What is She thinking?

By Beth Sullivan

Mother Nature must have an amazing sense of humor. At least I’d like to think it is humor and not some angry punishment for our human transgressions against her.

As I sit here and try to think of an upcoming trip to a warmer place, I am looking at a lovely, but at this point unwelcome landscape of beautiful, fluffy white snow. You cannot deny the beauty of a snow fall that sticks just enough to cover branches, to transform the woodlands. It is not yet cold enough to be uncomfortable for the clean-up nor are the winds howling(yet), so it really isn’t a bad storm. The kids were happy. My dogs are happy.

A few weeks ago we got hopeful.

Early Spring

But about 3 weeks ago, on one of those unusual, warm, February days, I was walking through Pequotsepos Preserve, and stopped not believing my ears, when I heard a PEEP of a solitary Spring Peeper in the woods. I was near a vernal pool off the trail; part of it was still ice covered. But the sunnier south facing shore was totally thawed. As I poked into the leaves at water’s edge with a stick, just messing around, as I have done all my life, I disturbed a small, larval salamander. At this time of year it is the Marbled Salamander whose larvae inhabit the shallow vernal pools At only about an inch long with no markings on their black skin, they are identifiable by their feather-like gills.

The larvae of Marbled Salamanders exhibit feathery gills. Photograph by Bruce Fellman.

Then two weeks ago, while driving on a rainy, warm night after an unusually warm couple of days, we noticed Spotted Salamanders and more Peepers. They were making their way across the wet roads from their woodland hibernating areas to the newly filled and thawed wetlands on the other side of the road. For me, the first spring emergence and crossing by the salamanders is a date to be celebrated. But this early event was a little worrisome.

Some Spotted Salamanders already made the trek to breeding pools.

Yesterday, a friend was walking at the Henne Preserve. Those of us who consider ourselves Naturalists are a bit obsessed about getting out and looking for those first signs of spring, especially in the face of the impending return of winter . Some of us even seek out very specific places where we have come to count on a particular species making a first appearance. At Henne, he was serenaded by a chorus of Wood Frogs, quacking happily in the pond near the entrance to the trail. He also looked for and discovered the first Mourning Cloak Butterfly in a spot we have come to know must have a special winter hiding place for them. These butterflies actually hibernate in cracks or crevasses to emerge when the temperature moderates and the sap rises in the trees. I am sure it is tucked back in today-and will be for a while.

Many of us look for Mourning Cloaks in the same places every year. Photograph by Bruce Fellman

Wood Frogs have the ability to survive freezing temperatures due to changes in their cellular fluids. Photograph by Bruce Fellman.

Back to Winter

So, spring has tried to make an appearance. More than once. Those creatures out prematurely have wonderful adaptations for being able to re-enter a hibernating state, dig into mud, or literally adjust their body chemistry so they can freeze without rupturing their living cells. Amphibian eggs will survive in the vernal pools. Those early risers will survive to rise again.

Some flowers were just making it through the last snow.

We may think Mother Nature has gone whacky, but she has given her creatures amazing adaptations to survive her whims.

We don fleece or fly south, even now.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan, unless otherwise indicated.

Babcock Ridge revisited

By Beth Sullivan

The day was too beautiful. It begged for a special hike. Last fall we walked Babcock Ridge and got a bit turned around at a couple of places. It was a great hike but the trail was not yet ready. But the Avalonia volunteers in North Stonington have been busy all winter and it shows!

We needed to get out with GPS equipment on the trails so maps can be created and posted on the trails and on-line for visitors. The entry is a small pull-off lot at 113 Babcock Road. There is room for several cars. Once signage goes up after a formal dedication later this spring, it will be far easier to spot from the road.

The trail is blazed in blue and starts out as an easy wide trail, the “stem of the lollipop” before the loop portion begins. Through force of habit, I always go counter-clock wise, to the east first. If it makes a difference to anyone, this way has a steep upslope segment with an “easier way” alternative offered. No problem at all. The clockwise route would provide a longer but somewhat more gradual slope upward.

Mourning Cloaks announce spring

We got the GPS, smart phone and camera all ready to go, and set off. Immediately we were greeted by several Mourning Cloak butterflies. These are the first to emerge in the spring after a winter hibernation. They tend to like to overwinter in crevices and cracks in rocky areas and hollow trees. There are plenty of both at Babcock and the warm sun brought them out. We had at least a dozen on the whole hike. A perfect first sign of spring!

One of several Mourning Cloaks out and about on a warm day.

A short way farther along the trail, we could begin to hear the “quacking” sound of Wood frogs in the vernal pool. As we got closer the chorus got stronger and was joined by a few Spring Peepers. I was apparently not quiet enough in my approach, because they stopped their calling. However the water was in constant motion as I could see individuals swimming in the shallow, warmed water. They will be laying eggs soon,as will the Spotted salamanders, and the vernal pool will host larval Marbled salamanders and Fairy Shrimp, as well. If you approach, be patient, sit still, the chorus might resume for you.

The early Spring vernal pool was noisy on this sunny day.

Wetlands to see

The trail drops down to a wetland area. Here you make a choice. The blue trail goes pretty straight up the ridge. A yellow-blazed “easier way” crosses the beautiful green, mossy wetland and makes a switchback trail up to the top in a more gradual way. I would take the wetland option, just because it is pretty.

Wetlands spread out rocky and mossy.

When the trails reconnect, it continues up and up to the top of the rocky ridge. Along the way you can see large ledges, caves, and rock faces covered with lichen and fungi. You can imagine what creatures would use these caves for denning opportunities.

Wonder what might live in this cave?

At the top, elevation about 290 feet, the winter views are far and wide. A few little side trips off the trail to peek over the edge are well worth it! We encountered a garter snake sunning against a warm rock. It was not happy to be disturbed! The trail crosses through the stone wall and actually joins the southern portion of the Erisman Woodlands loop. Here you can make some more choices. You can continue on the Babcock trail and head south back down to where you began, or you can follow the Erisman loop trail, extending the hike, in essence making a figure eight. It was well signed and easy to follow. Enjoy the top. If you are lucky you might glimpse the elusive Pileated Woodpecker that resides up there.

This Garter snake was not happy we disturbed its sunbath.

The trail offers choices and is easy to follow.

This day we took the Babcock loop back down. We noted old barbed wire, signs of historic boundaries, some of which was so deeply embedded into the trees it was completely encased. The wetland is more spread out, rockier here, and the stream is fuller and babbles more.

The elusive Pileated Woodpecker. Photograph by Niall  Doherty.

Ancient barbed wire, embedded deeply, speaks of the land's history.

Looking at the landscape in winter, it is easy to imagine the path of the glaciers, leaving rocks and ledges and all sorts of rocky till, making valleys for the water to collect and flow.

The trail is a bit more than a mile and a half, easy to follow, with lots to look at. I cannot wait for the season to progress, the greenery to change the views. Maybe next time I will go clockwise!

There is a special dedication of this Preserve, tentatively scheduled for May 14^th. Please check the website for details.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan, unless otherwise indicated.

Chasing Away the Winter

Winter always seems to be reluctant to give up and go away. Many of us who spend a great deal of time outside count not just the days until spring but more significantly count “firsts”. Everyone seems to notice when the daffodils and crocuses break the ground in our gardens, and it is often still quite definitely winter. Skunk cabbage flowers, oddly shaped and waxy, have been “in bloom” since January. A plant whose chemistry creates heat around it can actually melt the winter snow it stands in. Look closely at this time of year, you might find an insect or two, a bee or fly, emerged a bit too early or sometimes even a salamander taking refuge inside the sheltering flower. Those are some things we have been looking at for weeks already and are now eagerly awaiting new “firsts”.

                                                     Skunk cabbage 

By Wednesday, March 13, we had experienced a stretch of some wonderful warmth: a spring tease. That day was rainy, heavy at times. The warm rain soaked the earth, softening and soaking deep into the soil, running into holes and burrows, melting the ice on vernal pools. The FIRST wood frogs emerged from the leaf litter in the woods and found their way to shallow melted pools and began to “quack” in the late afternoon sunlight. The FIRST Spring Peepers began their calling a bit later that night from marshy ponds and wet meadows. A bit tentative to start, the chorus will grow and swell over the next weeks as the weather becomes more consistently warm. Spotted Salamanders don’t make any noise and are far more secretive. They too emerge from woodlands where they have hibernated deep in burrows. All of these first ‘emergers’ are heading to the same habitat- vernal pools. These very special wetland areas are shallow ponds. They usually only hold water during the winter and spring and are too shallow to have predatory fish. They protect the eggs and larva just long enough for them to mature then most of these ponds dry up in the summer as the amphibians move onto land.

This three minute video features the creatures that get their start in vernal pools.

Vernal pools can be found on a number of Avalonia properties. In Stonington, you can visit the Hoffman Preserve, Knox Family Farm, Paffard Woods, White Cedar Swamp, and Deans Mill Preserve among others. It is important to leave these ponds undisturbed. The busy amphibians can be easy prey for predators. Their egg masses are fragile. It is important not to wade into these wetlands and to keep dogs on a leash when in the area. Many amphibian species, including those that emerge later, are in decline. Look and listen for these FIRSTS and you will know spring cannot be far away.  

Written by Beth Sullivan.

You can learn more about vernal pools at www.vernalpool.org