6th Wednesday Walk - March 2nd

Maura, Chelsea, Chelsea's mom and partner (Harry), Cris Kenney, and Jane

Saw and heard first make red wing blackbird of the year. Cris provided excellent description of their spring return (males first, early spring) and how they can play up or down their red coloring on their wings. Described how the birds and his bird feeder all have down that the feeder is neutral territory and cover up their bold markings. He observed one bird displaying his bright plumage get a good "scolding" (is that the right word?) from the other guys at the feeder. Funny- the soap operas of birds. We took a bit of a different path- right through the old field near the parking lot, and identified the big will right next to the watercourse spilling down from the road. Lots of down branches from it with lots of nibbling, cottontail? We saw a cottaintail rabbit too! Cris and I looked at the narrow-leaved cattail and noted the notch that clearly the displays the gap between the male and female flowers- even though the male flowers are long gone. Lots of discussion of healing properties of plants and plant physiology. What causes plants to say its go time? Maybe not so much warmer temp or more light but FLUCTUATIONS and what exactly is the physiological pathways for this? Noticed lots of wildlife sign in the honeysuckles/multiflora rose tangles. We saw two nests; one of them loaded with seeds and misc materials. Was it a cache? Or maybe just a nice, protected place to nibble? And then, the highlight of the day, a dead short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) twisted and dangling around a branch. The shrew, moles, voles, and mice saga continues!

Posted on March 16, 2022 12:56 PM by mauraflora7