Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens). Most often I’ll see one at the suet feeder. Less frequently it will be one at the hulled sunflower seeds or at the shelled peanuts. But only one.
Yesterday, much to my surprise there were three Downy Woodpeckers. Not at any of the feeders. Just hanging out in the woods. Of course they didn’t want to pose for a group photo. Maybe next time.
Happy February 23rd. A very warm day. Like a marvelous summer day. Here in the mountains it got up to 77°. The weather forecast for February 24th, two days from now, sleet, freezing rain and snow has been mentioned. Crazy.
For today, it’s a perfect day for a custard peach pie. But then isn’t every day perfect for a custard peach pie?
No. Actually I know exactly where they are.
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). Surrounded by the branches of a blueberry bush. The buds have lasted through the winter waiting for spring, to expand and become blueberry blossoms.
Just a few days ago the noisy Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) arrived at my little pond for their breeding season. Two days ago Granddaughter and I went out to check on the pond and the eggs. Here’s what was out there, and surely today there are many more. Those frogs have really been busy.
Since these eggs have been laid in chilly water, it may take a month for them to hatch. If the eggs had been laid later in the season in warmer water, hatching would take place in 10 to 14 days.
Stay tuned. I’m going to be watching what happens as winter turns to spring.
Yesterday, just after noon a bird came by, surely on the lookout for its lunch. It sat in a Maple Tree which was thinking of bursting forth with red springtime blooms. The bird, a large one, a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus).
As it sat there, the birds at the feeders immediately realized the hawk was on the prowl, and vanished. I’m sure though, at some point it found what is was looking for. Lunch.
_______________________
If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
Rock-shield Lichen (Xanthoparmelia). A lichen that I commonly see up here growing on rocks. An incredible organism that is a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and an alga.
I’ve become fascinated with lichens, but still I’m struggling to understand them. Not a plant, not an animal but an organism. There are about 3,600 species of lichens in North America, and more are being discovered every year.
A native small tree or large shrub, laden with berries now in winter. Providing food for small mammals, songbirds, and game birds. Blackhaw Viburnum (viburnum prunifolium).
Growing in the woods around my cabin. Perhaps a couple more in prominent locations might be nice.
Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis). Given to me a few years ago by a dear friend. A small patch in the garden glowing with the color of happiness, right now, mid-February. Not a native to North America, but of France, Italy and the Balkans. In my garden it’s well behaved and hasn’t spread at all, so Winter Aconite has earned my seal of approval.
The Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) have returned to my pond with their noisy, “Clack, clack, clack!” Incredible frogs that spend the early part of winter hunkered down in leaf litter, hibernating.
That leaf litter only gives these frogs minimal protection against the cold. They will spend much of their hibernation actually frozen. They don’t breathe, their heart does not beat, they don’t move. Frozen solid like a stone. Frozen all except for the frog’s blood which is protected by glucose which keeps the blood from reaching a frozen state.
They are not arriving at my pond now because it has been incredibly warm, but because right now is when they normally arrive, with weather warm, like now, or extremely cold. Even if the pond is nearly frozen over, they will seek the part that is still open water and dive in. Time for mating, and soon there will be a pond with eggs aplenty.