Happy February 1!

I think we’re a little past the dead of winter. There are certainly things going on out in the woods but they’re either subtle (the action going on under the leaf litter) or unexpectedly dramatic (29 turkey vultures circling overhead, yesterday afternoon).

Here’s something of the subtle. Last year’s tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) fruits are persistant - that is, they stay on the trees through winter. They fall mainly when pushed out by swelling buds. Same is true for blackjack oak and beech leaves, and I’ve been watching for their leaf drop.

I think it’s a little too early for that, so tulip poplar fruit was probably just blown off.



Here’s something of the not so subtle. I had Gene all locked up and all for nothing - Maxwell trailed me, revealing himself only after I’d gotten too far away to go back.

Max doesn’t meow - he honks. All the time. There’s no real hope for quiet stalking when Max is around.



A few days ago I was on a very long stalk, very quietly coming up along the ridge west of the house, and far from it. I sat down on a log to check out the treetops with the binoculars and who should make an appearance but the tiny white thing in the center of the photo. Do you see it?

Maybe this will help.

Aforementioned log is a nice place to sit, since it looks out over quite a large vista of the long hollow through which the little creek winds.



As it turns out, Max was following along behind Gene. Might as well go home now!