3-25

3-25
Today's new avian arrivals are Brown-headed Cowbirds. Cowbirds are brood parasites - they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds - and are often reviled by bird lovers.
However, right now any and all signs of spring are welcome, including cowbirds.
Red-tailed hawks in my neighborhood are sitting on eggs and crows are adding twigs to their nests.
Spring is creeping north!
John

It's coming.  It's coming.  The bears are awake.  Saw these prints yesterday.

3-22

3-22
Yesterday a Common Grackle joined the Red-winged Blackbirds at my feeders.
A Sharp-shinned Hawk also returned, much to the consternation of the smaller birds.
Some years a Sharpie will stay all winter hunting passerines at my feeders. This year I had not seen one for three months!
This morning a Northern Flicker moved through with a flock of 30 - 40 robins that stopped in my yard. Flickers are ant specialists so I don't know what this one was finding to eat although I have in the past seen them pick up suet crumbs under feeders.
John

3-18

3-18
A few Skunk Cabbage are putting up new growth. The mottled spathe (pictured) shelters the spadix which is covered with tiny yellow flowers. These are the first wildflowers of the year!
John

3-15

3-15
Down along the West River, Song Sparrows are dividing the thickets into territories and singing in defense of their claim.
Tom Turkeys are strutting their stuff. The hens are not yet receptive. All the show is for other toms. They're sorting out the dominance hierarchy.
And two or three very nervous Red-winged Blackbirds were hanging around my feeders this morning!
John

3-11

3-11
The first Turkey Vulture that I've seen this year was working its way up the West River valley today! It won't go hungry. The winter was hard on the deer herd … and it may not be over quite yet.
John

3-10

3-10
Although recent nights have not seemed like ideal moth weather, this Three-spotted Sallow (Eupsilia tristigmata) was at least briefly airborn. According to the field guide, three-spotted sallows often fly "on warm nights during winter." I found this one road-killed along Route 30.
John

3-8

3-8
A gray squirrel "tapped" this maple limb. Sun and wind do the evaporating. The squirrel will return periodically to savor the sugar… along with bits of bark, lichen and a dusting of road grit!
John

3-7

3-7
As I had not seen either of the local raven pair at my compost pile for the last week or ten days I assumed that they were nesting. This morning I confirmed my suspicions; one raven was sitting on the nest, the other lurked quietly in the area.
And in a stagnant West River backwater algae has turned the water thickly green! The food chain is rebuilding, even as snow and cold linger.
John

3-3

3-3
This recently returned Hermit Thrush was hunting for invertebrates in the leaves along a nearby brook. Like most thrushes, Hermits also eat a lot of berries.
They are also very hardy. I've seen an occasional fall hanger-on as late as New Year's day!
John

3-2

3-2
This chipmunk had a comfortable perch about 8 feet up in a rotten beech snag.
Dozens of robins and a few bluebirds were feeding today on both the ice and along the shores of the West River. Perhaps on stoneflies?
John

2-23

2-23
Snow Fleas are swarming atop the snow. Normally found in the leaf litter, snow fleas are active on warm winter days and, in early spring, when they mate. They look like dark, animated pepper specks.
Along the West River, Stoneflies are starting to emerge. Aquatic for most of their lives, stoneflies crawl out of the water, molt and live long enough to mate. Most do not eat as adults. They are very poor fliers and can be seen crawling atop the snow.
John

Patterns in Nature

The trees never stop providing beauty.  What could this be?

Snow Buntings

I have tried and tried to sneak up on these 10 snow buntings who have been visiting my backyard. You'll just have to take my word for it!

expect the unexpected

We know everything wonderful grows in Dummerston, but I didn't expect this to be growing from sphagnum moss.

new snow

The slate has been cleared with the new wonderful snow.  Almost cleared.  Here are some old tracks with my foot in the foreground.  The tracks line up perfectly.  This gray squirrel was the last to move after the snow began.

1-31

1-31
Today a group of male Hooded Mergansers dodged ice floes in the West River.
A flock of Cedar Wax-wings, robins, starlings and English Sparrows fed on apples and bittersweet in West Dummerston village.
And yesterday an adult Bald Eagle was cruising at tree top height just north of the covered bridge.
John

1-18

1-18
If you have hemlock trees, now is the time to survey for Adelgids.
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is most visible in mid and late winter. This infestation was along Camp Arden Road on a tree that I've checked frequently over the past few winters. This year adelgids are for the first time both present and easily visible.
John

1-17

1-17
For the first time in the 20 plus years that I've been offering suet to birds, Pileated woodpeckers are coming to feed!
As you can see, suet feeders, designed for downy and hairy woodpeckers, are inadequate for these birds.
Pileateds are carpenter ant and borer grub specialists and can demolish an infested tree while excavating for food.
They also eat a lot of berries and fruits including grapes and bittersweet berries.
John

1-15

1-15
Today along Camp Arden Road this Chipmunk surveyed its territory … and enjoyed a bit of sun!
And along the north border of my field, on the dry, sun-warmed leaves, a Grouse Locust also took advantage of the day.
John