SPRING ARRIVES EARLY
by Rick Dutko
Whether you believe in global climate change or cyclic weather patterns, the winter of 2011-2012 was the, “Winter that Wasn’t.” I led a full moon hike on January 7th and anticipated a handful of people on a frigid January night. Instead the temperature rose to 62 degrees during the day and nearly one hundred and fifty people decided to take the moonlit hike that evening in Drexel Woods. Who would have thought that this could have happened?
A month later, the groundhogs in New Jersey must have experienced cloudy conditions on their celebrated day, as Spring had arrived early. Oddly, on Groundhogs Day I was taking an evening hike with cub scouts from Troop 28 and we found a tiny Spring Peeper (that little frog with a huge voice). It was hiding under one of our reptile and amphibian research boards. That is right, a frog out on February 2nd, 2012, another historically mild day during the “Winter that Wasn’t.” But back to speaking of our furry friends, I saw two woodchucks (a.k.a. groundhogs) barreling down the meadow path as I sat in the nature center chatting with the vice-president of the Friends of the Lawrence Nature Center, Sue Herrmannon March 24, 2012. On the other side of the meadow were three white-tailed deer, but these are not uncommon at our preserve; they are year-round residents. What does that mean to us two-legged creatures? Well it is a good reason to get out and enjoy the warmer temperatures, the increasing daylight each day and nature’s wonders.
For more on this article.
Scout Projects
Ben Campos and his Troop 15 planted a blackhaw (Viburnum pruniflorum) and a cedar post behind the nature center in his proposed birding feeder station area. Ben and the scouts in his troop will construct the platform feeder and a second hanging feeder, plus four bird houses, in the upcoming months. The feeding station will enhance the beginner birding programs scheduled in January and February of 2012.
Scouts working on Phase I of Feeder.
In late November and early December, girl scout Delia Monken completed her Silver Award project, a wood duck box. The wood duck box was constructed with cedar wood, included a predator guard and is about twelve feet high in a tree along the Shabakunk Creek. It looks absolutely wonderful! In December a pair of wood ducks was observed nearby on the Shabakunk Creek. How can the wood ducks resist such a beautiful nesting box this spring?
Duck Box on Shabakunk.
Past Articles
A New Life for Old Wood by Rick Dtko
The Nature of Weather by Rick Dutko
GeoCaching In & Around the Lawrence Nature Center by Rick Dutko
Science and Nature Games by Rick Dutko
Reptile and Amphibian Study by Rick Dutko
Bridge Construction by John Gaskins
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