Poison Ivy

I spent a couple beautiful cool and clear hours on Lake Creek Trail this morning, leisurely covering the half mile between the Braes Valley parking lot and the footbridge. Winter birds continue to return, with Yellow-rumped Warblers being the most numerous. Some newly returning sparrows were Chipping Sparrows, a Field Sparrow, and an unexpected White-crowned Sparrow.

That half-mile of trail is loaded with Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicals). I often point it out to folks I pass since many people are allergic to it and don't know how to recognize it. (If you are allergic, besides learning how to recognize it I also recommend not petting any dogs you encounter on the trail. I've seen folks let their dogs dive into patches of Poison Ivy with abandon.) But it's also important to recognize that it's a valuable native plant. It's a significant component of the low dense cover which is such important habitat for birds on the trail. And in the winter its berries are an important food source for them. This morning I got these two photos of a Yellow-rumped Warbler eating a Poison Ivy berry:

Here are a few more photos from this morning.

And here's my complete bird list.