So much happened around the cabin this weekend that I should have enough topics for this blog for two weeks. But this being spring, tomorrow is likely to be just as busy as two beautiful and warm spring days this past weekend.But to start, the bloodroot is blooming. This year the blooms lasted almost two days, so I suppose the flowers qualify as a two-day wonder this year. I counted the blooms I saw at the cabin and came up with 33 blooms yesterday. The odd thing is that the flowers are concentrated in one area not far outside the cabin door. I virtually never see the plant outside of this one small spot, though since the blooms don’t last very long, perhaps I am just missing them elsewhere.
On Sunday I went out for a little hawkwatching, accompanied by Dog. The sky was right but the wind turned more easterly than I expected. Still, I saw a few hawks, though no Broad-winged hawks, which is what I was hoping for. I did have a nice sighting a little later of 6 loons, likely common loons. Since I live on a mountain, in the middle of eastern deciduous forest, I see loons only during migration. Still, as I was on my back deck when I saw them overhead, I do put them on my "yard" bird list. If I can see them from my property they count—at least on my list.
What else? Well, I had everything from a group of wild turkeys crossing the road, stopping in the middle and deciding to lay down on the warm macadam for a while, oblivious to my desire to proceed along the road. Then I had a large snapping turtle crossing the road a few miles from the cabin, which stopped traffic in both directions for a while. The two little deer that ate my juniper bushes in late winter were back, still chewing, still at the juniper bush.
The towhees have arrived, as have the blue-gray gnatcatchers. The pileated woodpecker is investigating large holes in standing trees. In short, it was a busy weekend around the cabin. After the slowness of winter, this much activity is almost overwhelming. I don’t mind. It just takes a little getting used to.
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8 comments:
Lots of happy happenings out there! The natural world is awake.
Just thought you like know, I have snowflakes falling today. Grr!! I'll read your post tonight.
Cathy: Yikes! It was 40 here this morning (and rainy). Not cold enough for snow. Chin up! it won't last.
Carolyn H.
Really enjoyed reading your very personal posts on both your blogs. Always fascninating to read other peoples thoughts about the wildlife that is around them.
This time of year is just astounding! So many new things each day! I get writer's cramp just trying to keep up with my wildflower journal. By the way, I found a photo of "my" Spring Beauties in my computer files and posted it on my blog, www.saratogawoodswaters.blogspot.com
I wish I could ID birds by sight. I have such bad eyesight they all look like blurs at a distance. I'm trying to learn their songs. Do you get Winter Wrens where you live? The most beautiful song you will ever hear!
I'm back ;)
Ah nice to see you had a good weekend. I spent most of mine working on two beautiful days. At least I caught up with my work to a point. I think I have some bloodroot around me but everything up here is now just starting to come up.
Turkeys, have a flock that come through the yard. Hoping to snag a few more photos of the males all puff out.
Clearly Spring is finally planted itself in your neck of the woods as I watched snowflake fall while i work.
Oh-ho! You have bloodroot, too. Don't know how I missed this post yesterday. But sounds like you had a busy time.
It's been cold and rainy here—low-50s (42 right now) and heavy overcast. Spring on pause. I've been playing photo tag with my own pileateds…and have finally managed a few shots in the dim-but-soft light.
I'm thinking about building a hearthfire and warming the great room up before lunch. (Also thinking about digging my winter coat back out of its storage box in the attic!) But the Carolina wren is singling loud, so I guess I'll keep believing that spring is really here.
Woodswalker: i'm still coping with sensory overload. Winter suddenly seems awfully slow and spring is moving far too quickly!
Cathy: I hope that's the last of your snow flurries for the year.
Griz: I wasn't ready to relight the fires, but I did wear a sweater in the cabin yesterday. Today, warm again. The bloodroot is over already. Good luck with the pileateds. I always have trouble photoing them. They move too much.
Carolyn H.
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