Groundhogs Day 2014 in Allegany State Park
To all my blogging friends; I Allegany Tom on the 2nd of February 2014, did not see my shadow when I woke up this morning (actually had snow falling and was a whiteout). I predict that spring will come early this year.
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Lycopodium
Lycopodium
by Maxwell C. Wheat, Jr.
They are the elves’ Christmas trees
Grandfather would say
of Ground Pine and Cedar
Once in the sun I laid on snow
eye level to see colored lights and bulbs
the size of frozen dew drops
They are lycopodiums, he’d say
teaching me again to pronounce the name
because scientific words have the sounds of poetry
Lie-ko-po-dee-um
You’ve got it, he’d laugh
his hearty red face broadening behind his white beard
his abundant frame rollicking
When I return home for the holidays
I always walk back to our woods
think of Grandfather assuring a small boy
Yes,I’ll see that the elves have a happy Christmas
I am glad lie-ko-po-dee-um is evergreen
Leap Day
Eastern Cottontail
This Eastern Cottontail can be found looking for grasses and clovers out in some pasture or shrubby habitat. This cute little guy has long ears, reddish/brown hair and a small white fluffy tail. So, when I think of something leaping . . . I think of the Eastern Cottontail!! Once every 4 years there are 29 days in February instead of 28 days and that extra day is called a leap day (which is this Friday). I would like to think this extra “LEAP” day is more about our hair friend than having spring arriving one day later than normal! (more…)
Redpoll or Northpole? [videos]
Common Redpoll Video [1:04]
No matter how hard you try . . . You will never be able to convince me that another bird species bird doesn’t have as much Christmas spirit as the Common Redpoll. Being an irruptive species . . . Santa visits my house more than the Common Redpoll does! But, they do breed in Alaska across northern Canada in areas not that far South from the North Pole. They have amazing little reddish-pink Christmas outfits with some white wing bars and a streaked belly. They have a black beard, mustache (almost like Santa) and bright red Christmas cap on their head!! Best part about the Common Redpoll is that whenever they arrive at your feeders . . . it feels like Christmas Day when you just opened your “big” present! (more…)
Cookie Factory
I spent yesterday afternoon with many of the Young Naturalist and their parents for a Christmas Holiday . . . . Cookie making party. Don’t ask what recipes they used because I just got in the way taking their pictures but they were the ones who really did all the work (although I helped eat a few of the cookies). I strongly suspect that a great deal of fun and laughter were the main ingredients with each and every cookie that was made.
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Doing our Part for the Kids
Every year the staff of Allegany State Park collect unwrapped toys for the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation. Today the Marines arrived to pick up all these wonderful toys to be distributed to many needy children in the local community.
My photo opportunity with a Marine & some of the Toys.
Just fallen asleep and . . . .
My wonderful hotel stay at 11pm in the evening!
. . . . the Holiday Inn has the fire alarms go off. Hello Mr. Manager . . . . “this is a Birding Conference . . . . we birders wake up extra early in the morning to look for the birds!” Now I am too awake to fall back to sleep, so as you can see I am helping promote the wonderful things you will find when visiting a Holiday Inn around 11pm at night. Please make this your first choice of a hotel to stay at because your safety is our number one priority! Did I mention that it was only a false alarm and couldn’t turn the alarms off till the fire trucks arrive? They sure know how to do wake up calls to the whole building! (more…)
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 