Mourning Dove in Winter
I first noticed the large gathering of mourning doves under our bird feeder earlier this winter. We frequently see a pair year-round, but this winter we were visited by a flock of more than 15 for the first time I can remember. It was fun…
Exploring The Last Green Valley’s Eastern Hemlock Trees
“The way a crow Shook down on me The Dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I rued.” –“Dust of Snow,” by Robert Frost When the hills and valleys are…
Life Under the Snow: The Meadow Vole
On Jan. 7 we woke to almost a foot of snow and the first good dump of the white stuff of the new year. My week kept me busy with no time to walk around our property in the snow until Jan. 14. By then…
January 17th – A Full Wolf Moon
Monday evening brings the Wolf Moon, the first full moon of the new year with peak illumination at 6:51 p.m. Look for it to rise from the northeastern horizon around sunset. In New England, and all the way west to Lake Superior, we use the…
Places to Explore in 2022 – Part 2
In my column last week, I shared my 2022 bucket list of places to explore our region’s amazing natural resources. Some of the hiking and outdoor locations I want to explore this year are new to me and others are locations I have not visited…
Join us in January for Eagle Month!
Join us for Eagle Month! January is Eagle Month in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. You’ll want to save these dates for programs. For everyone: Bald Eagle Hike 9 a.m., Jan. 22 ( postponed from Jan. 15) Quinebaug Trout Hatchery 141 Trout Hatchery…
Places to Explore in 2022
Welcome to 2022. A brand new 12 months and four seasons stretching out before us, providing new outdoor experiences and places to explore. Today we’ll explore my list of interesting locations in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor I have yet to explore, as well as…
Friends at the Feeder
The house where I grew up was a one-level modern house with large windows my folks called “picture windows.” It was on a dead-end road and surrounded by tall trees of mostly oaks, some birch and maples, with the windows affording a panoramic view into…
Winter Is Coming
The morning of Dec. 9 we woke to a dusting of about 1 inch of snow that had me scraping the windshield and brushing off my truck before heading to the office. For some folks winter starts with the first snow, but for me it…