3-27-08 Observations

- Clear to partly cloudy, windy and seasonably warm on the mountain properties this afternoon.

- While on a brief photo session this morning, I saw a number of Whitetail Deer and Wild Turkeys. Like our staff, they seem to sense that spring has finally sprung....but we are quite cautious...as all of us remember what happened last year at about this time....record warmth in late March followed by record breaking cold in early April...as depicted in this journal...a tough time for the fauna and flora.

- There is a chance of rain tomorrow and tomorrow night...about 50% locally.

- Today is warm and pleasant, but recently we had a bit of snow...as shown by a photo taken from my living room. The month of March in Tennessee is seldom boring!

- Also shown is a rare photo of a Red-Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) taken on my feeder in a nearby area. No, the bird is not rare, but rarely do I see them on the feeders. They seem to be content to seek their fortune elsewhere, most notably the bark of trees. They would get a lot of votes for the most striking of Mother Nature's winged creatures.

- Also shown is the striking contrast of the male Northern Cardinal against the forest green of a Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and a dusting of snow.

3-20-08 Observations

- Cool and clear on the mountain this morning...mid 30s. Normal temperatures for the mountain properties on this date is 59/38 (day/night). Normal for the city of Dunlap, which is about 1,400' lower elevation (using sea level as reference), is 64/41.

- We received 1.38" of rain yesterday, and the Dunlap area is now above normal for the month of March and above average (by .8") for 2008.

- The Magnolias and Bradford Pears are blooming in the Sequatchie Valley, and soon the mountain properties will begin to show the blooms of the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) and the Redbud (Cercis canadensis).

- Attached is a recent photo of a flock of Wild Turkeys in my driveway just after sun-up. I see this group often, and they have learned to come around and scratch in the debris beneath the bird feeders periodically. Not even these wary birds turn down a free meal now and then!

- Riding a bike on a nearby mountain road recently, I topped a hill and headed down the other side just in time to come face to face with a young Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) scavenging on a small dead mammal in the highway. The startled animal and myself experienced a brief moment of anxiety, but after a loud shout and a short sprint by the fox into the forest, we continued on our way.

3-11-08 Observations

- Cloudy and cool on the mountain this morning...with a forecast high in the upper 50s today.

- We had 2"-3" of snow Saturday morning, 3-8-08. Though the temperatures were well below normal both Saturday and Sunday, the roads cleared quickly. The mountains were beautiful!

- Monday, by contrast, was clear and brilliant with temperatures near 60. Springtime in Tennessee!

- Yesterday, for the first time this season, I heard the Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer). Often called the "Harbinger of Spring", these small frogs congregate around woodland pools in great numbers this time of year....in anticipation of the breeding season. Only the males call....and the din is often quite loud. They may be the origin of the "heard and not seen" phrase....as they are very difficult to see and even more difficult to catch. Upon interruption, they will cease their vocals, becoming silent until the threat passes. As the Latin name implies, they have a distinct 'X' on their back and this field mark is one way to distinguish these tiny frogs from other similar species...like the Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans).

- The Red-Winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are back...the first ones were seen in the willows near Lake George (in our mountain developments) over the weekend.

- Attached are photos of a Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) caught in the act of trying (and failing) to access the bird feeders. As many have found out these acrobatic rodents will try most anything to get at sunflower seeds!

- Also attached is an American Robin (Turdus migratorius), seemingly captured in a melancholy pose. Perhaps this one was a bit confused by the snow and the cold...as they have only recently arrived after a winter in warmer climes!

First Signs of Spring

- Beautiful sunrise on the mountain this morning...and not as cold as the last few days.

- Mid-week we had 3"-4" of snow on the mountain properties (considerably less in town) and the mountains had never looked better! Unfortunately (?) the snow did not last long, which is typical of southeast Tennessee snowfall. Though the temperature was quite cold, tierra firma just held too much heat energy (the temperature had been in the upper 50s on Monday) for the snow to survive for very long.

- Today is bright and sunny with the temperature near 60 F and for the first time, my thoughts have actually turned to spring.

- First signs of spring.... a few of the Robins have returned, the buds of the Red Maples have begun to swell, the birds are generally more vocal and more active. Soon the Barred Owl and The Great Horned Owl will render their haunting nocturnal renditions through the forest, the Wild Turkeys will begin to gobble at dawn, and the area Whippoorwills will again deliver their late evening notes through the cabin window. The latter, one of three 'Nightjars' in this area, are often heard, but seldom seen. Last spring and summer, as many as 3-4 at a time could be heard in the early evening hours near the cabin. They depend on camouflage (a 'dead leaf' pattern) and a mostly nocturnal existence for survival , being almost totally terrestrial, and they often sit motionless from a clandestined perch to deliver their reptitive three-note song. I heard the Whippoorwill often on the farmlands in my youth, but then went decades without hearing one. Now, I hear them often and it is somehow comforting to know that some things haven't changed in our country!

- Attached is a recent photo of a Slate Colored Junco (Junco hyemalis) in the grass near my feeders. This bird, commonly called a 'winter bird' by some locals, will migrate north to Alaska/Canada before too long. They are usually gregarious, so this loner is the exception.

- The top photo caught four common species at once...from left to right.... House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Carolina Chickadee (Parus carolinensis), and Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens). Priceless!

- There was also an Eastern Towhee (Rufous-sided) near the feeder. These shy birds, which seldom venture far from dense undergrowth, are quite striking, and I hope to get a good photo soon.

- Two Pileated Woodpeckers were recently on the suet and one of the feeders simultaneously, and yet another great photo was missed.