Spring Woods
We took a walk to the vernal pool, and this time we saw it coming to life. The surface was alive with little plopping sounds and shivers. There were any number of these red spotted newts.
There were also a few plump tadpoles — very sly and quick despite their un-speedy appearance.
Spring peepers and wood frogs allegedly lay eggs here, so it must be one of those — in process.
There were all kinds of little white things in the water, some of which were probably seeds. I didn’t see clear, jelly-like globs with black spots as I would expect frog’s eggs to look like, but there were a number of these round clumps. I’m guessing they are the eggs of someone — maybe the red spotted newts, since they don’t look like the spotted salamander eggs I’ve seen pictures of.
I saw some huge spiders walking along on the water, along with various speedy water bugs and striders. A small bird with a big voice called — shrieked — loudly from high above, but I never did get my eye on it. When we got really quiet and just listened, it was amazing as always to notice how many sounds there were: construction equipment perhaps a mile away, quiet plops and bubbly noises, tree talk — creaks, thunks, rustles. Somewhere a dog barked. The distant chimes from the State University sounded the hour with impressive, civilized-sounding gongs.
Then I heard a flurry of clucks and squeaks and rattles. I have no idea what it was. It occurred to me to record the sound in the following blurry video… If you have any idea what was making the noises, tell me!
Whatever it was, there were two of them, and they were discussing something.
Nearby was another pool, closer to the creek, and full of bright green algae. There were some salamanders there too, though I didn’t notice them till later when I was looking at the pictures. The shifting colors and reflections were beautiful.
Nearby was this guy, scooting across the leaves in a big hurry.
Hey buddy, smile for the camera!
“Girls, come see the snake!” I called. They were a stone’s throw away finishing their picnic lunch and discussing which plastic horse would claim which pool in the small stream nearby.
They ran over obediently, then stopped, startled. “A snake!” Older Daughter exclaimed.
“Where?” Younger Daughter shouted. “Mommy! Look!! There’s a snake!!!”
On to the pond, where there were a few fish, geese, and more newts.
I also saw a few song sparrows singing their hearts out. It’s so wonderful when the birds start to sing again!
Most of the geese were out on the water, but there were a couple observing us from periscope depth among the cattails.
On the way out we spooked four or five of the infamous deer that are said to be over-browsing this preserve.
Back at home, we should work on getting some of it into written form, but there’s so much more to the experience than we seem able to capture in writing. Our official focus this week was spring birds, so Older Daughter did a robin page from Barb’s More Nature Study Book 3. Younger Daughter did a titmouse page from the Cornell Coloring Book. Both girls had started their pages the other day, so we’ll probably do some more drawing or narrating about the walk we took today.
Mom wrote a blog post and submitted it to the Outdoor Hour Challenge.
8 Comments
Carrie, Reading to Know
We had a couple of “tease” days last week. Spring is coming. But yesterday we had snow in the morning and a torrential downpour in the afternoon. The locals are all biting their nails waiting for Spring to really and truly ARRIVE!
Janet
I know that feeling! It wouldn’t be unheard of for us to get some late snow… but I hope not! This is very early for such springlike weather around here.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
What a wonderfully refreshing and encouraging post! Your images with the reflections are amazing to see.
I listened to your mystery sound but couldn’t figure it out either.
Your entry makes me want to get outside but we are having a very wet few days. Hopefully soon we will be back to a drier pattern and we can take a hike out in our woods. Thanks for sharing your entry.
Janet
We went back to the pool a few days later and heard the sound again. I’m pretty sure it was made by wood frogs — here’s the follow-up post: https://www.acrossthepage.net/2012/03/wood-frogs-and-spring-peepers/
Julie
Wow! So much to see. That is a wonderful opportunity to experience all that. I look forward to seeing how the place changes over the next few months. I wonder what it is like in summer?
Jamie {See Jamie blog}
WOW! That’s a whole lot of nature you got to study! I remember catching tadpoles like that when I was a kid and it was rather surprising how fast they were, despite their appearance, like you said.
By the way, I love your header photo.
Sahamamama
Barb,
I’d like to know how you motivate yourself to draw/write about a nature walk when you would rather just come home and “think” about it. Do you force yourself to journal when you’re feeling more meditative than scientific?
We were out in the glorious spring sunshine today. There is nothing I could write or draw that would do this experience justice. White blossoms against the pure blue sky. A garter snake pretending to be a stick on the bright green grass. The fresh scent of pine needles in my handy (sticky). Bunches of grape hyacinths, dandelions, and violets — “Look, Mommy, a bouquet.” :)
Do you “force” yourself and/or your students to journal this, every time, or are there some days that you just want to “take in” without the follow-up work at home? FWIW, I haven’t had the girls do anything up to this point, but they are young (5, 5, and 7), and just learning how to stand still enough to watch the honeybees on wildflowers.
Maybe you could post your thoughts about this? (Hint, hint). BTW, your blog has completely changed the way we live and move out into and through nature. We are not clueless clods stomping noisily through the woods now. LOL. By gently teaching myself and my girls to observe, to come closer, to stand still, to listen, to give nature space, to remember details for looking up later, we have grown in how we see what has been there all along. Thank you.
Janet
Hi Sahamamama,
I’m not sure if this comment is intended for me or for Barb at the Handbook of Nature Study Blog. If it’s intended for Barb, I agree — she’s inspiring, and so gifted at creating resources for documenting nature learnings!
If it’s intended for me, then thank you. :-)
Just to respond to the question about whether journalling/writing is always necessary, for our family the answer is definitely no. We journal once a week, but we explore outdoors more often than that. It would turn the whole adventure into a burdensome enterprise if we felt we had to document it all! I believe there is great value in the experience of nature exploration, and much more is retained and enjoyed than we could ever capture in print.