Things We Saw in the Woods Today

This is the first entry in my "Year in the Woods" series, where I document all the native plants I can find in our woods in one year.

[Warning: Picture of large snake at the end]

Today, like most Sundays, my sweetie and I headed into the woods with our two pups for a hike. As usual, I carried my trusty Nikon Coolpix L610, a basic point and shoot with a macro setting and a 14x zoom. As always, I was on the lookout for native flowers and wildlife. Here's what we saw.

For starters, the Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) was in bloom. This is a common forest tree, and the small fruits are enjoyed by wildlife later in the year.


We also saw Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens), a sweet little woodland groundcover. The leaves are only about a quarter inch wide, and white flowers turn into the pretty little red berry you see here.

I have yet to identify the next one. However, it's square stem and minty fragrance are strong leads. [Update: It's Glechoma hederacea, a non-native weed]

We always get a thrill to see the Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) a native orchid. Stunning.

Next is the common violet (Viola sororia). This is another common plant, a real nuisance in lawns and landscapes, but I was surprised to learn it's a native.

Speaking of dandelions, this little plant reminds me of a smaller version, and I find it in rocky outcroppings. Haven't confirmed the name as of yet. [5/2/15 update: This appears to be Krigia virginica].

Here's another plant that's frequently a weed in lawns and landscapes, but which I just discovered is a native wildflower. It's named Cinquefoil, Potentilla canadensis. 

We've also begun seeing the first moths and butterflies of the season, and I was pleased that this one stayed put on a small rock long enough for me to get several shots. It's an Eastern Tailed Blue, Everes comyntas.

Lastly, we saw this beautiful creature, a black rat snake. I guessed it was 6 feet long, but Kate said 4, so we'll compromise and go with 5. I asked Kate to lie down next to it to check, but she declined. We see them from time to time, but it's rare for them to stay still long enough for a photo op. 

I couldn't identify any of these without my invaluable field guides, which include:

• Wildflowers of North Carolina, 2nd edition, by Justice, Bell and Lindsey
• Common Forest Trees of North Carolina, published by the NC Forest Service
• A Guide to the Snakes of North Carolina by Michael Dorcas
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects & Spider, by Lorus and Margery Milne
• Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses, by Miller and Miller

That said, it's possible, even likely that I've made an error, which is solely my responsibility, and I welcome your corrections.

To see additional posts in this series, click the "yearinthewoods" label in the left column.

Here's a description of my wildflower "hunting" techniques and the references I use to identify them:
http://timberwalkers.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-to-find-native-wildflowers-and.html

Here's a description of how I take photos:
http://timberwalkers.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-take-half-decent-photos-of.html