Tamarack Tree

White Spruce Tree

White Spruce Tree
 

 

 

White spruce

It trees reach up to 140 feet tall.  Diameters of these trees reach up to 3 feet. 

It's primary uses are pulpwood, lumber, furniture, boxes, and crates.

 

 

The needles are 1/2-3/4 usually inch long.



The cones are slender 1 1/4-2inches long.

 

 

Some animals that like this tree are gray jays... 



 grouse...

 and all kinds of birds.



Tree of Study Links:
Pines
White Pine
Red Pine
Jack Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Sugar Pine
Hemlock
Blue Spruce

Cooper's Hawk

Large Raptor Birds
Part 9

Cooper's Hawk

 

 

 This is the cooper's hawk. It is a medium sized hawk native to North American continent and found from southern Canada to northern Mexico. Like almost all raptors the male is smaller than the female.

 

The wingspan of a cooper's hawk is 62 to 94cm (24-37cm.)  Their average weight is 12-18oz for females and 16oz on average for the male cooper's hawk.  Sizes can vary from 14 to 20 inches long.

 

 

 

 

Cooper's hawk nests can be found in tops of trees.  Over a 2 week period of time a nest will reach 27 inches in diameter.  Surprisingly the pile of sticks is sometimes concealed very well and often can be mistaken for another critters nest. 

 

 

In each nest you will find 3-5 eggs. 

The clutch will hatch in 30-36 days.

 

 Chicks become independent around 8 weeks.  

• 

This hawk has been known to live 12 years in the wild; however, the oldest living hawk was recorded at 20 years and 4 months.

 Cooper's Hawk is another one of my favorite hawks.  They are fascinating to watch in flight and when they are soaring over fields or streams looking for their next hunt.
 

Here is our Web Cam Page for Links to view this bird.
Raptor Cams



Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Balsam Tree

Balsam Tree

 

A Balsam tree will grow to be on average 44-66 feet in height, however some have grown as large as 90 feet tall.  The are considered to be a small to medium sized evergreen tree.

 

 The bark of a balsam tree is smooth, shiny and silvery when young.  As it ages and matures you can notice "blisters", see photo below.

 

Balsam bows have beautiful scented needles.  The needles are 1/2-1 inch in length.

 Cones are 1 1/2 to 3 inches long.

 

The balsam fir is not only used for lumber, pulp, medicinal and for its resin.  It was once used for mattresses in the early days prior to foam.  (Still great for camping!)  Balsam is used for fragrance and air fresheners today. 

 

It is also a preference of trees for decoration by some during the holiday season.  So when you are outdoors next and smell the sweet aroma look around for this beautiful balsam tree.

Tree of Study Links:
Pines
White Pine
Red Pine
Jack Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Sugar Pine
Hemlock
Blue Spruce

Swainson's Hawk

Large Raptor Birds
Part 7

Swainson's Hawk

 

 

Named after William Swainson, this large hawk can be found along prairies and grasslands.

 

The Swainson's hawk can cover 15,000 miles (24,000km) during its migrations north.

A common color pattern for the adult hawk is dark brown plumage with a brown chest and a pale belly.

 

The nests of a swainson's hawk can contain 1-4 eggs that incubate from 34-35 days.

 

 

Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Sparrow Hawk

Large Raptor Birds
Part 6

 

The Sparrow Hawk

 

The sparrow hawk is also called the American kestrel. This little raptor is a falcon. 

 

 

 

The diet of a sparrow hawk consists of grasshoppers, lizards, mice, and small birds.

 The male sparrow hawk is no smaller than a robin.

 

This American Kestrel nests in trees, cavities of rocks, cliffs and/or caves.  Laying 3-7 eggs per nest, both male and female help incubate the eggs.  This bird extends all across North America and can be seen migrating south during winter seasons.  This falcon is a wonderful site to see.

 

 

 

 

 

Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Hemlock Tree

The Hemlock Tree

This is an other conifer called the eastern hemlock. It is a handsome tree, with dark-green foliage and gracefully drooping branches.

 

The needles are flat, a little more then a half-inch long. the cone is among the smallest of any conifer, brown and persistent.

 

The hemlock tree is also called the tsuga.  They are medium sized evergreen trees.  Evergreen means that it is green all year round.

 

The evergreen can reach almost 200 feet tall.  (33ft-197ft.)  The bark of a hemlock tree is scaly and a brown/greyish color.

 

The hemlock is important to lumber mills for pulp.  The bark of a hemlock is known for its tannin.

eastern hemlocks are also used for lumber.

 

 

The Sugar Pine Tree

The Sugar Pine Tree

"King of the Conifers"

The most massive pine tree with the longest pine cones amongst the conifers.  ( A Coulter Pine Tree a has more massive cone.)

 

The average height of a Sugar Pine Tree is 130- 200 feet tall.

 

The Cones are approximately 10-20 inches long.

 

These trees can be found in the Western United States.  California, Oregon and even in the Baja of California and Northwestern Mexico on can spot these gigantic conifers.

 

These pine trees are massive and are used for boat building. Sugar pine seeds can be cooked.  The sugar pine is not only known for it's lumber, but also its pitch and resin.

Tree of Study Links:
Pines
White Pine
Red Pine
Jack Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Sugar Pine
Hemlock
Blue Spruce

Ponderosa Pine Tree

PINE TREES

PART 4

Ponderosa Pine Tree

 

This photo was used with permission from Richard Webb, Self-employed horticulturist click here for a link.

In other areas of the country the ponderosa pine is also known as bull pine, blackjack pine, or a yellow western pine.


The ponderosa pine reaches its 60 to100 feet high.


The ponderosa pine can be found in rocky, dry and alkaline soil.


 

Jack Pine Tree

 

PINE TREES

PART 3

Jack Pine Tree

 

 

The height of a jack pine tree is 30-50 feet tall. Its needles are very sharp.                    

  The jack pine is not the straightest pine tree.  It is often knotty

and only grows shrub like if there are poor conditions like in the southern us.

 Its pine cones are curved, pointed out and tightly closed except during periods of extreme heat.  (Then they will reseed.)

 

The jack pine is another species in the pine tree family.  It is used similar to other pines.  One endangered bird, Kirtland's warbler looks for a jack pine tree during mating season. 

The jack pine tree is a beautiful species of pine that creates acidic soil for plenteous blueberries, which I love!  Thanks jack pine trees.
 

Tree of Study Links:
Pines
White Pine
Red Pine
Jack Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Sugar Pine
Hemlock
Blue Spruce