Wahkeena Nature Preserve
"… to be used for nature study and as a preserve for birds and other wildlife."- Carmen Hambleton Warner
"Oh, the weather outside is frightful.."
Scheduling Update
Just wanted to let everyone know that I’ve finally updated my calendar, and now you can see our upcoming programs at the bottom of the page. So far I’ve only planned our guided walks. If there are any other types of programs you would like to see us have, let me know!
The beast has been unleashed!
I said this to Tom the other day when it looked like there might be some salamander activity that night. For me at my house, “the beast” – I mean spring – got loose last weekend. I live in Hocking County and although I’m only a half and hour away from Wahkeena, I’m a little warmer and sunnier than the preserve. So, sometimes spring stuff happens here first. Last weekend with the previous big rain storm, my pond hosted a big salamander blowout. I had Jeffersons and Spotteds as well as a few red-spotted newts who made an appearance. Spring peepers began the pilgrimage to the pond as well. I think there were as many on the house as there were in the pond! Since that day (and night), there has been no stopping this first wave of springtime excitement. Every night since, the peepers have been peeping. Chickadees and Song Sparrows have been singing their love songs, and some Bluebirds have been checking out the bluebird box. But today, to me at least, proves that there really is no stopping it once it gets started. Today, I’m listening to some spring peepers – albeit peeping slowly – and looking at a fresh coating of SNOW.
Spring Progesses
I everyone, this is Tom posting a nature update.
On this last day of February 2011. the temperatures at near 60 degrees. The Canada geese are back and acting territorially, six wood duck and two mallards also on the pond today. And a noisy kingfisher is happy that most of the ice covering the pond is melting away. On a quick walk around the pond, I saw perhaps a dozen painted turtles basking on sunny logs. In the warmer shallow waters, at the begining of the boardwalk, I saw a red spotted newt. And green frogs were active in the small ponds fed by the large rock spring. So spring is inching it’s way closer and closer. I was surprised that there were no wood frogs calling today…..but it won’t be long now.
Spring Has Sprung
Skunk CabbageAnimal Signs
This caterpillar has been parasitized and now is dead, but I know that there were wasps here. Some wasps will lay their eggs inside a living caterpillar where the larva will eat the caterpillar’s insides. Then they come out of the caterpillar (see the holes) and pupate on the dying creature. (Ever seen a big green caterpillar on your tomato plants with white things stuck to it?) Finally, the adult wasps emerge and the cycle starts over again.
You can also see white-tailed deer rubs and scrapes this time of year. Male deer (bucks) are responsible for these tale-tell marks. Rubs are made when bucks rub their antlers against trees to help shed the velvet. Contrary to popular belief, it is not to “sharpen” their antlers. Scrapes are where the buck has used his front feet to scrape away the leaves and other debris from the forest floor. Scent is left from his feet, and he also may urinate near by. This is one way he communicates with other deer.
Other neat animal signs you can see in the fall are beaver scent mounds. Like the scrapes, beavers leave their scent to communicate with others of their kind. It’s a very strong scent and even us humans with our puny sense of smell can catch a whiff.
Even after all the cool ways to see signs of animals, sometimes its nice to see the real deal.
Lovely Fall
Have you noticed? We’re really starting to get some nice color out there. And I don’t mean just us at Wahkeena. I really enjoy my drives to and from work this time of year. There are a few spots I pass by that are really gorgeous! Here at the preserve, there is a spectacular maple at the start of the boardwalk. The dogwoods are a burgundy red color, and there are still lots of different colored asters in bloom. Oh, and although not everyone will appreciate this, the poison ivy is one the prettiest things out in the woods right now.
So, here are some pictures from around the preserve of fall colors. These are NOT from this year, nor are they indicative of this particular time in October. I just want to share with you what you might see as the fall season progresses.
Enjoy!
Back to Business
Bat’s in our Belfry
Coral in the Woods?
We’ve got another orchid in bloom for all you orchid connoisseurs out there. Tom found Late Coral Root today. It has just popped up, and only has one open bloom so far. And since this is at the end of the day on Sunday, and we’re not open again until Wednesday, there should be plenty of bloom time left to get a peek at it.
For those of you not familiar with out native orchids, many of them are very small. Like lay down on the ground to see it small. Such is the case with this one. But I think these guys are worth the effort.
It’s been super crazy around here, and I haven’t forgot about you! I’m hoping next week I can get a post up about our very cool Catalpa caterpillars that were here.