#oakhickory

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Phasianus colchicus - Ring-necked Pheasant 

“Loud crowing caw-cawk! followed by a resonant beating of the wings. When alarmed flies off with a loud cackle. 

Typically feeds on ground, sometimes in trees. On ground, scratches with feet or digs with bill to uncover food.”

Introduced to the United States from Asia as a game bird.

Sources:

http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/ring-necked-pheasant

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush Blueberry  

Region: L48(N), CAN(N)

Mature Size: 12 ft

Habitat/Growing Conditions: diverse soil textures, shade tolerant, fire tolerant, high salinity tolerance, acidic soil

Hardiness Zone: 3 - 7

Leaf Color: reddish-green spring leaves, blue-green in summer, red/yellow/purple/orange in fall

Flower Color: white or pink flowers, berries that are blue

Wildlife Benefit: loved by all; twigs and foliage eaten by deer; berries eaten by bears, gray catbird, american robin, and countless others

Sources:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=vaco

https://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=VACO

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=n470

http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/highbush-blueberry

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Tilia americana - Basswood

Region: L48(N), CAN(NI)

Mature Size: 100 ft

Habitat/Growing Conditions: coarse soils, circumneutral pH, shade tolerant

Hardiness Zone: 3 - 9

Leaf Color: dark green; pale green to pale yellow fall color

Flower Color: pale yellow

Wildlife Benefit: extremely attractive to bees 

Sources:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TIAM

https://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=TIAM

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a917

http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/american-basswood

http://www.pfaf.org/USER/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Tilia+americana

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Quercus palustris - Pin Oak

Region: L48(N), CAN(N)

Mature Size: 100 ft

Habitat/Growing Conditions: fine soils, acidic, shade intolerant, medium anaerobic tolerance, high water use

Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8

Leaf Color: glossy, dark green leaves; deep red in the fall

Flower Color: yellowish-green, catkins

Wildlife Benefit: particularly important food source for ducks, eaten by turkeys, squirrels, deer, and songbirds

Sources:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=qupa2

https://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=QUPA2

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a904

http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/pin-oak

https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=879

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Pinus strobus - Eastern White Pine 

Region: L48(N), CAN(N), SPM(N)

Mature Size: 150+ ft

Habitat/Growing Conditions: medium soils, intermediate shade tolerance, acidic soils

Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8

Leaf Color: soft, blueish-green needles, jumbles of five

Flower Color: cones, usually on the larger side

Wildlife Benefit: nesting for grackles and chickadees; seeds a favorite of black bears and squirrels 

Sources:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PIST

https://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=PIST

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e710

http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/eastern-white-pine

https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=903

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweet Gum

Region: L48(N)

Mature Size: 100 ft

Habitat/Growing Conditions: diverse soil texture, acidic soils, shade intolerant, high moisture use

Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9

Leaf Color: glossy, deep green; fall color brilliant mixtures of red, orange, yellow, and purple

Flower Color: non-showy, yellow-green flowers; give way to gum balls 

Wildlife Benefit: gum balls used as nesting material for birds; seeds eaten by bobwhite quail, turkeys, squirrels 

Sources:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=list2

https://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=LIST2

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c116

http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/sweet-gum

https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=928

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Visit Original Link

“Wood frogs are seasonal breeders that breed from early March to May. They are the first frogs to begin calling, often before the ice is completely off the breeding ponds. While the calls of these male frogs are very abundant in season, once the breeding season is over they become silent. During the breeding season however, they create a chorus of duck-like quacking sounds, described by some as a "lot of chuckling".

Wood frogs inhabit a wide variety of habitats including tundra, thickets, wet meadows, bogs, coniferous and deciduous forests. Wood frogs are aquatic breeders and require fish-free seasonal or semi-permanent bodies of water to reproduce, but will migrate from their primary habitat to breed. These frogs seek out terrestrial locations with ample cover to hibernate which may or may not be near a breeding pond.”

Sources:

http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lithobates_sylvaticus/

https://www.macaulaylibrary.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_frog

[wakerobinplantsongs]

Visit Original Link

“Males attract the females by emitting a low snore-like call.

Pickerel Frogs breed between late March and early May laying spherical egg masses attached to branches in temporary ponds. These eggs masses can contain 700-3000 eggs with each having a diameter of 1.6 mm. When these eggs hatch, the tadpoles emerge into the water and begin metamorphosis. It takes about 87-95 days before these tadpoles can emerge out of the water as frogs, then another 2 years for them to reach sexual maturity. As tadpoles, Pickerel Frogs are herbivorous, but then become carnivorous as adults. While carnivorous they eat mainly invertebrates.”

Sources:

https://www.macaulaylibrary.org/

https://srelherp.uga.edu/anurans/ranpal.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickerel_frog