Snow on the rose, Pittsburgh, 2 Dec 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
6 December 2025
As I mentioned on Thursday, Pittsburgh isn’t usually this cold in early December and certainly not for long. But ever since it snowed Tuesday morning the temperature has not ventured above freezing, though it will finally do so later today.
On Monday it was comfortably above freezing when I saw sun shining through yellow-green willow leaves at the Beaver River in Rochester, PA.
Willow with green and yellow leaves, Rochester, PA, 1 Dec 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
On Tuesday all the trees were coated in snow and so was the rose (photo at top). It was hazardous weather for a flower.
Snow covered trees, Cathedral of Learning, overcast sky, Pittsburgh, 2 Dec 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Snow-covered tree on Pitt’s campus, 2 Dec 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
On Thursday sun lit Flagstaff Hill before the night turned quite cold.
Snow on Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, 4 Dec 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Today and tomorrow the snow will melt but then we’re heading back into a deep freeze Monday night. Terrible weather for a rose.
Immature tundra Swan at Duck Hollow, 18 Nov 2025 (photo by Jim McCollum)
23 November 2025
Just as the weather was turning foggy last week, Jim McCollum photographed an immature tundra swan at Duck Hollow. His photo, above, inspired me to go look for it but by the time I got there the swan was so far away it was a white dot in my scope. The dot might have been floating garbage except that it had a neck and it swam upstream.
Despite that disappointment Charity Kheshgi and I went to Duck Hollow yesterday morning and peered through the continuing mist.
The Monongahela River at Duck Hollow, 22 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
The swan was there! About half as far away as before, so we waited for it to come closer.
When the swan crossed the river, a tugboat appeared upstream heading in the bird’s direction. Rather than wait at the shore the bird swam downstream — toward us! — periodically looking back at the tugboat to gauge its progress. Only one of my many digiscope attempts succeeded, below. The bird was swimming so hard that it had a wake at its prow.
Immature tundra swan at Duck Hollow, 22 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Charity photographed it looking our way.
Immature tundra swan on the Monongahela River, Duck Hollow, 22 Nov 2025 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
Lest you think the entire week was foggy, I happened to capture a moment of sun. A blue house, a blue sky, and a bare ginkgo on Yew Street.
Ginkgo street tree on a sunny day in Bloomfield, Pittsburgh, 17 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Now that most of the trees are bare(*) we can see nests that were hidden by summer leaves. Among them are those built by hornets, birds, and squirrels.
Papery hornet nests dangle like hanging raindrops or upside-down cones from a sturdy branch.
Squirrel nests — actually called dreys — look like misshapen leaf balls with a few twigs poking out.
A drey is the nest of a tree squirrel, flying squirrel or ringtail possum (in Australia). Dreys are usually built of twigs, dry leaves, and grass, and typically assembled in the forks of a tall tree. They are sometimes referred to as “drey nests” to distinguish them from squirrel “cavity nests” (also termed “dens”).
Squirrels use dreys as nests in spring-summer and shelters in the winter. Before the leaves fall they are busy biting off leafy branches and carrying them up to the winter drey. It takes a lot of effort to keep their shelter warm and waterproof. Brrrr!
In the top photo there are three dreys in three trees and one in the fork of a tree in Schenley Park, below.
Squirrel drey in the crotch of a tree, Schenley, 11 Dec 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)
How can we tell whether it’s a squirrel’s drey or a large bird nest?
Large bird nests, such as the crow nest below, are built of sticks. Squirrels use leaves, especially on the outside.
(*) Most of the trees are bare: For many years I’ve kept track of leaf-off in Schenley Park. Sometimes it’s early, sometimes it’s late. This year most of the trees were bare on or before Friday 14 November 2025. Here’s what the park looked like on that date.
Most of the trees are bare, Schenley Park, 14 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Ginkgo leaf with beads of water, 14 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
15 Nov 2025
After my 11 November article about The (Pittsburgh) Ginkgo Map I kept my eye out for local ginkgo trees (Ginkgo biloba) but I was already too late to see them drop their leaves.
That afternoon I went back to photograph the Garetta Street trees, shown in my article from 11 November 2017.
Ginkgo trees at Jewish Association on Aging, Garetta Street as seen from JHF Drive, 11 Nov 2017 (photo by Kate St. John)
But the 11th of November was too late this year. All the leaves had fallen and the landscaping crew was sucking them into the red truck (at right, below). Oh no! I was just in time to see part of their yellow carpet.
Ginkgo trees at Jewish Association on Aging, Garetta Street as seen from JHF Drive, 11 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
On Friday I photographed the ginkgo leaf carpet at Phipps Conservatory’s lawn. Someone had picked up a bunch of leaves and made a smaller pile in the distance. I picked up one leaf beaded with water, above, and took its photo.
Carpet of ginkgo leaves at Phipps Conservatory lawn, 14 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Ginkgos weren’t the only yellow.
Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is blooming in Schenley Park. Its pale yellow flowers are fertilized at night by owlet moths that survive cold weather by hiding under leaf litter during the day. They shiver to warm up and fly at night.
Witch-hazel in bloom, Schenley Park, 14 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
The wind made waves in Panther Hollow lake on 13 November, turning the sunlight from yellow to gold.
video by Kate St. John, 13 Nov 2025
Light reflects on wavy surface of Panther Hollow Lake, video by Kate St. John, 13 Nov 2025
Ginkgo leaves in Schenley Park, 31 Oct 2022 (photo by Kate St. John)
11 November 2025
Ginkgo trees (Ginkgo biloba) are living fossils from the Triassic, the only plant in their division to survive into the modern age. Because they are extremely hardy, cope well with air pollution and confined root systems, and are beautiful in autumn, they are often planted in cities around the world. Pittsburgh has many ginkgo trees, perhaps because of our Smoky City past.
Ginkgo trees at Jewish Association on Aging, Garetta Street as seen from JHF Drive, 11 Nov 2017 (photo by Kate St. John)
For seven years, Pittsburgh writer and professor Mark Kramer has been mapping ginkgo locations, mostly in southwestern Pennsylvania. Through word of mouth he now has pin drops in 3 countries and 26 states.
At this time of year, when the ginkgos are at their peak of yellow, Mark asks for more photos and locations.
NOTE: If you’re viewing this on mobile: There is a Facebook bug since October 2024 that prevents displaying embedded Facebook posts on mobile devices. Until Meta fixes it click here to see Mark’s post.
Do you know of a ginkgo that isn’t on his map? I do. It’s the row of trees pictured above.
Black tupelo fruits and fall color, Schenley Park, 6 November 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
8 November 2025
Fall color faded quickly after yesterday’s gusty winds blew all the best leaves off the trees. The colors were brilliant in Schenley Park on Thursday 6 November as seen in these photos.
Fall color in Schenley Park, 6 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Fallen sweetgum leaf, Schenley Park, 6 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Fall color in Schenley Park, 6 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
We found yellow black walnut leaves at Moraine State Park on Monday 3 November. The leaves and stems felt soft because they are fuzzy.
Fall color on black walnut leaves, Moraine State Park, 3 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Yesterday Schenley Park was at “Half Leaf” — about 50% of the leaves had fallen — and the remaining leaves were not as brilliant. The colors have faded fast.
Beech trees are the last to show fading fall color, Schenley Park, 7 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Soon the only brilliant colors will be in the sky.
Fall color in the sky at sunrise, 7 Nov 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Green hawthorn fruits (probably Winter King cultivar), Frick Park, 28 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
1 November 2025
This week the brightest fall color disappeared from the landscape as rain and wind took down the reddest leaves. This showed off many colorful fruits to attract attention.
Above, a hawthorn tree at Frick Environmental Center is loaded with bright red fruit. I believe this is a cultivar of the green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) chosen for its winter hardiness.
Below, on Flagstaff Hill I found one tree that still had red leaves on Wednesday. Thursday’s rain and wind probably stripped it bare.
One red tree left on Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, 29 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) was so colorful that even the bud scales looked red.
Fragrant sumac leaves and buds near Phipps, 29 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Sunrise in Pittsburgh, 19 October 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
25 October 2025
Vibrant reds and oranges graced the sky and the forest in Pittsburgh this week.
Our region is in the midst of an oak-hickory forest so red-colored leaves can be scarce. Oaks turn dark red after most other trees are bare and hickories turn yellow, so I look forward to the moment when our few sugar maples turn red. It happened this week in Schenley Park, as you can see below.
Fall color on maples in Schenley Park, 23 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Fall color on maples in Schenley Park, 23 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Fall color along the Lower Trail at Schenley Park. Notice that it’s yellow. 20 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Fall color on maples in Schenley Park, 23 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Sunlight breaks through the background; fall color in Schenley Park, 23 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Two deer browsed near Schenley’s Upper Trail. One is already in her gray winter coat but so close to the trail that her camouflage didn’t matter. I would have missed the other deer (yellow arrow) except that it moved.
Two deer browsing in Schenley Park near the Upper Trail, 20 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Cold temperatures have ended this year’s spotted lanternflies so I was surprised to see one on the Panther Hollow Bridge. The air was so cold that didn’t move as I approached. Hah! I see you.
Spotted lanternfly, Schenley Park, 20 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
p.s. Mary Kate reminded me that sweetgum trees are very pretty in the fall. I’ll try to get some pictures this coming week.
This week I learned from a bow hunter that the few deer I see resting in Schenley Park are too young to hunt. Restrictions on antler size and “plumage” (coat indications) prohibit taking the ones I’ve seen. Apparently these individuals somehow know they are safe.
After four weeks of browsing neighborhood yards the pickings must be slim over in Shadyside. On Saturday 11 October a doe visited the Oakland highrise district to browse on the landscaping, slideshow above.
Burr oak acorns, Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, 17 September 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
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.
Burr oak acorn, Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, 17 September 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
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).
(presumably) English oak acorns, Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, 17 September 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
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.
Common yellowthroat at Hays Woods Bird Lab, 16 September 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Dotted line across the morning sky, Pittsburgh 17 Sept 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
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.
Memorialized paver stone at Heinz Chapel, Univ of Pittsburgh, 17 Sept 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
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.)
