Home Cookin' March 25th, 26th and 27th, 2022

 While we had a great time in the 'Glades, we've been missing our local critters at the most important time of the year. Things are waking up and getting ready to start their 2022. 

Friday, March 25th.

While I was out running my errands in the morning, I decided that it was warm and sunny enough (low 50s) that there might be some knuckleheads looking for sun at the local dens. I grabbed Andrea and we spent her lunch hour walking our local trails. Our first encounter was a big Redback.

Evidently, I walked right past this squiggle of a Garter.

Redbacks were plentiful. Tis the season! Here are a few more, including our first Leadback of the year. Lots of different colors here.

We could hear loads of Wood Frogs quacking from the vernals but couldn't lay our eyes on them at all. The occasional Peeper was peeping as well.

We took a closer look walking back through the Valley and saw another Garter.

Then, hiding at the bottom of a ditch, we saw our First of Year Nerodia! Water Snake #1!

This little mudpie will be a beauty once it washes up!

We didn't have much time but wanted to head back to the Cottonwoods. When we got there, we were happy to see another Garter enjoying the sun.

Then, much to our surprise, we saw another species coiled up... A juvie Racer! Not only is this the first Racer we've seen at this spot, but it is our first Suffolk County Racer!

Some know-it-alls have said that Racers are the first ones up in the Spring and the last ones to bed in the Fall but in our decades of doing this together, this is the first time we've seen one this early in the year. A real treasure for us.

Not a bad 40 minutes on the trail.

Saturday, March 26th.

The sun was making a valiant attempt to shine through the clouds in the morning. I checked the weather and saw that we had a couple of hours before real rain was expected. So, we headed to a nearby spot in Norfolk County where we can usually see our first Spotted Turtle of the year.

Guess what our first sight was? Yep- FOY Spotty!

We walked the long, flat trail for a mile or so in, enjoying the quiet. It was pretty cool when the breeze blew and the sun was intermittent so we thought that any curious snakes wouldn't bother this day. We did flip a Redback on the trail, not a common occurrence at this spot.

We got over to a secluded spot on a cross-trail. I decided to look for Wood Frogs. We'd been hearing them for much of the walk, as well as the occasional Peeper and some Leopards at the beginning. After "looking for Wood Frogs", Andrea called me back and pointed out two Garters in snuggle mode.

Hot times in the old woods tonight!

Not far from that coupling couple, another pair were entangled, though likely just about finishing up. Cigarette time.

This beauty wasn't far from them. Voyeur.

Well, it looks like we were wrong about snakes not being out. Here are a few more folded, coiled and scattered Garters that we saw on the way out.

Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday. Unplanned hike pays off... news at 11.

Sunday, March 27th.

Sunday was supposed to be crappy, but the sun was making a weak attempt in the morning so we threw caution to the wind and headed up into Middlesex County to a spot where we have had great success photographing horny Wood Frogs. Yes, I drove an hour for a frog, but this place has a lot of turtle possibilities as well, with Painted and Blanding's both present.

We got there mid-morning and knew it was going to be damp and muddy. From a distance, we saw our first Painted Turtle of the year, but getting a shot wasn't going to happen. See?

Actually, getting to the trail at all wasn't goping to happen. It looks like the beavers have been working overtime.

The sounds of clucking Wood frogs teased us from afar. But we knew another way in.

We finally got to the vernals where the Woodies are the easiest to photograph. Unfortunately, they got quiet when we got close. Still, they were there; you just had to look. First of Year local frogs!

They were all in Ride 'em Cowboy pose!

Mission accomplished.

Beyond that particular flood, the paths weren't horrible so we went on for a bit. This is where we got a decent look at our real First of Year Painted Turtles.

The path did eventually flood up. I snuck a bit further out than (the sensible) Andrea and was rewarded with this rusty dusty folded coil of a Garter.

I learned that Nuthatches peck. This guy drove me crazy but I finally got enough of a shot to call him #57, a White-breasted Nuthatch. Yes, he was pecking like a woodpecker.

Here's another angle of those Painter stacks that I got on the way back.

The Woodies were still at it when we walked back by.

I had band commitments so our time was very limited but we'd made the most of another day when we might not have gone out at all.

One more attempt. Distant Painters are better than no Painters at all.

So, that's not a bad weekend. 5 FOYs (of course, we haven't seen much at all yet) and that Racer is big news for us. Hopefully, we'll be getting out and trying new things this year, discovering new places and seeing lots of beautiful animals.

I hope so, anyway.