With the vernal equinox, It is not time to asses the Redstone drainage pond for any signs of the upcoming Spring. Although the pond itself is frozen and the area surrounding is caked in snow, the area is bustling with life, from the plants to the animals!
The beautiful buds!
Starting with the plants, I reviewed the populations of sumacs, grapevines, and mulberry trees. On the mulberries and grapevines, there are clear signs of buds ready to emerge for the season!
Top – grape buds
Bottom – Mulberry buds
Along with this, the sumac seed clusters are showing some change, and seem to have been picked off a bit. This is a sure sign that the area has seen feathered visitors, as birds tend to eat the sumac seeds at the end of winter. When the birds have started to trickle in through migration, but other food sources have not grown in yet, they turn to food sources like the sumac seed clusters to satisfy their hunger!
Now about those feathered friends… who’s here?
In the time I spent around the pond the past few days, I heard a wide variety of birds. From the untrained ear, I could make out the calls of crows, gulls, robins, chickadees, and some sorts of sparrows and wrens. I would also see little specks flying around in the distance, but was unable to get close enough to the birds to take photos.
When it comes to sightings, the main two birds that I saw were gulls and robins. There was a substantial flock of robins that had been passing through the area, and I watched them jumping around the grass (it was honestly really cute watching them!) As for the gulls, it appears that there is a pair of them that like to hang around the pond. Why they choose to hang around a drainage pond and not the massive lake just down the way stumps me but as long as they’re happy that’s ok.
Luckily I was able to snag some quick pics of these fellas!!
Anyway, I’m so excited to see what animals emerge (specifically bugs which I’m starting to miss). I can’t wait to see what the warmer weather brings for us!