Goose Pond Mountain State Park February 8, 2009

Fourteen hearty Nature Strollers step out onto the snow for our first walk of the year, celebrating the sunshine and forty-five degree temperatures. However this mild weather has turned the footing treacherous on our typically easy trail. The kids slip and splash their way to the toad pond for some snowball throwing. “Splash” is not usually a sound associated with this winter activity, but with several inches of meltwater on the pond, snowball throwing fun increases exponentially for Lily, Penelope, Jayden, Acadia, Owen and Kira. Sebastian forgoes the contest and glides across the submerged ice. As we cross the boardwalk, a red-tailed hawk soars quite near, enabling us to see the sun glint off the iconic red tail feathers that give the bird its name.

Otherwise there is precious little wildlife activity, so we turn our attention to the plants. The dried seed heads of the ironweed, Joe-pye, and vervain are conspicuous against the snow.

Seedbox, with its miniature box-like seed capsules, is prevalent.

Some of the cattails are at full fluff.

Owen’s mom spots a quiet praying mantis egg case, where the insects wait for spring. A few wooly alder aphids remain, apparently lifeless on the alder branches.

We see the clever little trails voles leave in the snow.


An inspection of the branches of a young tree in the parking lot reveal

the shiny, dark egg cases of the tent caterpillar.

Our very first indication of spring is still absent, but in a couple of weeks we expect to see and smell the emerging flowers and leaves of the skunk cabbage poking through the ice in the red maple swamp. Hopefully the weather will hold, and we’ll be there as the new year begins to unfold.