20 September 2025
There are so many oaks in Schenley Park that a few burr oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) are not noticeable until they drop their large, fringed acorns. Where did they come from? I looked up to find the tree, taller and broader than its neighbors.
The burr oak’s location does not have a good view so I sat beneath a large oak at the top of Flagstaff Hill overlooking Oakland. Based on acorns, leaves, and the history of landscaping in Schenley Park, my guess is that I sat beneath an English oak (Quercus robur).
It’s a high mast year for this particular tree. The only way I avoided being hit by acorns was to sit with my back against the trunk!
Other sightings this week include birds Tuesday morning at Bird Lab’s Hays Woods banding which I wrote about on Wednesday’s blog: Hays Woods Birds Live up to Expectations.
I rarely walk through the Heinz Chapel Memorial Garden but its fountain is attractive during the drought. On the way to the fountain I found an engraved paver stone with a non-traditional dedication.
If you want to find this stone, enter the Heinz Memorial Chapel Garden from the Bellefield Avenue side (near the steps to Bellefield Ave) and look at the pavers along the left. (This photo does not include a view of the Will You Marry Me paver.)
Engraved pavers at the bargain price of 2-5000 dollars.
Someone had money to spare. The good news is that anyone can use the location to pop the question for free.