April 4, 2007

My mom’s birthday. She died 5 years ago I still miss her. She saw my interest in nature and encouraged it. I miss my dad too. They were both such wonderful people. Not perfect, but still wonderful. They did not leave me with any baggage I don’t like.

What a contrast, a record high of 80, and sunny yesterday, 35 and snow today. Not unexpected. Highly variable weather is normal here. The birds are working the feeders hard as the evening progresses. The day is gray cold and windy. Yesterday was just a taste of things to come. It was nice though. I got the Bluebird houses ready so they can move in at any time. It was just a matter of opening them and making sure nothing was inside from over the winter. I’ve heard the Bluebirds singing in the morning. The White-breasted Nuthatches are also actively seeking nesting holes. The Chickadees and Titmice will wait a while. They all need insects and their larvae to feed young. While many non passerine migrants are moving or have already nested, it will be another 2 weeks before the passerines begin coming though in any real numbers. The Eastern Phoebe has been back for a couple of weeks, but they are always early. Fox Sparrows, another early migrant have already moved in. Non forest birds. Red-wing Blackbirds, Common Grackles, have been back for more than a month. Not nesting yet though.

The snow is sticking in the woods and on the roofs. We are supposed to get 1 to 3 inches. That amount could triple here on Gildersleeve mountain. The higher elevation really makes a difference, and micro climate is an appropriate description of this place.

I have been hearing a lot about bees lately. People are worried about honey bee populations declining. They lament the lack of pollinators. They forget we have a wealth of native pollinators. Honey bees are an exotic imported species. They are the live stock of the insect world. Kept by beekeepers. In the summer when the native plants are in full bloom I count over 12 species of native bees and wasps visiting the flowers. I wonder if they will not fill in for the European exotics?

I wonder when the Chipmunks will come out? I have yet to see them. The tree squirrels are around all winter but the Chipmunks hibernate. The moles have already been busy in the yard. Tunneling just beneath the grass. The Chipmunks are very cute. The black morph Gray Squirrels are very cute too. I have learned the hard way to never trust a Squirrel. They are only interested in food. If you are charitable they will only take advantage. I thought I had made friends with a gray squirrel once. Only to have him break into my home get ito the seed and poop on the furniture. He had to chew a hole in a window screen to do this. Actually I was rather impressed that he knew where I kept the bag of bird seed hidden. I can imagine him watching me going to get the seed and then waiting for opportune time when I was away at work. Never trust a Squirrel.