Muskrat Returns!

I am delighted to report that we at last have muskrat activity on Muskrat Pond. Last March, after the mink tore up the muskrat house, we saw no more muskrats all spring or summer. So sad! Then finally, the first weekend in November, we spied a muskrat! We've seen him (her?) off and on since, but have been unsure as to whether this was just a visitor or a new resident. Today, a cloudy day, the muskrat was around all day, eating what I hope is the roots of reed canary grass, and pulling it out, as well, swimming across the pond with it, and diving under. So we are guessing a new muskrat nest is being built in the bank on the other side of the pond.


The mallards seemed wary, at first, but when the muskrat didn't react to their presence, they appeared to accept it and were all feeding together in the same area.

Raccoon and Green Heron

It has been a cold, wet spring. Last night there were frost warnings, but today it finally seemed like spring, sunny and warmer. We have had a raccoon come to the sunflower seed feeder outside our window every evening this week at dinnertime when it is not even close to being dark. How bold!

Now we must remember to take the feeder in every night, for sure.

The geese were here with their 6 goslings again this morning. My how fast they are growing! Ate a lot of little spring grrens. I hope most of them were undesirable weeds...
In the afternoon the green backed heron was here again. We saw him yesterday, too, although not for the first time. The first sighting of the year for a green heron at the pond was in mid April. As I was watching him, I noticed a lot of movement under the water in the shallows in the area of the old muskrat house. Looking through the scope, I was expecting to find the muskrats were back, rebuilding. Instead, what I saw were lots of frogs, mating! That was pretty amazing. They have been singing mightily night and day all week, except when it gets really cold at night. So I guess this is what they have been working up to.

Goslings!

Looked out the window this morning and saw two adult Canada geese with six fluffy yellow goslings!

As I was watching them a great blue heron flew in:

A bluebird was hunting from a tree in the front yard at the same time. Fun morning of birding from the house!

Solitary Sandpiper

There's a solitary sandpiper on a partially-submerged log in our pond right now. Been here for over an hour, and seems to be finding something to eat--working the log just like a beach. Last year we had one stop over on our little beach in spring migration, but this year, there is no beach, due to the the unusually high water. A red-winged blackbird chased the sandpiper all around the pond--a comical sight--but it ended up back in the same spot on the log. It seems to be very content there. Having eaten, it is preening. It looks so beautiful in spring plumage. Soon it will be gone to the far north, where it breeds.

Had a pair of first-of-the-year chipping sparrows on Monday working through the grass in the yard. The same day and the next, a male bluebird was hunting from the branch of a black walnut bird was hunting from the branch of a black walnut, dropping down on bugs in the grass, then flying back up to the tree. Since the trees aren't leafed-out yet, it was easy to see. Beautiful!

Lots of spring flowers coming up. Wild iris:

 Mertensia (Virginia bluebells):

 Above, May apples look like elf umbrellas.

From Snow to Spring Beauties

A week ago today we awoke to snow on the ground. Agggh! Horrible. It was mostly melted by the end of the day, but we were not happy. A first of the year great blue heron flew into the pond on Monday, but stayed only briefly. Our neighbors across the pond have been clearing a lot of brush, so this may have scared him away--not permanently, I hope.

Throughout the week the weather gradually warmed up, even though it rained every day until Saturday. Tuesday night we had a big thunderstorm with hail and heavy winds, but each night the temperatures dropped a little less, so by the end of the week we were in the 40s at night, and over 50 in the day--a big improvement.
We have seen the goldfinches gradually getting more yellow.

Rhubarb and daffodils are emerging:

And on sunny days, like Saturday, bloodroot opens up to show its sunny spring face.

On Saturday it was fun to walk around and what was coming up: May Apples!

Bleeding heart:

Solomon's seal:

Trillium!

And lungwort is already in bloom!

Finally, while walking around to look at the state of our fruit trees (they look like they survived the winter well), we saw spring beauties in bloom:

 I guess that means spring has finally arrived.

First Bloodroot and Other Flowers

The first bloodroot is up. Yay!

Frogs!

The last couple of weeks were cold and there was little activity on Muskrat Pond. It appears the mink really did destroy the muskrat house, and we hardly saw any muskrats. I was very happy to see one Friday morning, swimming out of the culvert and into the "old" muskrat house--the one used last year.

There have been geese and mallards and deer--and roadkill. Three deer in about 3 weeks, a raccoon, 2 possums and a skunk on Friday night.

But Friday night something wonderful happened. We got home from dinner with friends and the frogs were singing! What a thrill. A true sign of spring. And then yesterday it got really hot--like a summer day--and I went out to clean winter debris out of the brook, and there were the frogs, sitting on rocks, warming themselves in the sun. It amazes me how they can winter over at full size like that. So now, even though it won't be hot like it was yesterday, spring is really underway.

Bird sightings on the pond over the weekend included a female Eastern belted kingfisher and a chipping sparrow. A great blue heron was sighted in flight. Hooray! The house finches have been back for a couple of weeks, as are  the cedar waxwings who passed through in a big flock of 40-50 a couple of weekends ago. Goldfinches are getting golder every day.