Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

For the past few days here in Sudbury, we've been experiencing a warming trend that has been welcomed by us snow weary denizens. On Wednesday we even managed to crack 60 degrees Fahrenheit! However, some people might be skeptical that Mother Nature is luring us back into a false sense of security only to hit us with a surprise Nor'easter or other terrible frozen affliction. Despite those possible outcomes, I'm starting to see signs of creatures and Nature herself releasing the world from its snowy blanket. The most obvious signs have been the melting snow. I've never been more excited to seen ground and dead grass, so much so that I scarcely think that I will be again. Other plants have captured my attention as well. Recently I've been reading parts of two books about trees for my new job that will be starting in a few days up in Saco, Maine. Both books emphasize the importance of identification within the context of recognizing those species by appearance and h...

This past week has certainly been telling me that spring is on the way with my earliest sighting of an Eastern Phoebe ( Sayornis phoebe ) ever last Sunday, to seeing a Red-winged Blackbird ( Agelaius phoeniceus ) and a Common Grackle ( Quiscalus quiscula ) at Cumberland Farms in Middleboro, and all the songbirds I've been hearing around the house too, it seems a sure sign that winter is coming to an end. Now when it comes to weather prediction and seasonal changes, the last thing I rely on is the perceived advice of a rodent. For those of you who don't know, I have a passionate disdain for woodchucks ( Marmota monax ) as they have made life difficult for the chickens by living under their shed and stealing their feed (which now costs $16 per bag making me even less happy to share the bounty with them). According to the rodent's forecast this year it would be the paradoxical claim of "six more weeks of winter" even though if the thing hadn't seen its shadow, it...

It's my 100th post on here! Woohoo! Apologies for not having posted until the middle of the month, but I have been hard at work getting a summer job, carving owls, and trying to to freeze while being outside. I suppose the best place to start would be to inform you all how I'm doing on my year list. As of today, I have 75 species and have about 33% of the species that I saw last year! Last year I saw about 226 species and am hoping to either meet or exceed that number. I look forward to migration and dread the "warbler neck", but to meet the goal, it must be done! With all the Snowy Owls ( Bubo scandiacus ) puttering around I've managed to get five this year already and am more or less done with them. I wanted to find a Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ) that had been reported in Sachuest Point NWR in Rhode Island, but it didn't show. I had hoped for a Short-eared ( Asio flammeus ) or a Long-eared ( A. otus ) at some point, but so far they've evaded me as well. ...