4-10
This afternoon's thunderstorm triggered the "Big Night" for our nearest vernal pool. Tons of salamanders, peepers, wood frogs, etc.
John

vernal pool

Somewhere between 100 to 200 wood frogs in the vernal pool on the East-West Road (close to Black Mountain Road).  Unbelievable sound.  We helped cross 10 salamanders, and 10 wood frogs.  Others died while we watched, and couldn't stop the on coming cars.  Then in the distance we saw four pairs of big white eyes on the land  and then in the water.  The raccoons were feasting. 

4-10
The first Mayflowers I've seen this year were flowering along Camp Arden Rd. this morning.
On a nearby bit of dead wood, this fungus - perhaps Cinnabar-red polypore - put on a much more colorful show.
John

Utah spring sightings

4.09.13    The reward for paying a visit to the local reservoir at sunset was this brilliantly colored male Cinnamon teal that was keeping company with a pair of mallards.  These ducks summer in this area.  Today three Spotted Towhees scratched in the wood chips under the bird feeder and some shrubs in the back yard.  I spotted an American Kestrel zooming through at least 3-4 times; the Towhees avoided becoming lunch meat by never straying from the cover of the shrubs.   Yesterday the yard had a fresh cover of snow.  

4-9
Northern Flickers are back, as are White-Throated Sparrows and Palm Warblers.
In a nearby vernal pool, Woodfrogs were in a wildly vocal mating frenzy despite rotting ice covering the greater part of the pool's surface.
And Bloodroot is in flower along Green Mountain Camp Rd.
John

A sudden rain shower this afternoon around 5:30 created the perfect conditions for a rainbow.

4-7
This morning at my house a Fox Sparrow was pecking around in the shrubbery. These large colorful sparrows are only seen in Vermont during spring and fall migrations.

And, despite below freezing morning temperatures and a bit of sleet, a few trillium were poised to open.  This was just over the town line in Brattleboro.

John

I walked in my  woods to my quartz rock, large enough to sit on.  When I returned I found a deer tick crawling on my hand.  So....be careful as you explore the woods. 

4-5
Along Green Mountain Camp Road there were swarms of the moth with the intriguing common name of "The INfant". This smallish (1 1/4 inch) day flying moth has bright orange flash points on its hind wings. Its forewings are mostly gray. These moths are devilishly elusive and I've never managed to get a picture of one.
John

4-5
A few Hepaticas are starting to lift their faces to the sun.

Despite being heavily browsed by winter-starved deer, Myrtle is managing to open a few flowers.

High overhead a Northern Harrier (AKA Marsh Hawk) worked its way north.

     A tiny (3/8 inch) pollen dusted bee posed for a picture, proving beyond any doubt that pollinators are finding work!

Half a dozen Mourning Cloak butterflies flitted along the roadsides near my house today.

John

4-4
The first Phoebe I've seen this spring stopped briefly in my yard this morning. Perching in the top of a Black Locust tree, he flicked his tail a few times, scanned the area for a few seconds and then headed on north.
John

Caressed beech tree

This beech tree is on the property of Walker Farm.  It is incredibly smoothed bark tree, with an unusual adornment.  Don't know quite what it is, and I have asked the Insect and Disease Specialist for more information.  But whatever it is, I think it's awesome.

4-3
One Chipping Sparrow has found its way north, and is feeding in my neighborhood with flocks of juncoes and Song Sparrows.

4-1
Among the birds moving north today was a Tree Swallow. According to my journal entries, over the last ten years I've first seen returning tree swallows as early as 3-27 and as late as 4-13. The average tree swallow return-by date for those ten years was 4-3.
John

Ann's sightings

I'm on Hague Road. And today, April 1 we have two female brown-headed cowbirds at the feeder - a first. Also, a pair of downy woodpeckers have been regulars for about a month. And recently Song Sparrows and American Goldfinshes. Regulars since January have been Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Common Redpoll Finches and Slate-colored Juncos.

Ann  (Dummerston, Resident)

3-31
This morning a small flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds showed up in my yard, the first I've seen this year.
John

3-29
     Coltsfoot (pictured) and Common Chickweed were flowering today. Both species are alien introductions, but very welcome signs of spring.
     Mourning Cloak butterflies were flying this morning. Mourning Cloaks overwinter as adults and emerge on warm spring days.
     Ruby Crowned Kinglets are moving north, feeding in trees along the West River. Kinglets are conifer specialists but these were all in deciduous trees.
     And … male Woodcock are doing their mating season sky-dance in fields near my house. The dance starts at dusk and on these moonlit nights may continue until dawn!
John

Beech tree

This beech tree was over 200 years old when it died, but it continues to "live on" feeding the deer.

3-25
The frantic mobbing cacophony of 6 to 8 crows alerted me to the presence of this Bald Eagle which was perched in a locust tree behind my barn, and flew seconds after I emerged from my house.
John

Cache

I've been walking a route around my house and I came upon a cache (a hole about the size of my boot).  When I looked close I could see a print in it with an X.  I knew then it was in the dog family.  Luckily there was urine marking the cache and when I went close I could smell skunk--Therefore it was a red fox.  There were 3 caches.  Foxes bury portions of uneaten food, and can then find them.

3-24
New, tender-looking Hobble bush leaves maintain a sort of suspended animation, waiting for warm weather to return.

John

Barred Owl in Broad Daylight

1:20 p.m. Barred Owl at the Bird Feeder

Waiting for lunch?

at Cheryl Wilfong's & Bill McKim's
on Partridge Road in East Dummerston

Special snow

The snow was particularly special yesterday.  The consistency made it possible to make tunnels.  The arch made by pushing my shovel through the snow on the top of the roof was strong.  And they made themselves, too.  Unfortunately, my picture of that event didn't really capture that image.  I did take a picture from my window this morning.  Very different, too.

3-18
In optimal micro-climates the hood-like spathes of skunk cabbage stood proud above the frozen leaf litter this morning, while the thermometer registered just 11 degrees F!
Inside the spathe is a structure called a spadix on which grow the tiny creamy yellow flowers, just visible in one of these pictures.
For the skunk cabbage this is spring!

John

Utah Spring migration 3.17.13

Utah is on the flyway for many species of birds that winter on the western side of  American continent and migrate to the northwest for summer.  Friday we went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, a 74,000 acre site where the Bear River empties into the Great Salt Lake.  Ice isn't entirely out, but migratory birds, anxious to start their northerly trek, have started to arrive.  A marsh at the visitor's center was fairly vibrating with strident croaking of Western Chorus frogs.   Huge numbers of stately Tundra Swans dwarfed all the others; nearly white with long black bills and black legs, they intermingled on the ice and water with Canada geese.  Ducks - Northern shovelers, Common goldeneye, Northern pintail;  Great blue herons; Coots all shared space.  Several Rough-legged hawks hunted from post-perches (they'll be leaving for the north imminently); Bald eagles chose hunting spots closer to open water.    It was hard to put down the binoculars and take up a camera--this is when those long lenses of real photographers pay off! 

3-16

These carrion flower berries clung on the dead stalk all winter.

Both birds and mammals will feed on these berries but they are nutritionally poor; perhaps they're not a favored food?

And today I saw my first chipmunk of the season!

John

3-15
Today a sleek and confident appearing red fox was hunting in my fields at 9 am.
As foxes are primarily nocturnal this one's behavior led me to speculate that it might be a dog fox hunting double shifts to feed a vixen denned up somewhere with a new batch of kits!
It's that time of year.
John

It's spring at my house!!!
Everyone from last nights meeting should get this e-mail

Utah spring migration

Three male Western Meadowlarks took their positions atop various perches in nearby fields and sang joyously in the warm (60 degree) sunshine this afternoon.  Presumably, their purpose was to stake claim to territory; for me, their melodious voices were spreading cheer and a glorious affirmation that I am a happy guest in their rightful environment.    Early this evening, I joined a group of 'birders' at Beus Pond, a little nature preserve in an urban center, where domestic ducks and geese are joined by their wild counterparts and more during migration.  Numerous Wood ducks, a Belted kingfisher, Spotted Towhee, Lesser goldfinch, California gull - 20 species total provided entertainment. 

Utah - signs of spring

While the mountains that surround us are still white, the hills below 6000 feet are nearly bare and one distant hillside actually has the appearance of green grass coming up.  Turkey vultures have been soaring over the area for more than a week; on the two irrigation reservoirs there have been a first-year Great Blue Heron, several pairs of Common Mergansers, a Common Goldeneye, and about 30 Canada geese.  A killdeer was preening and resting at the water's edge this afternoon - first day of ice out, air temperature near 50.  Walking back to the house, this Common porcupine caught my eye.  Well-camouflaged with long blonde guard hairs, they masquerade as a bunch of dried vegetation.  Usually I see them in the canopy of hawthorn trees gnawing the bark off.  (Yes, they do have quills!) 

3-12
A small flock of grackles moved through my yard today, and a savannah sparrow foraged low in the underbrush. The spring bird migration is ramping up!
John

3-11
This morning a red-winged blackbird fed with the mourning doves under my bird feeders.
Early in the afternoon a red-shouldered hawk fought its way north on rather erratic winds.
John

3-10
Today I saw my first woodchuck of the year. Unfortunately it was road kill on Route 30 near Maple Valley.
Male woodchucks come out of their burrows with two things on their minds, one of which is a drink of water. Metabolizing fat during hibernation often leaves 'chucks desperately dehydrated. Their other imperative, of course, is to visit the burrows of all neighborhood females.
John

3-9
Turkey vultures are back ! ! !
John

3-8
Winter stoneflies (perhaps one or more of the 38 Allocapnia species?) are hatching in huge numbers, peppering snow covered rocks in and near the West River. Many that I photographed seemed to have short nonfunctional wings. Most were creeping doggedly away from the water.
Many stonefly species hatch in late winter and early spring. some are known to remain active down to 20 degrees F.
At this time of year crows spend lots of time foraging on the rocks and ledges in midstream, and I suspect that they are feeding on these hatches.
I also believe that early arriving insectivorous birds such as phoebes, when caught in spring nor'easters, are able to survive because of this cold weather bounty.
John

3-5
As this day-hunting barred owl approached its perch, a red-tailed hawk dove screaming at it from above as if trying to drive it away.
Along the edges of my field it was warm and dry enough for grouse locust to be active.
And late in the day, high high overhead, a skein of 50 - 60 Canada geese powered their way north.
John

3-3
This morning, looking up into the white-out snow squalls, I saw 6 seagulls heading north.
An hour later I watched a Kingfisher drift north while it hunted along the West River.
John

2-28
The first sharp-shinned hawk I've seen around my neighborhood in several months was hunting feeder birds in my yard this morning.
As sharpies are dimorphic, the small size of this bird  means that it's probably a male.
John

Utah - Wintering Eagles

     Today the local Audubon chapter made its annual Eagle count starting at  Larry's Spring Chicken Inn for a hearty breakfast before heading out in a driving snowstorm.  We observed 4 Golden eagles (my first) and at least 6 Bald eagles;  at a club member's feeders we observed Common Redpolls, Hoary Redpolls, and an Oregon Junco.  An American Dipper entertained briefly as it skittered along a fast-flowing shallow stream.  Deteriorating road conditions and consistent snow and wind cut short the trip which is scheduled at this time of year to take advantage of the eagles' presence before many migrate north for summer.  The immature Golden eagle pictured was feeding on some remains in a sheep pasture; the Bald eagle, along with a few others, was perched high over an open stream.

Spring

Any guess as to is happening?  No it's not urine.

Utah - Ring-necked Duck

       A lone male Ring-necked duck has been bobbing along on a small neighborhood pond for the past two days.  These ducks winter somewhat south of Utah and summer mostly in Canada.  I made this duck's acquaintance when it took a migratory break on the Retreat Meadows in Brattleboro a few years ago.   According to Sibley, it is named for a dark brown ring at the base of the neck; I have learned to look for the white ring on its bill as visual marker that is much more evident.  Maybe this means winter is nearly over?  Present conditions make me doubtful!

2-21
The lone Red-tailed hawk that has wintered in my neighborhood is now sharing its territory … perhaps with its mate?
And on the West River a pair of Hooded Mergansers kept company with a female Common Merganser.
John