Spring Goes On

Regardless.....

And at least so far the powers that be say we are still allowed to get out and experience it. I hope that extends so far as to let us drive down to the Crossing and hit the big ponds up south of us. There are few or no people there and plenty of birds and wild things.

Yesterday marked the first Spring Peepers for us. Their strident shrieks were first heard down in Schoharie County, through which we drove on our way home from an appointment that had to be kept.

Then we stopped at a little pool on Rankin Grove Rd. where we have seen oh, so many amazing birds. Nothing around but a couple of chickadees, but from the watery wash at the base of the brightening magenta of the Red Osier Dogwoods came the barking grunt of several Wood Frogs.

I have not heard them in at least 20 years, as vernal pools are in short supply on our upland acres.

Ring-necked Ducks

We also found some interesting migrating ducks, a small group of Ring-necked Ducks on a pond in the Bear Swamp complex of waters and a Long-tailed Duck up on Lyker's Road.

That was a thriller  as we only see one or two of these per year and only if we are lucky, and only on the river as a rule. I still remember the first one I ever saw, decades ago when they were still called Old Squaws, out in the confluence of Schoharie and Mohawk. If I have seen more than twenty altogether in the ensuing at least four decades I would be surprised.

Rana  Lithobates Clamitans

And once upon a time, in another life way back when, I learned or thought I learned, the names, both Latin and English, of all the frogs and toads found in NY and many of the other amphibians plus reptiles. Pointless in my line of work, but fun. Then they came along a couple of years ago and changed the Latin names of most of the frogs, so all those Ranas are now Lithobates (thanks a lot). Peepers are no longer Hylas either. Pseudacris Crucifer now I think? Anyhow, I thought I was well versed in local herp lore.

Imagine my amazement when I discovered that parts of NY have chorus frogs. There seems to be some discussion on whether they are Boreal or Western Chorus Frogs, but dang, I did not know they were there atall. However, there was a video yesterday of Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge frog song, which sent me off in a flurry of research and frog learnin'.

As they say...you learn something every day. yesterday I learned frogs.

Stay well dear friends. Stay strong. Stay safe. We will try to do the same. 

This little round mountain centers the view on many of our travels
Anyone know its name?