Trees such as the Black Walnut and Tree of Heaven have very long and heavy leaves which require a large leaf base.

No native tree has a bigger leaf than the Kentucky Coffee Tree. There is a grove of about 100 Kentucky Coffee Trees at Ashbridge’s Bay.

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Here is a photo showing where several of these large leaves meet the branch:

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

When these leaves fall in autumn, a large scar is left on the branch:

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Some people call this the “monkey face” scar. Tree guides refer to this as  “heart-shaped”.

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

It was a chilly (2 degrees), overcast and very windy morning at Ashbridge’s Bay.

If you remember glorious Panicled Aster from September, here is how it look when it has gone to seed:

Panicled Aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)

We were fortunate to see both species of kinglets up close:

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Here are some other species that I was able to photograph:

Long-tailed Duck (male)

Lesser Scaup

Ring-billed Gull

Black-capped Chickadee

Miles Hearn

                                        NATURE POETRY

All afternoon his tractor pulls a flat wagon
with bales to the barn, then back to the waiting
chopped field. It trails a feather of smoke.

– David Baker (1954 -)