This Week at Hilton Pond

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

Broad-billed Hummingbird: First South Carolina Banding Record (1-7 January 2008)

This was a particularly exciting week, for we captured and banded our first broad-billed hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris). For details and photos, please visit the 1-7 January 2008 installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond" at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek080101.html. As always we include a tally of all birds banded and recaptured during the period, plus a few miscellaneous nature notes.

Figure 1. This is the first broad-billed hummingbird that we have banded. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

It's Not Easy Bein' Green . . . In Winter (8-14 January 2008)

It's winter at Hilton Pond. When days are short, the sun is at a low angle, and ambient temperatures aren't very conducive to photosynthesis, how many plants are still bein' green? Find out by visiting the 8-14 January 2008 installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond" at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek080108.html. As always we include a tally of birds banded and recaptured during the period, with assorted nature notes.

Figure 2. A leaf from a young American holly (Ilex opaca). This native tree grows in the understory but still gathers enough sunlight to thrive in mixed woodlands from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to East Texas. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

Winter Greenery: a Closer Look (15-21 January 2008)

This week we take a close look at some often overlooked winter greenery. For details and photos, please visit our photo essay for 15-21 January 2008 at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek071208.html . As always we include a tally of all birds banded or recaptured during the period, plus a few miscellaneous nature notes.

Figure 3. A magnified view of the quarter-inch leaflets of ebony spleenwort. Photograph copyright Bill Hilton Jr.

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