FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] winter/spring/winter on Bear Mountain

["Bear Mountain" <bearmountain@xxxxxxxxxx>]

It's hard to believe that in the last few weeks I've gone from snow-shoeing 
,x-country ski-ing, WALKING with just my hiking boots, and now back to 
snow-shoeing again!   It was 10 degrees this morning with blizzard, white-out 
conditions.  So I put on my snow shoes to check out the spring migrants (just 
kidding).  I almost stepped on a snipe in the top field, close to the little 
ephemeral pond.  Amazing that I can be so close to a bird and not even see it!  
There were no sign of all the salamander, toad, frog eggs that were visible in 
the pond just 4 days ago.  Yesterday on a walk in search of a red-shouldered 
nest that I KNOW is in the lower hollow, I almost tripped on a ruffed grouse as 
it searched for food and grit on the path.  Now the juncoes, chickadees, purple 
finches, downies, and hairies are fighting at the feeders for the sunflower 
seeds.  I wonder what happened to the bluebirds, trees swallows, chipping 
sparrow and song sparrows that I was watching just a few days ago in all their 
spring mating rituals?  I've been listening and watching for the saw-whet but 
no sound from him for almost a couple of weeks. Either he's (hopefully) found 
his mate and snuggled quietly down in some cavitity somewhere or maybe he 
failed and moved on.  
Patti Reum 
Bear Mountain Farm and Wilderness Retreat
2599 Bear Mountain Rd.
Monterey, VA. 24465
www.mountain-retreat.com
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