Monthly Archives: February 2011

Content Distribution Network – Cloudflare

I’ve been concerned about a couple of potential issues as the audience for USWildflowers.com grows, and while the jury is still out on the effectiveness, I hope they’ll be helped a bit by using a CDN – Content Distribution Network.  I doubt this will interest most folks reading this journal, but I want to get it down “on paper” as a record of when and why.

Continue reading

Northern Mockingbird #Birds #WingsOnWednesday

The “Northern” in “Northern Mockingbird” (Mimus polyglottos) seems strange for a bird now found throughout the United States, especially since in the past the range did not include the northern part of the country. Turns out, however, that there is a cousin species, the Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus,) found from southern Mexico down into Brazil, so I assume that would be the “southern” mockingbird.

In any case, this bird, full of personality, is one of our year-round residents. This one was on a post at Reflection Riding Aboretum in Hamilton County, Tennessee on January 3 of this year, and appears to be enjoying a meal of an insect.

Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos

Deptford Pink – Dianthus armeria – Added to USWildflowers Database

Deptford Pink, a non-native, has been added to the USWildflowers database (02/12/2011.)  Scientific name is Dianthus armeria.  It is listed as an  invasive species by some authorities.  It’s also known by the common name  Mountain Pink, although that common name (as happens often with common names) also applies to another species (Centaurium beyrichii.)  Photo below was taken in Haywood County, NC on July 12, 2010.

Deptford Pink - Dianthus armeria

Deptford Pink – Dianthus armeria

Continue reading