Out and About: Spring in the Village and Beyond

Cheery Crocuses in Pat and Rich's garden in early April on Prospect Avenue

Snow on April fifth. I was out gardening when it started.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker male on Red Pine on Peck Avenue drilling sap holes. There's a pair.

While the blue squill was flowering in my garden the bees were out in force.

Mallard Ducks on ice rink

Osprey fishing on the outlet during Earth Day

Osprey hovering looking for fish.

Turtles sunning on the outlet

Looking west from the Round Lake Preserve. The outlet is totally flooded across.

Looking east from the dock at the preserve. I have never seen it this flooded out.

Coltsfoot by the emergency access road to Griffin's Ridge

Dutchman's Breeches in the Rigney's front garden on Cleveland.

Wild Ginger at Shenantaha Creek

Red Trilliums blooming now in Peck Avenue woods along with Trout Lilies.

Hepatica at Shenantaha Creek Park

Lots of Skunk Cabbage at Orra Phelphs Nature Preserve in Wilton

Shenantaha Creek 

I also visited Ballston Creek Preserve towards the end of the month and only saw three heron nests. Back in March there were seven and a half. Herons will take sticks from neighboring or abandoned nests to add to their own. This could be the case or the fact we have had some very high winds that blew down the nests. I want to check back soon to see if more nests are being built. Also, the woods at this preserve are currently carpeted with pink Carolina Spring Beauty flowers. Hope you're enjoying the somewhat spring like weather!

Out and About: Is It Spring Yet?

March came in with five inches of fresh snow from a storm the last day of February. It is leaving with bare ground except for some slow melting snowplow piles and a forecast of several days of rain. During the month we had a mix of cold and warm days, three inches of snow, melt and freeze, flurries, but a few signs of spring!  Grackles, starlings, and Red-winged Blackbirds came back in large flocks about mid-month. Geese are flying back and forth from the fields over on Eastline Road to Round Lake. I spotted a Great Blue Heron flying towards the lake on the fifteenth when we had a 66 degree day. Walking in to Lake Lonely I spotted over twenty heron nests, many with herons in them, beyond the west shore. Ballston Creek Preserve had seven heron nests as of March eighth. Each day this week there is more and more open water where the inlet comes into our lake. Skunk Cabbage has appeared by Griffin's Ridge and the Zim-Smith trail. Judy Selig just told me she saw Coltsfoot, a wildflower, along the trail and has heard woodcocks making their peenting call and seen them doing their aerial display. This happens at dusk and dawn during spring in open areas. Lastly, I have snowdrops in my garden and a chipmunk scampering about. Here's hoping for an Awesome April!

Smooth

Snowshoeing the Zim-Smith Trail

Snow Cone

All the Other Trees are Green with Envy

Sleeping Barred Owl in Peck Ave. Woods

Downy Woodpecker: It's all about Balance!

Grackle

Snowdrops

Snowplow Pile

Anchor Diamond Preserve Ballston Spa

Steps of the Hawkwood Mansion at Anchor Diamond Preserve

Yellow Trail through Hemlocks Anchor Diamond Preserve

Out and About: Snow, Sleet, Rain, Repeat

Words to describe the month of February here in Round Lake: snow, sleet, freezing rain, rain, freeze, ice, melt, refreeze, slip, drip, slide, fall, repeat. I am craving spring!!! It has definitely been a slippery slide through this month of winter. Getting out of my house to walk the dog requires microspikes and good balance. I could salt the path, but what fun would that be? I rather have a path and driveway like a Home Alone movie set. And I do Love my new microspikes. Despite the conditions, I have slipped out of the house to take photos, go on several snowshoe hikes, and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count(GBBC), all without fracturing anything. The GBBC is a yearly international four day count in February which acts as a snapshot of bird populations across the globe. I did the count in the village as a hike. I was out for three hours and got twenty species.Then I saw two Red-tailed Hawks walking the dog. Twenty-one. I went to the lake and spotted a Bald Eagle on the eastern shore. Twenty-two. On the last count day I watched my yard feeders as it is a Project Feeder Watch Site. Bingo! An American Tree Sparrow came along with the Dark-eyed Juncos for number twenty-three. It turns out that of sixty-seven participants in Saratoga County, I saw the greatest number of species  right here in Round Lake. We are on the map! Of course, the Pileated Woodpecker and American Robin made a showing after the count was over. The turkey flock was also a no-show.

Thankfully, we survived the high winds, are getting another five or so inches of snow tomorrow, and some rain and snow on Saturday. The groundhogs must  be iced into their dens. Do you really think they will make an appearance early? Spring??? Watch your footing and keep warm out and about!

Through my window: Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker Strikes a Pose

Another Through my window: Two Carolina Wrens Eating Suet

Ice Dance

Ice Chimes

My new favorite footwear: Microspikes

Take a Stand

Grow Your Own Way

With Ice

Snow Day at Peck Avenue Woods

I See GREENNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!

Zim Smith Trail looking south

Beaver Lodge on Round Lake Outlet

From Round Lake Preserve Looking to Mouth of Outlet

Little Cabin in the Woods at Galway Nature Preserve: Great trails in an old Christmas Tree Farm

 

Out and About: Frozen

By the middle of the month it finally became cold enough to freeze the lake, the new ice rink by the basketball court, puddles, and streams. A huge snow storm came through between January 19th and 20th and dumped over twenty inches of snow. The exact amount was difficult to measure as the snow was powdery and the wind drifted it around. Bitter cold came our way after that with temperatures below zero at night and only as high as 5 degrees or low teens for a couple of days. But then... a high of 48 degrees today and lots of rain. Temperatures are heading back down to below freezing which means the whole village will be an ice rink. My dog is not happy at all about any of this weather and I don't blame him. I get him a few feet out the door before he does a u-turn. I did push myself out of the house a couple of times to take some photos. Take a look and stay warm and walk carefully out and about!

Flow-zen

Round Lake

Ice Rink

Ice Feeder and Cheerio Garlands for Wildlife by Green Hour Group

Look Who Found the Treats

Devouring a Garland

Snow Storm from my Front Door

Schoolhouse Park

Pat's Field Cleveland Avenue

Stream by Field

South Lawn

Peck Avenue Stream