Two Or Three More Months

I appreciate your patience. I had knee surgery last Friday the 19th and I’m looking forward to being back in a good state of mind, and able to hike to the highest parts of my mountains in short order.

Green Frogs (Rana clamitans) are solitary frogs, except when it is mating time around breeding ponds. This photo is from April 2010. Large to small, male Green Frogs waiting for females to come by. These frogs are usually between 3 and 5 inches in length at 4 to 5 years of age.

In 3 to 7 days eggs are hatched into tadpoles. It will take from 3 to 22 months to change into full grown frogs, depending in part on if they choose to go into metamorophosis before or after winter. Some will wait, some will not.

The Green Frog is not the first of the frogs to lay eggs in late winter or early spring. That would be the Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus). The little one with the black bandit’s mask. The frog that announces his desire to mate with his all day long, all night long, clack, clack, clack sound which I totally enjoy hearing.

Stay tuned and I’ll let you know when I hear them. There is no confusing them with any other frogs!

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Footprints On The Back Porch

There’s been several snows up here during the last week. Little snows with extremely cold temperatures. That makes the snow light and fluffy, and lots of wind too, blowing the snow out of the trees.

That’s a bummer, I love to have the snow decorating the trees. Oh well. Maybe later this winter.

And here on the back porch, bird footprints.

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Black Vulture Photo Op

I had a fun photo op at the county landfill and recycling center this morning. Just a couple years ago I would have just thought, “Ew, gross!” and gone about dumping things into the proper bins. But in doing this blog, I’ve grown to appreciate these not too beautiful birds in our environment. A Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus).

The Black Vulture is one of two that are seen in this area. The other is a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) which looks quite similar but has a red head rather than a black head.

These two Vultures dine only on dead animals and in the process remove bacteria and fungi, and other substances that can be toxic to humans. Their stomachs contain a formidable acid which destroys these potentially harmful contaminants.

I still think they are not an attractive bird, but at this point I certainly do look at them in a different light. Thank you, Vultures!

Art In The Ice

The yoga studio’s vernal pool was full and thick with decorated ice this morning. Many leaves including the oak leaf here in the artwork. First captured by the wind and then anchored by the water and ice.

The cold, and all the beautiful snow and ice takes me to a different world. Just this morning I had a chat via text with a dear friend who shares similar feelings about the winter season. She told me that taking a breath of the cold winter air is like breathing in peppermint. Oh what a perfect description.

An Image From Two Days Ago

She’s fluffed against the cold. Fluffed to keep warm. Sitting on a branch in the snow. A Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).

Often Cardinals live within a mile or so of where they were born. What a lovely place for me.

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Goldenrod Seedhead And Snow

Four inches of snow. That’s what greeted me this morning. The snow that came down throughout the day yesterday and overnight actually did accumulate a bit. So I was out filling the bird feeder and roaming, looking for photographs to capture after breakfast.

Goldenrod seedheads (Solidago) accented with sparkling flakes of snow.

An ancient garden gate, making an attempt to collect all the snow it can.

Snow. A connection to my childhood, and so many wonderful memories.

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Snow Early Morning Into The Night

This morning when I woke up, there was about an inch of snow on the ground. It was not snowing then, but it started up again after breakfast and has continued through the day, and is snowing now as I write this at 9 in the evening.

The bird feeder got refilled after breakfast too, since the seeds were hidden by the layer of snow, which the birds really appreciated, coming as I called to them.

One bird that doesn’t come to the feeder but loves the birdbath showed up this morning too, a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus).

Instead of seeds, the Hermit Thrush much prefers berries such as the berries of Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra).

I’m quite pleased that the Hermit Thrush is a bird that is here sometimes in the summer too. Though I most often see them in winter. Either winter or summer, I enjoy seeing them at the birdbath.

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With A Forked Tail

An American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), its forked tail a hint to its identity. Looking a bit curious.

A small bird at 4.25 to 5 inches in length. Wingspan of about 8 inches. Once they discover you are putting out seeds that they enjoy, you’ll see them often.

I love to hear them when they’re not even visible, with their soft songs, letting me know that they’re coming to get some sunflower seeds.

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A Pine Cone

A Pitch Pine Cone (Pinus rigida), containing the beautiful Fibonacci sequence. So many examples of it in nature — pineapples, seedheads, sea shells, spiral galaxies, are just a few.

Totally fascinating.

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In A State of Torpor

Imagine, right now in the cold of winter, there are adult Mourning Cloak Butterflies (Nymphalis antiopa) hunkering down waiting for spring. Hunkering down in cracks in rocks, under loose tree bark, in tree cavities. They manage to do this in a state of torpor, which is similar to hibernation.

As spring arrives, this butterfly’s task is to produce a new generation. This one job being taken care of, they die.

This knowledge gives me great appreciation for the Mourning Cloaks I see in spring, summer, and autumn on the road as I hike up my mountain.

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