This Week at Hilton Pond

Bill Hilton Jr.
Executive Director
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
York , South Carolina 29745 USA

Hummer Found Far From “Home” (15-21 November 2006)

Although we've banded 3,410 ruby-throated hummingbirds in York, South Carolina and had many return in later years, it is VERY seldom anyone encounters one of our hummers elsewhere. Thus, we were ecstatic "This Week at Hilton Pond" when we got word of a ruby-throat found in far-off Alabama during this year's fall migration. For details, please view our photo essay for 15-21 November 2006 at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek061115.html

Figure 1. Young male ruby-throated hummingbirds typically have dark streaking on their throats; some begin to get red gorget feathers prior to fall migration from the U.S. and Canada. Photograph copyright by Bill Hilton Jr.

Gochisosama, Yamagata: A Japanese Travelogue (22-30 November 2006)

After being selected for the Prize of Excellence in an international competition on "Nature and Human Symbiosis," Bill Hilton Jr. was invited to Yamagata University in Japan to receive the award. Thus, "This Week at Hilton Pond" for 22-30 November 2006 is a travelogue, complete with nearly 50 photos of a life-changing trip to Yamagata Prefecture, a mountainous area where citizens have a spiritual connection with nature. The photo essay is long and may take a while to load--please keep trying!--but we wanted to share all our impressions of Japan, including observations about both natural and cultural history. You can view the installment at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek061122.html

Figure 2. “An Eye On Nature in Yamagata,” a proposed project to help Japanese students learn about and become involved in natural history, won the Prize of Excellence in a recent international competition. Image copyright by Bill Hilton Jr.

Early December In The Carolina Piedmont (1-7 December 2006)

Although we were overcoming jet lag from our recent trip to Japan, "This Week at Hilton Pond" we made time to go out for nature observations--and there was plenty to see the first week of December in our neck of the Carolina Piedmont. Eastern gray squirrels, grape ferns, puffballs, and Virginia creeper were all in fine shape, as was the ancient house finch we re-trapped to get a new age record for its species at Hilton Pond Center. All these are described in words and photos in the 1-7 December 2006 installment, accessible at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek061201.html

Figure 3. The adventitious roots of a Virginia creeper vine enable it to cling to the bark of a tree and climb skyward toward sunlight. Photograph copyright by Bill Hilton Jr.
 

More Encounters With Nature in December (8-21 December 2006)

From terrestrial orchids to moss spores and bacterial blooms to bird banding, there's always an interesting encounter to be made with nature, even in winter at Hilton Pond Center. As evidence we present the 8-21 December 2006 installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond." To view the current photo essay, please visit http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek061208.html

Figure 4. Even in the cold of winter, some moss plants give rise to the spore-bearing sporophyte generation--perhaps as a way to avoid spring competition with higher plants. Photograph copyright by Bill Hilton Jr.

16th Annual York/Rock Hill South Carolina Christmas Bird Count (22-28 December 2006)

We didn't have many participants for the 16th annual York/Rock Hill, South Carolina Christmas Bird count on 23 December 2006, but we sure saw lots of interesting birds, including one new species and record totals for 14 others. Our "This Week at Hilton Pond" installment for 22-28 December 2006 includes photos and a description of the count, with a table of all birds seen. To view, please visit http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek061222.html

Figure 5. Unlike most bird species, the female belted kingfisher--with her bicolored belly bands--is more brightly colored than the male, which has only a single band of blue. Photograph copyright by Bill Hilton Jr.

To help support the education, research, and conservation work of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History, please see http://www.hiltonpond.org/FundingMain.html . Editor.