year. At certain points throughout the winter we are sometimes visited by their close relative the red-breasted nuthatch.

Several weeks ago, a tan-striped white-throated sparrow was featured. Pictured here is the other color form, the white-striped variation. They are boldly colored and unmistakable. Either color variety can be male or female but something interesting that has been discovered is that each color variety generally prefers the opposite color variety to themselves. There is also a difference in behavior between color forms; the white-striped color form is overall more aggressive and territorial.

This next bird only paid a quick visit to the Bird Watching Garden and remained mostly out of sight. Pictured here is a yellow-bellied sapsucker, a species of woodpecker that breeds further north but can be seen in our area during migration or sometimes through the winter. Evidence of sapsucker activity can be seen on trees all year. Sapsuckers drill a row of holes in a tree and wait for the sap to leak out, attracting insects. It will then eat both the sap and the insects it has trapped.

You never know what you will find on Holly Hill. The amount of food available in this collection brings a variety of birds, including this hermit thrush. Hermit thrushes can be seen in our area during migration and the non-breeding season. Just like other thrushes, the hermit thrush has a beautiful flute-like song that can be heard just before it migrates in the spring.

One winter sparrow that is rarely seen in the Bird Watching Garden is the American tree sparrow. There is a much higher chance of spotting this sparrow in the natural areas at The Arboretum like Dutch Fork Wetlands, where this tree sparrow was feeding on goldenrod seeds.

Teasel seed heads are distinctive and familiar. Although it may look interesting in arrangements, teasel is a highly invasive plant. Teasel is an example of an invasive species that was introduced on purpose due to its use in processing wool.

Look for recognizable plants throughout the winter while walking through natural areas like Dutch Fork Wetlands and the Red Barn Reserve. Pictured here are remnants of swamp rose mallow, a native species of hibiscus that thrives in wet conditions. The split open fruits and white stems make it stand out at the edge of the water.