#Atlantic white cedar

[eggtrolls]

Atlantic White Cedar cohort 3 has begun! These seeds will be soaked in cold water for 24 hours and then stratified, a process that replicates them experiencing a cold and dark winter necessary for the seeds to break dormancy. I do this by putting them in damp sand (a 10:1 sand:water ratio per 100 seeds) and keeping them in my fridge for 60 days. After that they’ll go into Petri dishes and under a grow light for 24 hours a day until, hopefully, embryonic roots begin to emerge. I got this from a paper that specifically looked the effects of length of time under grow lights and I’m interested to see the germination and survival rates from this process. I have about half a gram of seeds left (cohort 4) and those will get the standard 180 days of stratification and then top sowing but also with the grow lights. Fingers crossed!

I eyeballed the amount of seeds 😅 so if anyone wants to guess how many seeds there are (I will count tomorrow) and submit your best guess, go crazy. Closest guess gets to name the first seedling of the cohort.

[aisling-saoirse]

Slightly Mature Atlantic White Cedars

[phenomenalwoman42]

Planting Atlantic White Cedar in the Millennium Forest

[paulpingminho]

[reopenfile]

Minneapolis Scandinavian Exterior Mid-sized danish beige two-story mixed siding house exterior photo with a butterfly roof, a shingle roof and a gray roof

[yourperfectlittleanarchist]

Shingles - Scandinavian Exterior Example of a mid-sized danish beige two-story mixed siding house exterior design with a butterfly roof, a shingle roof and a gray roof

[battle-of-the-birds]

Alrighty and HERE ARE OUR CONTENDERS!!!

Tag for the polls: #bird battle

DISCLAIMER - I wrote the round one blurbs when I was very sick and half awake, so if you see any mistakes PLEASE TELL ME! Nicely, obviously, but I want to make sure they sound good for round 2. Thank you!

I know there’s a lot of them, but man there’s SO MANY GOOD BIRDS! There were a few times where people didn’t put what specific subspecies for some birds, so sometimes I’d have to choose one. I tried to choose one that represents that bird the best!

I don’t know when the polls will begin, I’m doing some research on the birds so that people can read about them before they vote.

If one of your favs didn’t make it in, don’t worry they’re a winner in my and your heart.

If you are wondering where the Pigeon (Rock Dove) is, THEY ARE THE FINAL CHAMPION! At the end of this bracket, the winner will face off against the mightily popular Rock Dove! Will they be able to beat such a tough challenger? We will see…

Also, a note on how I set this bracket up: I put all the birds in a numbered list and then used a number generator. I think the matchups we got were really interesting.

Full list under the cut

HARPY EAGLE

SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE

VAMPIRE FINCH

RAINBOW LORIKEET

BALTIMORE ORIOLE

EURASIAN WREN

STELLER'S JAY

CALIFORNIA CONDOR

EURASIAN HOOPOE

BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE

TAWNY FROGMOUTH

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

ANDEAN COCK OF THE ROCK

MUTE SWAN

WESTERN SANDPIPER

STELLER'S SEA EAGLE

VIOLET BACKED STARLING

HOATZIN

HOUSE SPARROW

HERACLES

CANADIAN GOOSE

DODO

GREAT EARED NIGHTJAR

SANDHILL CRANE

PELAGORNIS

SUPERB FAIRY WREN

SOUTHERN CASSOWARY

AMERICAN ROBIN

GREATER ROADRUNNER

GREAT BLUE HERON

AMERICAN AVOCET

PASSENGER PIGEON

WALLCREEPER

GREAT TIT

MOA

EASTERN BLUEBIRD

AUSTRALIAN BUSHTURKEY

EMU

MALLARD DUCK

FLAME BOWERBIRD

MANDARIN DUCK

BELTED KINGFISHER

OILBIRD

FAIRY PENGUIN

LESSER FLAMINGO

AUSTRALIAN KESTREL

CARRION CROW

UMBRELLABIRD

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE

PERUVIAN PELICAN

CALIFORNIA QUAIL

MACGREGORS BOWERBIRD

HARRIS HAWK

COMMON RAVEN

BEARDED VULTURE

PEREGRINE FALCON

ROSY LOVEBIRD

ROSEATTE SPOONBILL

LONG TAILED GRACKLE

AMERICAN WOODCOCK

KAKAPO

BLUE FOOTED BOOBY

RHEA

BEE HUMMINGBIRD

WHITE WAGTAIL

HUIA

SNAIL KITE

DOMESTIC CHICKEN

KIWI

MOURNING DOVE

ATLANTIC PUFFIN

CARDINAL

LYREBIRD

EUROPEAN ROBIN

BURROWING OWL

OSPREY

RED TAILED HAWK

BLEEDING HEART DOVE

BARN OWL

PEACOCK

SATIN BOWERBIRD

CAIQUE

RED WINGED BLACKBIRD

LONG TAILED TIT

HERRING GULL

GREEN HERON

CREAM COLORED WOODPECKER

AUSTRALIAN IBIS

TRISTAM'S STARLING

POTOO

WANDERING ALBATROSS

BLUE JAY

KEA

COMMON MYNA

RAINBOW TOUCAN

GREATER SAGE GROUSE

TURKEY VULTURE

TUFTED TITMOUSE

CRESTED AUKLET

EURASIAN MAGPIE

BUDGIE

SCREECH OWL

WIP-POOR-WILL

SECRETARY BIRD

AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE

CEDAR WAXWING

VICTORIA CROWNED PIGEON

HERMIT THRUSH

COMMON SWIFT

WHITE BELLBIRD

BROWN SKUA

EUROPEAN DIPPER

[thesamoanqueen]

Blackwater

Raiting: 18+

Warnings: Omegaverse (AlphaRoman/ Y-NOmega); Werewolf AU; errors after errors after errors after errors after errors...

A/N: Its the first chap of this fic, im trying something new. For those who don’t know what The Omegaverse is, its a scenario where people are divided into Alpha, Beta and Omega. I won't go into detail and I will try to explain it inside the story, but know that usually Alphas are the dominant elements, they have power over others, especially their designated mates. Omegas are not always seen good elements for society cause they are unstable, especially during the time they have heat. The story was requested me by @ichdrachenfrau and when I imagine Roman as a werewolf, this scenario doesnt come out of my head, so I hope you will like it too.

Buses were never a good idea, too tight spaces, too many people around to poke their noses where they shouldn't. But she didn't have many other choices left to take without documents and after all, trips like that also had their positive sides. The windows in the buses were huge and allowed her to always monitor where she was or in which direction she was going, giving her time to react and get a precise idea. Nobody hunted her there, it was a new area, but she had learned to be cautious, watch her back and precautions were never enough when you crossed the territory of a pack and there was a big one there from what she had heard. But it didn’t mattered anyway, she wouldn't cause any problems and she would board the first ship leaving for the south as soon as possible, hoping to cross some border maybe where the lack of her documents wouldn't be an insurmountable problem as there.

She rested her chin on her hand, the road rushing past the glass and endless rows of trees everywhere.

They were skirting the Blackwater Reserve, in direction of the city where the bus would have its terminus. From there other vehicles, other drivers, other roads departed. A form of smart precaution not to give too much freedom to those who came from outside, while keeping the borders under control and open. She liked that place, there were Atlantic white cedars everywhere, magnolias and azaleas, the sound of the river reached her ears despite the bus engine and for some strange reason, it seemed to almost comfort her mind in turmoil. It was a beautiful place and somehow reminded her of home or the faded memory she had, Y/N smiled, she would see home again soon and then those forests would fade.

***

Standing on the edge of the bridge, he watched the river flow unchecked beneath them, his hands tucked into the pockets and the dark waters watching him. Somewhere in the middle of the forest, there must be the old collapsed bridge from which as a kid he dived with his cousins or maybe it was no longer there, it seemed a life ago. In those days Roman had no other thoughts, spent day and night outside the house, running among the trees, bathing in the river, eating wherever he could thanks to his father role. Now he was the one to provide for everyone, to ensure that other kids went around ignoring what was beyond their borders, the very thought of it led him to run a hand on his temple, where the wound was still throbbing.

It had been a bad deal, lasted even longer than he would have liked, but it had to be done and it was over now. The world had moved on, it was no longer that of his father or of those who had come before him, the economy was spinning, you could not isolate yourself. Their blood was watered down, it was full of betas out there that had been given fillers they shouldn't have, pumped alphas that made big voice without really knowing how to stand up to it, identical omegas that weren't right even to relieve a little bit of tension, most people had even forgotten how to shift. The packs that remained faithful to the past had had to adapt, compromise, be smart and find other ways to maintain control, but it still happened that some beast jumped out of nowhere claiming what did not belong to them and then you had to be ready to pour some blood.

- We could expand the refreshment areas by reopening the stretch over the bridge, some camping areas, a couple of rowing facilities - he heard the men chattering behind him, a group of betas and two alphas in suits and ties arrived there from the city.

They even put on helmets. Helmets… as if they were going to climb or extract stones from a mine, weak. He pursed his lip and a shiver of nervousness moved his body, his aura suddenly widening, chilling them all without exception. They made proposals, them. To him.

- No.

- My Tribal Chief? - Paul mumbled submissively next to them, a folder in his hands and his gaze wandering worriedly over him.

Roman remained with his eyes fixed on the river, the black water flowing silently ignoring each of them and returned his hand to his pocket, reaching the car in a few steps without waiting for anyone else.

He had to compromise, do business and feed each of his people, but he dictated his rules in his land and the deals were deals. His family came before everyone, no matter how much money they had to make, he wasn't going to sell his home to groups for trips, picnics or churning out bastard puppies in camping tents. He had consented to those things on specific plots, along the borders, not on what his blood considered sacred.

- From the bridge up it's for us. - he reminded everyone.

- As you like my Tribal Chief - Heyman indulged him with a little curtsy, exchanging the last goodbye chatter with the businessmen.

Roman didn't deign to greet them, didn't even look at them, didn't care. His phone vibrated in his pocket, as it had been doing continuously for years now, a flood of news and monitoring that came from the most distant places, from everyone, even those who did not have a mental connection with him. A few minutes passed and the wiseman sat down next to him, talking about details, future meetings, trips to be made in the city to meet face to face who knows who. Those matters bored him, but usually he was able to pay enough attention to know the bare essentials about the money they were going to make, the benefits they were going to get, but today he was less interested than the previous ones. The wound throbbed, yet that wasn't what made him uncomfortable, he had a strange feeling on him, something he had never felt and could not explain and all he wanted was to go home after two weeks of traveling, rest and run. With his back relaxed against the suv seat, he closed his eyes and listened: the engine of the car, the trees that followed one after the other between the curves of road, the gravel under the tires, too many voices crammed together, maybe a bus... the river.

***

She put the bag on the floor, looking at the entire house from the kitchen, living room, recreational area. Two windows on one side, one on the other and two skylights on the mezzanine where they had placed the bed.

- There is a motel in town and they have a real hotel on the military base. They also have a restaurant with a chef. - the woman who had welcomed her repeated for the umpteenth time, a condescending smile that served as a certificate of presentation and her eyes trying not to look at Y/N again.

She and her husband, a big man from the islands that Y/N had been waiting for disappeared around the estate before crossing the door - just to avoid any further risks - managed that small group of rooms for campers who could not find a place in the areas dedicated. It was more a house where you could pitch your tent without permission than a hospitality business, but at that moment for Y/N a car seat would have been fine too, a fact that the woman evidently found it hard to believe judging by her behavior. Y/N had seen her arrange the cushions on the armchair and the vase at the entrance at least a dozen times, even she was not in front of a judge or her mother-in-law. She was anxious, her body began to emit an unmistakable smell and Y/N took off her shoes and distractedly tied her hair, to give her an impression of normality.

- The room is perfect, I just need to rest maybe a day or two and then I will go. - she explained casually, giving that information to reassure her.

She had already had enough meetings that day, she didnt need a worried omega ready to go crazy for her high heels. She really just wanted a place to recover some energy before leaving and there was no reason to create unnecessary problems or attract more attention.

- I can prepare you something... if you are hungry - she proposed a little quieter, while Y/N looked around more carefully, reaching the top of the stairs that led to the mezzanine.

- Maybe later.

- Sure, I'll let you rest, sure... I'll go then. - she finally greeted her, closing the door after a last moment of hesitation and Y/N waited to see her walk away from the window before moving.

She closed the lock more out of habit than out of necessity and headed for the bathroom, taking a shower before putting on something more comfortable, that didn't smell like buses and waffles. After half an hour spent taking care of her body, she finally let herself sink into the armchair next to the window, her legs between the soft pillows and a cup in her hands. Her muscles had relaxed, her back no longer bothered her from the hours of travel and all the exchanges she had made, there was a pleasant silence in that place and although the decor was not at all to her liking with all those lace and wooden wall units everywhere, even that little cottage she didn't mind.

Yet Y/N just couldn't understand what seemed out of place... she had a strange feeling, a tingle under her skin that had bothered her since she had crossed that state line and that had grown stronger inside the Blackwater reserve. She liked that place, there was a peaceful, green atmosphere everywhere, nothing to motivate that annoyance. Maybe it was the pack presence, those two in the city had not been very friendly... that guy in a tank top had smelled her across the street.

She checked her phone carefully, there was no warnings and her calendar had no notes. She was still very much away from her next heat, she had planned the trip at that time on purpose and she hadn't experienced any signs of failure in the previous weeks. In her bag she had a whole box of suppressants. It couldn't have been her smell that called him, maybe he just recognized something different and snapped, it was a thing that often happened to the alphas, they were territorial, competitive and if they knew how to shift – as Y/N suspected for those two - it got worse.

She dropped the phone on the windowsill, resting her head on the back with a sigh, and surveyed the portion of the property that could be seen from there. The well-kept garden, the fence, the road that went up towards the refreshment areas and the row of trees that bordered the wood. She was thinking too much and worried about the rest of the trip, it had nothing to do with that place. She just wanted to go home.

***

He'd found them waiting for him on the back porch messing around as usual, yelling at each other under Solo's bored gaze. Where they found all that puppy energy when they were grown up, Roman could not explain, but his cousins had always been like this for as long as he could remember and the same was true for Naomi, so everything was normal. More or less.

- Hey Big Uce - she greeted him, without removing the arms from her chest and Jimmy quickly echoed her with one of his smiles, but Roman hardly paid any attention.

- What happen to your face? - he asked, studying Jey who was sitting on the steps.

His cheekbone was swollen, skin tight as if it had been about to open. It was not a fall, that was a blow and also given well. Had he been missing for two weeks, had he entrusted everything to them while he was away and now he found him like this?

- Guess what? He deserved it. - Naomi clarified, swinging her head as offended, Jey widened his chest.

- You two should have lemme do it! They held me back! - he barked, jumping to his feet.

- Sure we held you back, you can't go around sniffing who's passing by Uce! - Jimmy tried to make him think about it, a feat that he had been trying from birth and without results.

- Hey hey! I had a reason, that one smelled strange! And she kicked me, its normal? Hm, its normal?!

- You scared everyone on da bus! Y’were yelling in middle of the street!

With his ears already hurting, Roman raised a hand, silencing them all to take stock, while the car that would take them to the city turned around the perimeter of the avenue to reach them.

- ... lemme understand. A woman kicked you after you smelled her? - he repeated, struggling to keep from laughing in his face.

It was damn ridiculous. Those things happened when you were a puppy, when you didn't know how to behave and took the step longer than necessary, certainly not when you were a grown ass alpha.

- Almost sniffed, she didn't give him time.

Roman turned to look at him again, this time laughing seriously. Wasn't he even able to do it?!

- I felt somethin! The smell of her was... wasn't the smell of a normal omega. Was different, she… she had something known, something I had already scented! - he raved angrily, seeing him laugh, but the more he went on the more ridiculous that story became.

- Y’know Takecia is inside, right?

- Yo man! I didn't smell her for that!

Roman ran a hand over his face, reaching the Wiseman who was waiting for him with the car door open and an enthusiastic smile for the evening that awaited them, while those three still insisted on messing up and inspired a deep breath of air, enjoying the peace - or whatever it was - of his family. They spent the rest of the time in town, in one of those restaurants that Heyman had reserved especially for them, eating steaks and drinking heartily, between the jokes of Jimmy trying in vain to get Solo in trouble and the wiseman ranting with all the female waiters for the glances they cast at their table. They stayed longer than expected, enjoying that well-deserved, thoughtless break as the city emptied and people returned to their homes. When they finally decided to leave, a cold breeze blew from the forest more than welcome on that month of the year. It was the perfect time for a run and his cousins didnt have him repeated twice, agreeing to go once they arrived at the reserve, taking opportunity to check the north borders.

He needed to stretch his paws, feel the earth beneath him, the scent of fallen leaves and the wind whispering in his ears. He wanted to exhaust himself and release his energy, tension accumulated in the previous weeks that did not seem to have left him. He had a strange agitation under his skin, something his wolf longed to vent, probably due to the fighting he had recently been engaged in and which now clashed with the tranquility and safety of what he called home. The adrenaline was difficult to dispose of and unexpectedly Roman found himself hearing it increase, when something filled his lungs from the lowered window of the car.

- Stop - he ordered abruptly, opening the car door before the wheels could even stop completely.

Both the Wiseman and his cousins called him worried, delaying in reaching him just long enough to give Roman time to plant himself in the middle of the empty road, head wandering from side to side trying to find the trail that had gripped his body in a vise.

- My Tribal Chief?

- Whatts up Uce?

Deaf to their questions, Roman moved as if in a trance, legs unable to stay still and his senses on alert. It had been an imperceptible moment, something that perhaps came from afar, he no longer felt it now and his muscles were tightening, the anger mounting.

Find it, find it, find it.

His ears were ringing, blood was pumping into his head like a roar, eyes wandering in search of anything, along the asphalt, beyond the empty ground on the other side of the road. There was a house somewhere and a church, maybe it had come from there, but his nose didn't feel anything and Roman ran both hands over his face, his wolf growling impatiently and annoyed.

It's not there, find it. Find it.

His body was in a state of agitation, a tension he had never felt before, not even facing an enemy, not even in the middle of a fight. His mind seemed to have turned off, he wasn't thinking and all he could hear at that moment was his blood flowing and the need to find that trace. He moved without a plan, hitting the road for the few meters the car had passed before he stopped it, his head in the air and the tension increasing. Someone touched him on the shoulder, perhaps to make him regain consciousness, Jimmy, but chased him away with a brusque gesture. His bones, Roman could feel them vibrating and his breath was catching in his throat, why couldn't he find it?

He left the road, charging towards the empty ground. That wasn't the direction, but he had to try, he had to. Maybe it was inside that house, maybe something had watered it down and that was the reason he couldn't smell it anymore. He was starting to see a trail on either side of his eyes, his tense shoulders rolling to release the pressure that threatened to collapse, and then he felt it again. His head snapped back, in direction of the wood from which the wind had come, there was Jey in front of him, but Roman didnt even see him as his bones creaked and his muscles stretched. He saw nothing.

Mate. Find her. Find her. Mine. Take her. Mine. Mine.

***

Sitting on the cottage porch, Y/N put away her toast. Her stomach was acting up, but she didn't want to eat and the wind was starting to bother her. She hugged her jacket with a shiver to make her bones vibrate, some of the guests on the estate were celebrating, she could hear the muffled noise of a badly played guitar, laughter and the smell of the bonfire... suddenly she raised her head, wide eyes wandering the empty garden along the path that led to the other cottages. What was that smell?

Smells good. Stay. Stay. Good.

There was no one, not yet, but she felt him. She was used to hearing them in advance, before they swooped in on her, she had trained for that, she knew what to do and so why wasn't she succeeding? Her legs seemed blocked, her muscles tense with apprehension, she was not afraid of him, her ears were ringing. She had to get out of there, she had to do it now, he was running straight to her. She stood up, going down step after step, her head was bursting, her blood pounding in her veins.

Stay. Stay. Good. Lower your head. Stay.

Her she-wolf was prey to a mixture of euphoria and anxiety, she was trying to hold her back and that was the last thing Y/N wanted at that moment. No way that thing was good…

On another occasion she would have tried to stand up to whoever was coming, she knew how to do it, she could do it, but she felt strange and she didn't like that feeling. It was new, it had never happened to her and she was struggling to keep what she had inside of her at bay. She took her hands off the porch and clenched her fists, eyes on the dark row of trees on the edge, she felt his paws on the ground. She will act the edge of the cottage, abandoning everything that belonged to her inside and ran down the driveway, the voice inside her head as she whimpered for the space she was trying to put between them. She had to get to that party, find other people, no matter who or what they were, she couldn't stay there or...

Cocoa butter, sweat, good. Mate. Home. Stay. Mate. Mate.

The growl that hit her, made her bones and earth vibrate under her feet, her belly tightened in a vise and Y/N closed her eyes for a second, stopping where she stood.

It couldn't be true, it had to be a mistake, she was wrong.

Her wolf had screamed mate and a bitter smile folded her lips, it was a damned nightmare. But she had no intention of playing the part of the girl who was butchered, not her, not when she was one step away from leaving. She slowly turned, trying to regain control of her body in turmoil and her eyes instantly stared at him, from the tips of his dark hairy ears to his giant paws embedded in the earth. He oozed alpha from every pore and Y/N looked inside his golden eyes.

- You better calm down big boy or I'll make a fur coat with you. That’s not the way.

An annoyed growl came out of his throat like a rumble, but Y/N remained unmoved nonetheless. He could make his big scary voice with someone else, she had no intention of giving it to him and he had to guess it, because as it came out of nowhere, he came on her, forcing her to squat. She dug her feet into the black fur under his thick neck and heard him whine for a moment, her inner wolf complaining about her, trying to make her stop, but she didn't want to stop, she couldn't. She wouldn't get caught, even at cost of being torn apart. She saw him shake his head in annoyance, his teeth clenching with an eerie noise around nothing, his ears twitching over his head as she tried again. The big guy was fast in spite of his size and Y/N slipped over once again, not caring about rolling around on the grass, she had to do it in that form or the big guy would have come up with weird ideas without even having invited her to a date. She barely managed to get on her knees and a shiver ran through her body, causing her to turn back in the direction of the woods. She saw her alleged mate plant himself in front of her like a wall, to protect her, trying to muffle whoever was coming and the rest for her was just a bad blow to the head and darkness.

Tag squad: @sunnyfleur23 @racerchix21 @alyanross @wickedsunfire @romanreignsdefencesquad @romanstheory @thiccc-rider-mcintyre @keybladeofsteel @mcreignsera @msbigredmachine @nayys-world @gobbersworld @utika151209 @cumxxslutt @jeyreigns @civildawn @minanajra @romanmydaddy @raidenandreigns @triscillal @papireigns-05 @helensanders92 @itjazzbicch @ichdrachenfrau @darqchilddaydreamz @meggylynnloves @mariamheeeeee @vintage-pvssy @unfriendly--blvck--hottie @nicolewoo @helensanders92 @niknakbucks92 @wrestlezaynia @reignsx @reignsxroman @kianaleani @daguenoire @iyoskyslover @extra-11 @josphinna @thedonsfactory @snowpanda18

[haveyouseenthisbirdpoll]

List of Birds organized by Order + locations:

Accipitriformes:

Bearded vulture

Cooper's hawk

Red-shouldered hawk

Steller's sea eagle

Anseriformes:

Bar-headed goose

Barnacle goose

Black swan

Common merganser

Red-breasted goose

Snow goose

Trumpeter swan

Apodiformes:

Common swift

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Bucerotiformes:

Eurasian hoopoe

Cariamiformes:

Red-legged seriema

Casuariiformes:

Emu

Southern cassowary

Cathartiformes:

Black vulture

Turkey vulture

Charadriiformes:

Atlantic puffin

Black-headed gull

Black-tailed godwit

Killdeer

Northern lapwing

Ruddy turnstone

Ciconiiformes:

White stork

Columbiformes:

Common wood pigeon

Eurasian collared dove

Luzon bleeding-heart

Nicobar pigeon

Victoria crowned pigeon

Coraciiformes:

Blue-capped kingfisher

Common kingfisher

Cuculiformes:

Asian koel

Yellow-billed cuckoo

Eurypygiformes:

Kagu

Falconiformes:

American kestrel

Common kestrel

Galliformes:

Palawan peacock-pheasant

Western capercaillie

Gaviiformes:

Common loon

Gruiformes:

American coot

Australasian swamphen/pūkeko

Blue crane

Common moorhen

Sandhill crane

Sora

Whooping crane

Passeriformes:

American bushtit

American robin

Australian raven

Baltimore oriole

Barn swallow

Black-billed magpie

Black-capped chickadee

Black-throated sparrow

Blue-headed vireo

Blue jay

Bluethroat

Brown thrasher

California towhee

Canada warbler

Canyon wren

Cedar waxwing

Common blackbird

Common chlorospingus

Common raven

Eastern wood pewee

Eurasian blue tit

Eurasian bullfinch

Eurasian golden oriole

Eurasian jay

European robin

Goldcrest

Great-tailed grackle

Great tit

Hooded crow

House sparrow

Indigo bunting

Kirtland's warbler

LeConte's sparrow

Long-tailed tit

Painted bunting

Phainopepla

Pine siskin

Pin-tailed whydah

Pinyon jay

Pygmy nuthatch

Red winged blackbird

Rook

Saltmarsh sparrow

Satin bowerbird

Spotted towhee

Steller's jay

Tufted titmouse

Wallcreeper

Warbling vireo

Western tanager

White-breasted nuthatch

White-throated dipper

White-throated magpie-jay

Yellow-rumped warbler

Pelecaniformes:

Great blue heron

Great egret

Great white pelican

Least bittern

Roseate spoonbill

Shoebill stork

Snowy egret

Phoenicopteriformes:

Chilean flamingo

Piciformes:

Clark's nutcracker

Lewis's woodpecker

Northern flicker

Pileated woodpecker

Red-bellied woodpecker

Red-headed woodpecker

Podargiformes:

Tawny frogmouth

Podicipediformes:

Pied-billed grebe

Psittaciformes:

Australian king parrot

Citron-crested cockatoo

Cockatiel

Galah

Gang-gang cockatoo

Pacific parrotlet

Rose-ringed parakeet

Sulphur-crested cockatoo

Strigiformes:

Barn owl

Barred owl

Suliformes:

Anhinga

Blue-footed booby

Double-crested cormorant

Trogoniformes:

Elegant trogon

Locations:

Africa

America

Asia

Australia

Central America

Eurasia

Europe

North America

Oceania

South America

[rebeccathenaturalist]

How to Identify American Holly

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Name: American Holly (Ilex opaca)

Range and typical habitat(s): Typically southeastern United States, from eastern Texas to the Atlantic coast, southern Missouri, and central Florida to scattered portions of New England. iNaturalist observations also place it in portions of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and Oklahoma, showing some expansion compared to the 2014 BONAP map, so its range may be expanding in response to climate change. In most of its range it is an understory tree growing in the shade of larger species. However, in Florida’s scrub habitat it grows as a shrub.

Photo by Derek Ramsay, GNU FDL 1.2

Distinguishing physical characteristics (size, colors, overall shapes, detail shapes): At first glance American holly looks quite similar to the European holly (Ilex aquifolium) so commonly used got holiday decorations (more about the differences between the two below.) It has medium to dark green oval-shaped leaves, sometimes with a yellowish tint, whose margins (edges) have concave curves between sharp points that are regularly spaced; large leaves may reach three inches long.

Photo by Famartin, CCA-SA-4.0-INTL

The American holly’s leaves have a leathery, stiff texture, and may appear waxy, and the underside is paler, often yellow in color. Each leaf has a central vein (midrib) that is depressed, appearing almost like a deep crease. Thinner veins branch off of both sides of the midrib. Some leaves may display smooth margins instead of the more typically spiky ones, especially when they are high enough to be out of the reach of browsing herbivores like deer.

The foliage stays green throughout the year rather than being shed in fall; a given leaf may stay on the tree for up to three years before being displaced by a new replacement leaf. The leaves grow in an alternate pattern along a twig, with each leaf growing a little further along the twig than the last. The tree’s branches and trunk are covered in pale gray bark that is relatively smooth, but may have horizontal and vertical striations, along with various nodes and bumps, and might also play host to white patches of microlichen colonies. Other lichens, as well as mosses, also may add color to the American holly’s bark.

Photo by Krzysztof Ziarnek, CCA-SA-4.0-INTL

An exceptional specimen of American holly can reach almost 100 feet tall when mature, though it grows slowly. Such large trees are generally a century or more old, and the oldest on record was just a few years shy of 150.

The flowers of American holly are small (1/2″ or less across) with green centers and four (sometimes six) white petals that are broad with a rounded end, and whose tips curve back toward the plant. They grow in clusters of several flowers sprouting from one spot. American holly is dioecious, meaning that there are female and male plants; the males tend to reach sexual maturity a few years earlier than the females, but they all are generally reproducing by the age of ten.

When fertilized by insects the female flowers then turn into the well-known red berries. Technically these are drupes rather than true berries, with four seeds apiece, and while they start out green they ripen to a bright red. The berries are popular with birds like cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), but are toxic to humans and our pets.

Photo by Douglas Goldman, CCA-SA-4.0

Other organisms it could be confused with and how to tell the difference: Due to their similarity, American holly and European holly may easily be confused at first glance, and both prefer the understory of a forest. However, the European species does not grow as large. The leaves of European holly are darker and have a glossier appearance; the edges may also be more warped where those of American holly lie comparatively flat. Moreover, European holly grows more commonly along the west coast of North America, and is more sparse throughout American holly’s native range, especially outside of cultivated spaces.

European holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) is another species native to the southeastern North America, particularly the Gulf Coast states and the southern third of the Atlantic coast. It is a much smaller shrub that rarely exceeds thirty feet tall, and its leaves are round with serrated or scalloped edges rather than the pointed margins of American holly. The petals of the flowers may not curve as much as on American holly.

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria)

Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine) also grows in the extreme southeastern United States, from Louisiana to the southern tip of North Carolina, and primarily along the coastline except in Florida where it can be found across much of the peninsula. Its leaves are longer and more slender than those of American holly, and the margins are almost entirely smooth except for a series of very small spikes.

Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine). Photo by Douglas Goldman, CCA-SA-4.0

Possumhaw (Ilex decidua) has long, slender leaves with a gently pointed tip and serrated edges. This deciduous plant drops its leaves in fall, unlike the evergreen American holly.

Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

There are other plants that have similar leaves to American holly but that grow out of its range, such as the various species of Oregon grape (Mahonia spp.) in the Pacific Northwest, and holm oak (Quercus ilex), for which the genus Ilex was originally named.

Further reading:

USDA: American Holly

North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Ilex opaca

Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Ilex opaca

Native Plant Trust: Ilex opaca – American holly

University of Connecticut Plant Database: Ilex opaca

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[eggtrolls]

Atlantic white cedar cohort 3 update

Decided to pull the ripcord on my Petri dish germination idea since I wasn’t seeing any growth, return the seeds to the fridge for stratification over the winter, and try again in March with the grow light on max. The Murphy’s law punchline is that as I was moving them out of the Petri dishes, I found ONE HAD SPROUTED(!!!) so I very very very carefully planted that in the same pot as big sister Hajime so she can act as guardian/role model to the new baby. Everyone please think good thoughts for the baby who, if she lives, will be named Jason.

Other news: Atlas, my biggest girl, is a stately 16 inches/41 cm today! I had a call with an employee from the park (where I intend to plant them) and he said, per their horticulturalist, they need to be 2 feet tall to have a good chance of surviving, so. The goal for cozy girl autumn is to get crazy tall. Ideally she’ll be big enough to go in the ground for the spring planting season and I will cry as she goes into the dirt like a parent sending their firstborn off to college.

[aisling-saoirse]

The Darkness of an Atlantic White Cedar Bog - January 10th 2023

[chicago-geniza]

Normally do not have a very visual imagination but this character appeared to me and now I need to name her and find her narrative

Dyed curly hair just past shoulder length ombre gradient brown to platinum to pink to purple but like Easter colors and fading, some mermaid green tint

A little bit fat

Dark gray hoodie with an a not an e good quality heavy cotton

Dress pale mint green floral print not roses but something ruffled like them pink blossoms and blueish buds also branches leaves and stems; like a sketch with the lines still visible, in pencil, not erased; cotton but stiff, sort of, not flowing, in crimps, like a lampshade

Embroidered Converse one shoe untied

Leather messenger bag color of varnished Atlantic white cedar (don't @ me for the wood hue); buckles bronze but tarnished, wear on the strap

Natalie Imbruglia Torn (playing in background)

Glasses like you would expect this person to have

Pose like that one photo on the beach at St A's, jubilant and exultant and very very drunk

[paulpingminho]

[basaltpines]

Atlantic white cedar swamp

[maiewad]

5 alkemia samples

silken tent

first impressions: its a bit disappointing.... smells nice and sweet abit powdery but its extremely similar to a $10 vanilla body spray i got from woolworths.... not worth it so far but ill let it sit for a while.

+after sitting for a while its gorgeous. sweet syrupy golden but not too edible smelling. the angelica adds a soft fuzzy herbal tone that balances the fragrance and cuts through the syrupy texture and keeps it from getting cloying. i cant stop inhaling it. i can smell the candied angelica, rice pudding and caramel the best and the jasmine, tuberose and chrysanthemum are more of a subtle white floral in the background.

★★★★★

aurora

first impressions: stexture eally nice reminds me of those musky perfumes you get from mecca that are by byredo or sum shit... i like it fresh neutral a bit of cardamom and iris.

+the iris is really pretty very buttery and milky not too powdery. i can smell the cardamom, violet, musk clearly and the cashmeran adds a cedar element but i cant detect any ginger. ethereal is a good word to describe it. i was wearing it while watching spirited away the other day and i felt like they were a good match especially soundtracks like a road to somewhere and the beginning of nighttime coming.

★★★★

bohemiens en voyage

first impressions: i put it on tadhg it smells like a hippie perfume but more pleasant and wearable in my opinion. a bit smoky a bit like hay a bit sweet. i tried to smell it again but he had made a smoked salmon croissant and all i could smell was da salmon.

+theres no anise in the notes but the beginning smells like it has a licorice note. i can smell the hay, tobacco and amber in the beginning plus a lowkey background sweetness from the sugarcane which smells crystalised. after about 10 minutes the licorice type note is gone (maybe the tabac leaf?) and i can smell hay, sugarcane and the most gorgeous skin musk. buttery salty creamy is how id describe it which might not sound so appealing but it really is beautiful. this is also a golden coloured fragrance like silken tent but instead of being an amber colour its more of a soft dusty yellow. this scent makes me think of malibu by hole. i think that tobacco hay sugarcane and iris are very kinderwhore themed notes in my mind. my mother said that the opening smells like talcum powder.

★★★★★

the wild atlantic way

first impressions: SOO GOOD..... smells fresh and oceanic and floral and the flowers are like honey-sweet wildflowers this is GOOD ASF..... i like it fr. abit soapy but im still lovin it

+the opening flowers are so sweet and full that they almost smell fruity. they smell bright yellow and juicy and you can really smell the nectar and pollen in them. after ten minutes the flowers arent as juicy but they are still very bright and sweet and you start smelling the salt of the ambergris. slowly the flowers die down and it becomes a slightly floral ambergris perfume. im learning that im a huge fan of yellow florals. i saw someone on reddit say that this fragrance reminds them of a romantic scene in a movie (braveheart is the example they used) and i can see that. to me it calls to mind a scene of green fields bright yellow flowers cliffsides and rough waves. the clouds are thick and covering the whole sky except for one break where the sunlight streams down in rays golden and the bright sunlit landscape is contrasted by the dark grey clouds in the distance and it looks otherworldly. one of my favourite kinds of weathers but yeah i like this scent though i am generally a floral lover.

★★★★★

wings of flame

first impressions: this shit smells delicious like coffee yummy.

+smells edible but not overly sweet. the coffee is almost dessert like and the honey is chewy and amber coloured. it makes sense that the coffee note is described as "golden coffee" because it almost smells a bit like caramel with how rich and deep and sweet it is. i put it on tadhg to see his reaction and he says he loves honey+coffee combinations because its decadent in an ancient way. i can see what he means especially for this fragrance in particular. theres no patchouli in the notes but that was a note my mum picked up on.

★★★★