Chat Back for May 10

Answering questions from comments and email.

Shirley asked . . .

Which variety are yours?

(Shirley is asking about the apple trees with the Morel Mushrooms growing underneath mentioned in this post.)

Think fungus. Fungus doesn't thrive in well tended apple orchards.

With the magic of photo cropping, I was able to show you a healthy branch full of blossoms. The majority of the branches are not so pretty.

The apple trees are very old, maybe from the farm that originally sat on this land. They have many dead and rotting branches and should be taken down. However they have an extended life expectancy because they're important to the Morels.

The apples are no variety a person familiar with sweet apples wants to eat. We don't spray or help them out, but the trees do produce apples. The apples fall to the ground. After the apples ferment, the deer come in the middle of the night to eat them causing the dogs to bark and the deer to get a bit tipsy.

Since no one is sure how Morels decide where to grow, any of these steps could be important to their environmental happiness. Except I doubt they require barking dogs.

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Dorothy asked . . .

What a handsome couple - are you able to get a
photo of any of their nests?

(Dorothy is asking about the Northern Oriole nests mentioned in this post.)

A difficult assignment. If I spot one I'll be sure and get the best picture possible without a helicopter.

The Orioles build their nest way way up high hidden by the foliage in the tallest oaks.

Once the oaks leaf out I occasionally see a flash of orange in the tree tops, but it's been several years since I've spotted an oriole nest.

I've read that the young walk around on the outside of the nest before they learn to fly. Wouldn't that be something to see?


Right now the Orioles are still coming around and gobbling up the oranges. I just love seeing them so close knowing it's only for a little while.