To Oliver's Woods this January 20 evening at 5:30. The past week or fortnight each time I enter the NW entrance a barred owl silently flies away eastward in front of me. I think it is perched at sunset in the big pecan south of the NW entrance. I did not see it this evening. When I was in the center of the Woods I heard an owl in the distance, off to the east. I walked over to the junction of the East Wash and the West where a barred owl nested the past couple of years. There have been some big changes. Two of the largest old cottonwoods are down - one broken huge top lays across the wash by the big bur oak that washed out there. The juniper the owl used to perch in at sunset is still standing, healthy.
Hearing the owl in the distance I gave my screech owl whistle imitation (poor) and got a reply from the barred owl - over-calling me.
This time of the year the Woods are the most bare. You can see through to distant trees and sound travels easily. I noticed the forms
With the light falling and twilight coming on, I turned back west to depart.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Natural History and the Woods
After cold blustery NW storm winds, I went for an afternoon walk in the Woods. I did not find any largish branches, and there were no trees down across trails. Lots of small branches cut by Oncideres twig borers. The two ponds were both still well-filled and the Main SW trail was still flooded despite no significant precipitation in a week or more.
I encountered for four big white-tailed does at the east end of the North Trail. I waved to them and sang a greeting out loud. They looked uncomfortable, suspicious and curious. After a minute or two they moved away north.
Started thinking about the opportunity to bring small groups of people to Olivers Woods to explore/ learn about natural history, the deer, the trees, fungi, the invasives, reading the landscape, birds, beetles, insects, geology, human history, aquatic/ wetland ecology, tracks, other wildlife, etc.
Be fun to do this with just a dozen or fewer. Let everyone get to know the Woods. Maybe expand to other local areas, too.
I encountered for four big white-tailed does at the east end of the North Trail. I waved to them and sang a greeting out loud. They looked uncomfortable, suspicious and curious. After a minute or two they moved away north.
Started thinking about the opportunity to bring small groups of people to Olivers Woods to explore/ learn about natural history, the deer, the trees, fungi, the invasives, reading the landscape, birds, beetles, insects, geology, human history, aquatic/ wetland ecology, tracks, other wildlife, etc.
Be fun to do this with just a dozen or fewer. Let everyone get to know the Woods. Maybe expand to other local areas, too.
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