Wednesday, 8:00 AM. 15 degrees, wind SSW, calm. The sky is overcast and the barometer predicts snow.The prolific paper birch (Betula papyrifera) are still releasing seeds, as they have been since last fall, and will continue to do until spring. It is absolutely amazing the amount of seed released by a single birch tree in a year, it has to be millions, as the process is more or less continuous for a period of about six months. Multiply that by millions of birch trees and the number of seeds is virtually countless. It is small wonder that birches, a pioneering, sun-loving tree species, are everywhere in the Northland. The tiny winged seeds are very light and are dispersed far and wide by the wind, and the melting snow carries them down every slope and gully and into every nook and cranny.
We had a pileated woodpecker at the feeder yesterday checking out the sunflower seeds, but it flew off as soon as it saw me at the door, camera in hand.
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