The Nature Corner

Nature Notes ~ Earth Day Week

4/25/08 Happy Arbor Day!

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We spied a rabbit in our neighbor's lawn. We bet it is the same one who left his droppings in our backyard. He was a good size too ~ not a youngin'.

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We had the tiniest and prettiest butterflies in our yard this morning. Their wings were the lightest blue. I've never seen them before, but some research leads us to believe they were Spring Azure butterflies.

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We also have our first dandelion "puff" ~ the boys made short work of it, lol.

4/24/08 We saw our first chipmunk today!

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The ice cream man has started his nightly rounds once again. :)

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Azaleas, magnolia trees and dogwoods are all in bloom.

4/21/08 This week brings Earth Day (Tuesday) and Arbor Day (Friday), two important days on the natural calendar.

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Roundabouts last Thursday, the juncos disappeared. They have flown north for the summer and will return sometime this fall. We should keep our eyes peeled for the chipmunks now!

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The Carolina Wren is back - somewhere in the woods. We haven't seem him, but we can sure hear him. His ringing song is unmistakable!

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We had a mourning cloak butterfly in our yard the other day - but he was too fast for my camera.

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Forsythia is in full bloom now, and the lawns are getting to be a vivid green. Everything is budding and beginning to leaf out.

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We found scat in our yard, and after some investigation we realize it belongs to a rabbit! We've never had a rabbit in our yard! (Perfect timing as we are about to plant a garden, lol!)

Nature Notes ~ 4/15/08

We have such a beautiful week upon us! Up in the low 70s and sunny everyday! THIS is Spring in New England. :)

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We've seen several kinds of insects so far: cabbage butterfly, firefly, bumblebees and honeybees, a jumping spider, mosquitos (bleh), ticks (double bleh), shield bug (aka stink bug), slugs (technically invertebrates), and ants!

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The juncos are still here, though they've been quite active in the past week. I remember they got antsy like this last year just before migrating north.

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The grass is getting very green now, and dandelions are popping up everywhere.

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Crocus and daffodils are out. Tulips are on their way, forsythia is going to BURST this week with all this sunshine and warmth. :)

Nature Notes 4/10-4/11

4/11/08 We just had the mockingbird visit our front lawn! We see him every year about this time and then he's here all summer.

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Gray and cool today. A little sprinkle now and again.

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I am looking through the Brent & Becky's Bulb catalog this weekend. According to Martha, this is the time to order the bulbs we should plant in the fall. I *really* want to plant snowdrops, so I'm taking no chances and ordering straight away. )

4/10/08 Sooooo beautiful today! It was 60 degrees at 9:30 a.m.! They say it will reach 70 but at this point it doesn't even matter. The sun is warm and the breeze is gentle. The birds are singing like crazy and everything smells faintly of earth. Another Winter has been put to rest; Spring has most certainly returned.

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We're going to release the ladybugs today!

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We spied a pair of mallards on the way to speech this week. Earlybird and I have been reading Make Way for Ducklings so that was an especially fun sighting for him. :)

Nature Notes ~ First Week of April

4/8/08 We had a light frost last night, but the crocus appear to have survived it. They must be hardly little things. :) Today is the RED SOX Fenway Opener - it promises to be sunny and cool, in the 50s.

4/7/08 New Rules: Upon re-entering the home (after time spent out in the yard or neighboring woods) one must do a *complete and thorough* tick-check. AND one will throw all clothes into the wash immediately. AND the boys will all get their summer crew cuts ASAP. We have found multiple ticks on us since last weekend and today Earlybird had one attached to him! Right behind his left ear, under the hairline. It was awful getting it off of him. And it was definitely a deer tick. Now we watch and wait and hope that nothing comes of this ...

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I saw Cedar Waxwings today, for the very first time ever! They were in a tree near my vet's office. I saw a bird swoop in and I immediately thought, "That looked like a good size female cardinal." But when I looked into the tree, there were half a dozen or more of them! I stared and stared, and could come up with no better guess. I mentioned it to the receptionist inside the office and she confirmed that's what they were. I would LOVE to attract these birds to our feeders - they are so beautiful!

4/6/08 We found LOTS of spring in the woods yesterday! (See post In the April Woods.) Today is gray and colder again.

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Something has been at the feeders overnight. Nothing is wrecked, but some things have been knocked about. Bill said something is getting into the compost pile at night as well. Not a good thing ...

4/4/08 It is absolutely *pouring* out today! This rain will last possibly into Sunday when we might - gulp - see a few flakes mixed in. Next week, though!! Oh, the temps will be up in the mid-60s! Combined with that lovely spring sunshine we should see a real boost in the budding and greening of things around here. I'll gladly take this rain today if it means more spring next week! :)

4/2/08 They're baaaack ... PEEPERS! We heard them last night out in the woods! This means winter is really and truly over!

4/1/08 Here's our LAMB at last! It might reach the high 60s today! Humid, even, they said with a possible shower.

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Another sign of spring ~ the street sweepers came by yesterday. :)

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We had a flock of wild turkeys walk through our yard yesterday! There must have been a dozen of them, all fully grown adults. So beautiful. I took pictures, but none came out very clear.

3/31/08 OK, I take back that previous note! It is currently snowing out!!! Roar!

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March is going out like a ... well, it's hard to say, lol! It is gray and cool today, but not stormy. Tomorrow sounds like a definite lamb, though - 60s and sunny!

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The juncos are still here. Before long they will disappear until late fall once again.

Nature Notes 3/24-3/30/08

3/28/08 That four letter word ~ SNOW. Not a lot, but enough. March looks to go out like a lion ...

3/26/08 Finally, something to report! Today we noticed a sparrow flitting in and out of the back of a street light, and, a purple finch scrabbling around just outside our bathroom vent. I would say it is officially NESTing season! We need to get some dryer lint out there pronto! :)

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There still isn't a whole lot to say, lol. Not much happening just yet - I find myself talking about the weather most often. (Speaking of which, it will be mild in the 50s today with possible morning showers.) I will say, the birdsong is quite lovely at both dawn and dusk. :)

3/24/08 On this Easter Monday, the weather is cool (mid-forties) and bright. A good day to get a little fresh air, perhaps to go on a walk 'round the neighborhood or along the woodland path. One of these days (once we're all 100% again) I would like to take the boys on a Wayside walk - and by that I mean, to stroll along a quiet roadside somewhere to see what changes are happening in the early spring landscape. Down by our local market there is a marshy area and I have noticed, driving past, there are some very intersting nests in the shrubbery along the road. We might bike there if the weather is nice enough.

Nature Notes from Holy Week

3/2008 Spring has just SPRUNG! The Vernal Equinox arrived a few minutes ago, at 5:58 a.m. It is still pitch black outside so I can't see what this day will be like yet. According to the weather report, it will be rainy to start but mild - until a strong wind kicks in later today.

3/19/08 Sigh ... There's a dusting of snow on the ground this morning. And it's gray - quite cold and gray. Today looks to be a washout, with heavy rains through nightfall. I'd say it's a good day to be inside cleaning for Easter! Tomorrow, SPRING will begin (or so says my ticker below) and it should get up into the 50s with clearing skies and a strong wind.

3/17/08 Bright and breezy today, fairly chilly in the 40s. I imagine this is what Ireland might feel like! :)

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We spied a mallard duck in a marsh on our way to the play last night.

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More crocus shoots in the garden, and my folks have daffodils just about blooming!

Nature Notes 3/10-3/15/08

3/15/08 It's snowing here! A steady morning rain changed over to snow a bit ago. This should wrap up by noontime, but tomorrow (Palm Sunday) is supposed to bring flurries. So much for springtime ...

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We had a Hairy woodpecker here yesterday. He looks very much like the more common Downy woodpecker but he is quite larger.

3/14/08 I just came in from filling the feeders, and noticed there is so much noise coming from the woods! I am not sure what all of it is - songbirds, definitely but maybe wood ducks? We have a river back there as well as some vernal pools.

3/13/08 The Fox Sparrow has returned! He is much larger than the average sparrow, with a streaked breast and a ruddy color about him. He scratches at the dirt with both his legs, almost like he's jumping. He's unmistakable - we recognized him immediately, and remembered him from last year. :)

3/12/08 A true March day, we've had a bit of everything - rain, wind, snow, and now the most beautiful pastel sunset. Everything it touches is golden.

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It's still dark out so I can't see to be sure, but supposedy we're in for a few snow flurries today. We are heading to the woods to see how maple sugaring is done.

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The boys and Bill saw a huge eagle (or possibly a hawk) yesterday while they were out in the yard.

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I will say, though, the bushes are getting their tiny buds ... now if I could just find some wild-growing pussy willows. The grocery stores sell them of course, but I'd really like the boys to gather some for Palm Sunday this weekend.

3/10/08 Cold and bright today, right around 40 degrees. I have to say I enjoyed the later sunset last evening!

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The red-winged blackbirds have been regulars under the feeders. There are only males so far. From what I understand, the females arrive later.

Nature Notes 3/3-3/8/08

3/8/08 Don't forget to SPRING AHEAD tonight! And while you're at it, check those smoke alarm batteries, too. :)

3/7/08 Heavy rain on the way for tonight through tomorrow. We're on "Flood Watch" and everything! Should make things "nice" and muddy around here. No snow in sight though ...

3/5/08 A confirmed sighting: TWO red squirrels! Bookworm spotted them this morning under the feeders. :)

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A rainy day, thunderstorms on the way. Mild, up to 50. Just about every last trace of snow is gone. Mud season is up next.

3/4/08 Well, this is too funny! I hear-tell from my Texas friends that it's snowing down south! And here in Massachusetts we have a sunny day ahead, with temps up in the FIFTIES! Woo-hoo, this is like spring for us! Actually, rain is heading our wayl, ushered in by a strong March wind. That's OK ... at least it's not snowing! ;)

3/3/08 I found a dead mole under the birdfeeders this afternoon. He was tiny, not much bigger than a mouse. We've seen his tunnel-marks under the melting snow, and now here was his poor frozen little body. I hope there are more of them - do they live in broods or alone, I wonder?

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We just watched the neatest thing! We spied a tufted titmouse on a tree branch just outside the window - its wings were quivering (like CRAZY!) and its beak kept opening and closing. We opened the window just a crack and could hear a very high-pitched tweeting. Another titmouse sat closeby (cool as a cucumber, lol). We suspect this was courting behavior! (OR it could be a young looking to be fed, but we think it's too early for nestlings?) Either way, THIS makes it feel like spring is near! :)

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Oh my, it is going to be 50 degrees today!!

Nature Notes 2/25-3/2/08

2/25/08 Ooh, we just had a brown creeper on the trunk of the spruce tree!! We haven't seen him since last year! I'll have to look him up and see if he's migratory or even an early spring arrival. Brown creepers are like a nuthatch - they "creep" up and down a tree trunk looking for insects - but they are, as the name implies, brown. In fact, Bookworm commented that the coloring was much like a sparrow. I took pictures but none very clear. We'll be keeping our eye out for his next visit!

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We had deer in the woods out back last night! Just after suppertime, Bill noticed them first. Shadowy shapes moving behind the treeline. There were, it appeared, quite a few of them, but only one ventured close to the back fence. It was young and beautiful. It is just lovely to think we have deer living so close by.

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Have you heard the spring birdsong lately? If you listen closely (even if you just sit by a cracked open window) you can hear a song that sounds new, yet vaguely familiar. This gives me great hope that spring is nearing ...

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We're in for snow tonight, just a few inches. But it looks like next week the temperatures will budge up a bit.

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March begins Saturday - don't forget to see if he comes in like a LION!!

3/2/08 Oh, what a beautiful pink sunrise this morning ~ perfect for ROSE Sunday! Today will be sunny and up to 40 degrees but *blustery* with high winds. Love it. :)

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Very concerned about our finch population. I have seen now two birds - a house finch and a goldfinch - with eye disease. Today we will be taking down ALL our feeders and washing them thoroughly with a cleansing solution. I hope the disease does not spread - we have so many finches.

Nature Notes from Presidents' Week

2/23/08 We haven't measured yet, but according to the weather service, our town got 9.5 inches of snow last night! I can believe it ~ it is a virtual winter wonderland out there! And now the sun is breaking out, so there should be some melting. It would seem winter is well settled in ~  spring seems very far away!

2/22/08 A snowy day ahead! A storm will move in this morning and continue all day, ending sometime tomorrow. 5-9 inches predicted for our area. Once it gets light out, I'll run out to the feeders and make sure they're all filled to the brim. Should be a great day for birdwatching!

2/21/08 Did you see the MOON last night? I was at my book study meeting when Bill called (my heart jumped wondering what could be wrong) to ask me where the camera was, lol! He told me that he and the boys were watching the eclipse, and that it was *amazing* and so after I hung up, I told my friends about it and everyone ran outside to see, lol!

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It's going to be *very* cold today. We have Nature Club this afternoon (proposed theme: nature sketching) so we'd best dress very warm. :)

2/18/08 On the downside, a rainy day is upon us, and we really don't need the rain! On the upside though, the temperature will be almost 60 degrees! Back to the 30s by midweek ...

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Our birdseed heart (the one from Valentines day) has not been visited by even one bird!! The squirrels love it though, lol. And the cats "love" watching the squirrels through the sliding glass doors. We even had old Tough Nut visit on Friday! We haven't seen her in MONTHS. Long-time readers will know who I mean by Tough Nut. Bill said he saw Blackie out in the woods. And we've had two different red squirrels at the feeders - one is definitely much smaller than the other.

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Yesterday Bill did some woodwork staining so we had all the windows open for fresh air. As I worked at the kitchen sink I could hear a striking new bird song out in the woods. I used my camera to take a quick video clip of the song. It's exciting to think that at least the birds seem to think spring is on its way!