March 17th 2008

Sugar season is underway. Since March 2nd, the sap has been flowing well and this has been the first good season for local farmers in a number of years. Ideally, the nighttime temperature needs to dip below freezing (twenties is best) and the daytime temperature should be above freezing (thirties). If the temperature rises too high, the buds on the tree will swell and the sap will become bitter, ending the season. The sap of Sugar Maples is about 2 per cent sugar, and it may take as much as 40 gallons to boil down to Maple syrup with about 67 per cent sugar.

March 21st 2008

It's the first full day of Spring (the equinox was yesterday). Here is an Eastern Coyote track in mud. This is the front foot. Note the x!

March 27th 2008

This is a BIG Quabbin bear! The biologists pictured had a scale that only went up to 350 pounds, and this bear tipped the scale! (And this after losing weight during hibernation). This radio-collared bear was tranquilized, removed from its den, inspected, tagged and re-collared, and replaced in its den. Personally I think this kind of monitoring is too intrusive. I'm happy to know the bears are there and doing well.

March 28th 2008

A new beaver scent mound.

March 29th 2008

An Eastern Coyote in a side trot. Valerie and I tracked this Coyote for over two miles today. Most of the time he was in a (right) side trot. Walking with the tracks of animal is walking with the animal. It is a gift from the animal. Thank you, brother Coyote.

March 29th 2008

Beautiful Otter tracks in some lingering snow.

March 30th 2008

Beaver scat is rarely found, as it is deposited under water and rapidly disintegrates - the consistency is much like sawdust. These were found at Canada Brook, near the West Branch of the Swift River at Cooleyville in New Salem.

April 5th 2008

Seed head of Maleberry, producing tiny (dust-like) seeds. This is a plant of wetland edges. Note also the bright red leaf buds.

April 24th 2008

These are six footprints on a Black Bear ritual trail. This is the earliest use of this trail that we have observed.

April 25th 2008

Fresh Black Bear marking on Red Pine. This is one of the favorite species of trees used for this purpose.

April 26th 2008

Maple blossoms and a sky the blue of Robin's eggs combine to paint an evocative spring sky.

April 27th 2008

Trout Lily, always a delight to find on the forest floor in early spring.

April 28th 2008

Bloodroot, pollinating. Soon the flower will turn into an inconspicuous green seed head, and the leaves will unfold.

April 29th 2008

"Grandfather," a very large Beaver we have come to be familiar with over the past couple of years. His calmness during our encounters touches us on a deep level.

April 30th 2008

Witch Hobble, or Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium, in the Honeysuckle Family). The flowerhead is unusual in that the larger flowers on the outside rim have no reproductive parts, serving as attractors for pollinators. The true flowers are on the inside of the cluster (not yet open in this photo).

May 1st 2008

"Wake-robin," or "Purple Trillium" (Trillium erectum) attracts carrion flies for pollination. The visual beauty and the odor seem incongruous to our human sensibilities.

May 2nd 2008

Sensitive Fern. In the Fall, it dies with the first light frost, hence the name.

May 3rd 2008

Wood Anenome, also called Wind Flower because of the tendency of the flower to tremble on its slender stalk in the slightest breeze.

May 4th 2008

Curious cattle.