TheSignsofWinteratthe

CommunityNatureCenterofPrescott

1980WilliamsonValleyRoadPrescott.AZ

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HAVEYOUSEEN…….Leaflesstreesandshrubs?Itmayseemfrustratingtoidentifyplantswhentheydonothaveleaves,however,lookclosely.Thecharacteristicsofbarkandstemsareverydistinctive.Someexamples:

TheThree­LeafSumaccanbefoundinnumerouslocationsonthesite.Thisplanthasdistinctivedarkgreen3‐partedleavesinsummerandfallcolorsthatrangefromyellowtoorangetored,plusbrightredfruitsthatripeninlatespring.Buthowdoyouidentifytheminwinter?Theyoungestgrowthonsumacwillbecoveredwithfinevelvetyhairthatlooksalmostlikethatfoundonnewantlers.Inthewinter,smallpurplish‐redbudswillformonthesehairyyoungbranches.Plantsbloombeforeleavesreappear,theflowersaretinyandyellow.Watchforbudslatewinter.Theyellow‐greenleavesofNewMexicoOliveturnyellowanddropinthefallandtinypurplefruitsformonfemaleplantsinearlyspring–thesethingsaredistinctive,butwhataboutwinter?

WelcometotheCommunityNatureCenter!Wehopeyou’llenjoyobserving&contemplatingthemanywondersofthisnaturalarea.Tohelpuspreservethisspecialplace,pleasestayonthetrailsandpleaseleaveplantsandanimalsundisturbed.Remember,footprintsmadeonthefragilegrassland&trail‐sidesdonothealquicklyinourdryenvironment!SincethisisaCertifiedHabitatSite,dogsmustbeleashedandpleasepickupafteryourpet.Thankyou!LookforotherSignseachmonthfromMarch‐November.

Sumacstemwithnewflowers

Lookforsmoothgraybark,andnoticethebranchingpatternoftheplant.Branchesarisedistinctivelyfromthemainsteminwideangles,andareoftenoppositeinposition.Insomepartsoftheregiontheyarecalled“elbowbush”forthisreason.SomeotherdeciduousplantsyouwillfindattheCNCareTexasMulberry(signonthetrailneartheamphitheater)Chokecherry(behindthecabin)RedandGoodingWillowplusCottonwood(bythepond).Lookatthemcloselythroughtheseasons,andnoticetheirdistinctivecharacteristics.

NewMexicoOliveshowingangledstembranchingwithnewmaleflowersthatappearbeforetheleaves.

…Feedingflocks?Summerbringsflashycolor,breedingbehaviorandnesting,butinwinteryoumaybeluckytofindyourselfsurroundedbya

mixed‐speciesfeedingflock;insectivorousbirdsofdifferentspeciesthatjoineachotherandmovetogetherwhileforaging.HereattheCNCyouwillfindBushtits,JuniperTitmouse,BridledTitmouse,LesserGoldfinchandothersmovingtogetherthroughtheshrubbyvegetation.

Thebirdskeepintouchusingcalls,whichkeepthegrouptogether.Bystayingtogether,theylikelyimprovetheirchanceofsurvivalwithmanyeyes

watching.Thefeedingflockisalsoeffectiveatfindingfoodthatisscarcerinwintermonths,andmaybeabletomoveintootherbirds’territorieswhereonebirdcouldnot.

InNovember,wehighlightedtheWhiteCrownedSparrowasacommonmigrantyoucanfindhereinwinter.Watchcloselyforotherbirdchangesinwinter.

Bridled Titmouse www.naturespicsonline.com

HAVEYOUSEEN…

HAVEYOUSEEN…

…AnascentinflorescenceonManzanita?Inwinter,flowerbudswillbegintoformfromtheseinterestingstructures.Thesebegantoformlastspring,thenstayeddormantuntilwinter.PlantswillsometimesflowerasearlyasJanuary!Watchforfragrant,pink,bell‐shapedflowers.

…Lichens?Youwillfindthemontreebark,rocks,andevenontheground!Theyappearinarainbowofcolors:green,yellow,orange,grey&more.Lichensarenotreallyplants;theyexistasapartnershipbetweenafungusandanorganismcapableofcreatingfoodbyphotosynthesis.Thissecondorganismmay

beagreenalga,acyanobacterium,orboth.Thefungusformsthebasicstructure,waterstorage,andmineral‐gatheringcapability.Lichensarefamousforbeingabletosurviveharsh,coldordryconditions.Photosynthesiscanoccuratlowtempsaslongasthereisliquidwaterandlight,solichenscanbeproductiveallyear.Somecanbeactiveonfreezingdaysifthesubstratewarms.Whenrespirationishighinthe

summer,theymayactuallygrowslowerthaninwinter.Theyaresensitivetofoottraffichowever,sopleasedonotwalkonthem.Soonmoist,sunnywinterdays,whenrocksorbarkwarmbutmostplantsaredormant,imaginetheactivityawakeninginlichen.Thesunshineandmoisturebringthemoutofdormancytomakefoodandgrow.

NascentinflorescencebyChrisHunter

FormoreinformationontheCityofPrescott’sOpenSpaceandtrailsgotohttp://cityofprescott.net/services/parks/Thisguidewascreatedin2015byNicholeTrushellfortheCommunityNatureCenterofPrescott.PhotosbyNicholeorwithpermissionasnoted.