Field Notes Update

Stages of Growth of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) /  by Todd Henson

A pair of early spring bloodroot flowers in full bloom

Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, is a beautiful early spring wildflower native to eastern North America. The name bloodroot and Sanguinaria refers to the reddish color of the rhizome that grows underground and of the poisonous sap of the rhizome, and canadensis refers to Canada, one of the locations where this plant can be found. In this case we found the bloodroot growing along trails through the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northern part of Virginia.

In the sections below I show some of the stages of the growth of bloodroot. The earlier stages were photographed in the first week of April 2024 and the final stages, after the flower is gone, where photographed in the final week of April.

Leaf-wrapped Bud

Bloodroot is a fascinating plant. A single curled up leaf breaks through the leaf litter on the forest floor and grows above ground, and a single flower stem grows within that single curled up leaf. A bud forms on the stem and emerges from the shelter of the still curled leaf.

A bloodroot bud wrapped in its leaf

A bloodroot bud just emerging from its leaf

The Bud Emerges

The flower stem will continue growing, pushing the bud outside the protective shelter of the curled leaf.

We found this pinkish bud having just emerged from the curled up leaf below

With just the right positioning and lighting this bloodroot bud almost glows

Opening of the Bud

When the sun comes out the bud opens revealing the beautiful white petals and yellow stamens. At night the flower will close back up.

A bloodroot bud beginning to open. I liked the look of the tuft of grass in the background.

The white bloodroot bud begins to open its petals revealing the yellow stamens within

With the petals unfurled we can more clearly see the yellow stamens at the center

Bloodroot in Full Bloom

The pollen of the flowers attract insects, with mining bees being one of the star pollinators because they collect the pollen. But insects looking for nectar will be disappointed as bloodroot doesn’t produce any.

A beautiful bloodroot flower in full bloom

Looking down on a bloodroot flower

A bug in the bloodroot flower

Bloodroot Flower Details

I enjoyed trying to get in closer to the center of the bloodroot flowers to show some of their details and beauty.

Bloodroot flower details

I thought this view looked a bit like a bloodroot throne

The Leaf Unfurled

After the flower fades the leaf will open, and a pod will form on the flower stem. You can see the leaves through the middle to end of summer, after which the plant goes dormant.

A bloodroot leaf unfurled after the flower is gone, and the beginnings of a seed pod.

Seed Pod

Seeds grow inside the pod and when it opens ants will collect the seeds and bring them back to their nest, eating the part that attracted them and leaving the seed, itself, to germinate and grow in their debris piles. And just as worms can create more fertile soil, so can ants.

The beginnings of a seed pod after bloodroot has flowered

The seeds will form new plants, while the rhizomes of existing plants will continue to grow and branch off, spreading over wider areas creating colonies of bloodroot. Next spring the curled up leaves will break through the ground and the entire process will begin again.

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Hooded Merganser Competition for a Nest Box /  by Todd Henson

An early spring female hooded merganser swimming in the wetlands

Perhaps competition is a strong word. Perhaps there were simply two candidates inspecting the property before they decided whether to move in. What am I talking about? During a visit to a wetlands park we happened to see two female hooded mergansers around the same nest box in early spring.

Arriving at the nest box

The female hooded merganser perched on the nest box

Early on one of the mergansers flew up and perched atop the box, perhaps thinking to stake her claim. But then the second merganser flew over and was bold enough to stick her head into the opening to inspect the nesting area before flying off again.

A second female hooded merganser flies up to the nest box while the other is perched on top

The second merganser peeked into the nest box while the other watched from above

Later, the original merganser sat down atop the box and just rested for a while. It seemed she might be staking her claim, but eventually she also flew off.

The original female hooded merganser rests atop the nest box.

Finally the original female hooded merganser left the nest box and flew away.

In the end I’ve no clue which of two, if either, will build a nest inside the box. But it would be nice to return to check on any progress.

In a previous year we happened to be there at the time the hooded merganser chicks fledged from the nest. That was a fun sight.

And on another day I was fortunate to watch the slightly older hooded merganser chicks out with their mother.

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Red-winged Blackbird - Late March, 2024 /  by Todd Henson

Portrait of a male red-winged blackbird in late March of 2024

In late March my father and I returned to a local wetlands park we’d not visited in some time. While there I photographed a nicely posed red-winged blackbird.

This is a good example of how male red-winged blackbirds are able to hide the majority of their red epaulets when they want to, covering them with black feathers. They might display more red when trying to impress a female blackbird, or when they want to show dominance over other nearby males, perhaps as a way of marking their territory and willingness to protect it. 

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