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Spring yet? Almost? Are we even a little closer? How about where you are? [1]
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Date: 2023-03-26
We have just a few nights at or below freezing in the current forecast, with lots of rain and daytime temperatures all over the place. I can’t decide if March is going out like a lion or a lamb. But here are the things I’m looking for outside.
Eastern bluebirds are starting to choose their nest boxes. I have enough boxes, and enough land, to make a bluebird trail, and I entice them with mealworms.
Tree swallows will show up soon. They share the pasture and the boxes with the bluebirds. Both eat insects, but bluebirds pick theirs up and swallows catch theirs on the wing. Usually bluebirds will make two nests a year, and a third one if they get an early start. Tree swallows only make one, and it’s a little later in the year, so they sometimes claim a nest box as soon as the first clutch of bluebirds fledge.
I’m pretty sure this isn’t a bluebird. It’s found a spot just under the sloping top of a nest box, and I found it when I was cleaning out the boxes for the new season.
Turtles are up from their winter snooze in the mud at the bottom of the pond.
Box turtles bury themselves in the ground. This guy is still covered with mud that’s drying on the shell, so newly awake and probably starting to feel hungry.
We used to hear that robins left for the winter but mine never have. They look for worms in my compost during the winter and do a general search for bugs and fruit in the spring.
Monarch caterpillars feed on the swamp milkweed around the pond and in the scrub at the back of the pasture.
One of the very first signs that spring is close is the noise the chorus frogs make. It can be deafening when dozens of these little guys start all together.
Tree swallow bringing nesting material to the nest box.
Red-tailed hawk nest at the back of the pasture. They do object when I’m in their territory—very loudly!
Mushrooms can show up any day now—or not until early May. Fingers crossed! Last year was a really good year. Some years there’s only a small handful. The best year was about 7-8 years ago, when I harvested about 15 pounds and left that much again behind.
Every year there’s a good, healthy supply of poison ivy. Tread carefully when hunting mushrooms!
Yes, I have these in the wooded area around my pond. Take a minute to say “Awww!”
While you’re here, check out this week’s Helping Humpday and the community needs list. There was a very successful diary last night, put up by Vetwife to help userexists avoid eviction. That need was met and exceeded in 4 hours. Can we turn that same attention to some of our other Kossacks still in need?
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