Monthly Archives: April 2025

Emberglow at Michaux

Photograph taken on Friday, April 04, 2025 by Henry
From left: Keisha, Mo, Jeff, and Julia

From left: Keisha, Mo, Jeff, and Julia

Cathy and I took off work an hour early and drove up to Gettysburg today. We met Dorothy on the Square where we picked up burgers from Blue & Gray (recommended) and took them to Gettysburg Recreation Park to eat. It was a beautiful, if cool, evening. After dinner, we walked to the Michaux Brewing Company for an evening of music (and a little beer) with Emberglow. We last saw Emberglow at Ploughman’s on January 18. Michaux has more space, which meant we were better able to see them, especially when Mo stepped up to the mic and they all sang together. Emberglow is, from left to right, Keisha, Mo, Jeff, and Julia. They have five more gigs on the calendar (that I know of): 06/06 at Pilger Ruh; 06/20 at Thirsty Farmer Brew; 07/25 back at Michaux; 08/23 at The Garryowen; and 09/12 at Reid’s Winery and Cider.

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Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

Photograph taken on Saturday, April 05, 2025 by Henry
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

Cathy and I visited friends in Delaware this weekend. We went to Prime Hook, a National Wildlife Refuge on Delaware Bay. The background of this photo makes it a little hard to see the bird at first, but otherwise, I like the picture. This is a greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca). They are differentiated from the lesser yellowlegs (T. flavipes) by their size (if seen side by side), by the Greater’s longer, thicker and slightly upturned bill. While we are in the northern most extent of their winter range, they migrate through on their way to the mid-latitudes of Canada for the summer.

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Marsh Grass, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Photograph taken on Sunday, April 06, 2025 by Henry
Marsh Grass

Marsh Grass

We returned home from Delaware today. We decided that we’d stop at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, going first to the visitor center and then went to the short boardwalk at the end of Observation Access Road. The Marsh Edge Trail was closed because there is an active bald eagle’s nest near that trail. We could see the nest from the boardwalk but didn’t see any activity. We did see ospreys on their nests in a few different places and another eagle nest at the western end of the drive. This photo was taken from the boardwalk and I like the patterns of grass and water.

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Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Photograph taken on Sunday, April 13, 2025 by Henry
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Cathy and I went to Seneca Creek where Berryville Road passes right next to it. We saw a belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) on a tree leaning out over the water and I was able to get a few photos, although it was pretty far away. We walked upstream and enjoyed the bluebells (Mertensia virginica) that wrre pretty much in full bloom. Some of the flowers were brown, probably as a result of the recent freeze we had a week or so ago.

We heard quite a few birds, including wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and northern waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis). We didn’t see either of those. A blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) kept showing up on Cathy’s Merlin screen but I didn’t expect to be able to see this little, elusive bird. We did, though, and I was able to get a photo or two.

Today’s photo is of an eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) who sat on a branch over the creek and let me get fairly close.

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Dorothy and Kid Goat

Photograph taken on Saturday, April 19, 2025 by Henry
Dorothy and Kid Goat

Dorothy and Kid Goat

Cathy, Dorothy, Jeff and I went out to Rocklands today. Among other things we had a nice, fairy long visit with Janis over a bottle of wine and a pizza. We also walked up to the road where Dorothy had done so much brush clearing a few years back. We also ran into Anna and her kids and we talked with them. Anna’s kids also had a kid, which Dorothy is holding in this photo.

We were there longer than we had expected but it was a beautiful day and nice to be out.

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Easter Sunrise Service

Photograph taken on Sunday, April 20, 2025 by Henry
Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

Dorothy and I are big fans of Easter sunrise services. In particular, we have gone to the Fourth Presbyterian Church Easter sunrise service pretty regularly for quite a few years. I’ve been to a few others, including one at a little Moravian church in south central Virginia that was quite nice. Cathy isn’t quite as big a fan, liking the service well enough but not so fond of having to get up at 5:00 AM to get to the church by 6:00. Once we’re there, she enjoys it well enough. Some years it’s been quite cold. Last year, with an early Easter (March 31) it was in the low 40s. Two years ago is was right around freezing. Three years ago, however (April 17, 2022), it was very cold.

Between the sunrise service and the first ‘regular’ service we all went to the upper room for breakfast, which is a nice time to visit with folks that we don’t see often (since this isn’t our church). The 8:00 AM service is always nice, especially in terms of the music, singing familiar Easter hymns (except one where they unaccountably changed it up on us) and with an orchestra. The service ends with the choir and congregation singing George Frideric Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, which after all these years I’m almost able to get through properly.

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Akebia quinata

Photograph taken on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 by Henry
Akebia quinata (Chocolate Vine)

Akebia quinata (Chocolate Vine)

Years ago my dad planted both three- and five-leaved akebia at the land in Pennsylvania. I haven’t found any of the three-leaved type but there is some five-leaved Akebia quinata, also known as chocolate vine. Although it is listed as a noxious weed in some states, and while it’s managed to survive without any care here, it hasn’t spread in a way that’s concerning, especially when compared to the hardy kiwi that’s nearby. I love the leaves, as shown here. It has interesting, purple flowers and one of the more unique fruits I’ve seen. From the Missouri Botanic Garden’s Plant Finder, “Flowers give way to sausage-shaped, violet fruit pods (to 4” long) which split open in fall to reveal small black seeds imbedded in a whitish pulp. The whitish pulp is edible.”

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