Nature Strollers

The mission of the Nature Strollers is to support parents and grandparents in their role as primary interpreters of nature for their families; to provide opportunities for families to enjoy unstructured time outdoors; to familiarize families with local trails, refuges, sanctuaries and preserves; and to develop networks among families with a common interest in nature.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Goose Pond Mountain Created Wetlands, 15 April 2008

While we couldn't imagine swimming around in the cold water of the ponds in April, the Pickerel Frogs and Red-spotted Newts we caught today seemed not to mind at all. Lorin and Scarlett, some of our regulars, joined us again today as it just keeps getting warmer and warmer... and they can't bear to be inside! We all wanted to check on the status of the American Toad tadpoles because we heard them singing again after a couple of days' hiatus. Sure enough there were more eggs in the first pond, and we could clearly see the difference in development of the first set as opposed to the second set. The first set looked like small paisleys and the second set was still perfectly round, probably having just been laid the day before. We let the girls take over wielding the nets (making sure they dipped in tadpole-free zones) and stood back to watch them show off their catches.



Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, and warm feelings and smiles seemed to warm the air as well. By the time we got to our log at the Buttonbush Swamp we had shed a layer and put away our hats, and we were content to just relax and sift dry leaves through our fingers and look up into the trees to se if we could anticipate when we'd have the "leaf-out." As we stared into a Hickory tree we saw movement, and back-and-forth in the pines we identified two Ruby-crowned Kinglets, life birds for Lorin and Kat. We watched them as they boldly foraged above our toddlers, very happy that we had come out.


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