September is one of those months of the year that can still feel like the hot, humid days of summer are not quite over, or, offer much cooler weather that reminds us that Autumn will soon be with us. Although the calendar hasn’t officially changed to fall (September 22^nd is the Autumnal Equinox), nature has already begun preparing for the next season. The leaves of some trees are already showing their true colors, many birds have migrated through and the hours of daylight grow shorter.

Theresa and I decided to take advantage of one of these “Indian Summer” weekends and headed over to Virginia Beach for a quick getaway weekend. We normally try to visit a beach at least one time each summer to take in the sand, surf and sun, but with our move from Pennsylvania to Virginia, we couldn’t squeeze it in. While living in SE Pennsylvania, our beach destination was usually Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware-about a 2.5 hour drive. At our new home here in Virginia, the closest public beach is Virginia Beach-a 4-hour drive.

                    Sunrise over Virginia Beach, and an Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin plays in the surf

We couldn’t have asked for better “September Summer” weather, even with Hurricane Jose’ moving north off the Atlantic coast. The air temps were in the low 80’s and the ocean water temperature hovered around 76 F. It was perfect for swimming and getting knocked on my butt by the waves over and over again! I must be getting weaker as I grow older, since the same 3’-4’ waves that were smashing my face into the sandy bottom, had no effect on the two 8-year olds standing next to me, pointing at me and giggling! However, I got even when I stood up and asked them if they felt something big go across their feet! They quickly departed the water for the safety of their family’s beachfront campground! Despite the fact that I served as oceanic entertainment for several kids, I did have fun in the surf!

When we visit the beach, we have much more on our agendas than just getting up each day, lugging our 40 lbs. of beach gear, food and drinks out to the sand, then proceed to bake like potatoes. We enjoy rising early and seeing the sun rise over the ocean, chatting with some of the surf fisherman, watching many birds and other critters we can see in between the hordes of sunbathers, and hopping in the car to check out some of the other local outdoor attractions. On this weekend we visited two areas-First Landing State Park, just north of Virginia Beach, and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 minutes south.

First Landing SP is a cool park full of trails that surround a Bald Cypress swamp. In addition to the Bald Cypress, the forest hosts large Virginia Pines, Tupelo (Black Gum) and big Oaks. Although the park was full of both two-legged and four-legged visitors enjoying the beautiful weather, we did manage to see a few critters on our short walk, including a large Orb Spider that retreated to its hiding place in a rolled up leaf and lots of interesting fungi. The highlight was finding (after several minutes of careful looking) a Great-Horned Owl quietly perched near the top of a large oak tree. We would have never found it if it wasn’t for a flock of crows that were loudly mobbing it, trying to drive it away. The owl was not phased a bit, and sat intently until the crows got bored and flew away. It was a beautiful bird and we were thrilled to get a peek at seeing it.

Posing for a Cypress Swamp selfie, and checking out the “alligator-like” bark of a large, leaning Virginia Pine (above), and a hidden Great horned Owl (below)

Our last side trip before heading home was to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This 9,250-acre refuge lies just south of the metropolitan area of Virginia Beach. It was established to provide feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds and preserve critical natural areas from rapidly increasing residential and commercial development. Back Bay NWR includes a thin strip of barrier island coastline typical of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as upland areas on the west bank of Back Bay. Habitats include beach, dunes, woodlands, agricultural fields, and emergent freshwater marshes. The majority of refuge marshes are on islands within the waters of Back Bay.

Although the clouds rolled in and we got caught in a light rain shower, we ventured out to the beach to see if we could see any interesting birds. Scattered among the many surf fisherman, we did manage to see many Brown Pelicans (we love watching them soar and dive in the water), Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Laughing Gulls, a few Caspian and Least Terns, soaring Osprey, several Sanderlings and one Willet that was feeding on sand crabs. Our coolest critter find was on the way out, when we stopped to watch a 3’ Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth) feeding on a large, dead grasshopper on the side of the road. By the time I was done snapping photos of it, 5 other cars had also stopped, and one lady directing traffic so cars wouldn’t run over it. She asked me if it was safe to try and move it off the road so it wouldn’t get squashed. After educating this nice lady from Massachusetts as to what species of snake it was, she decided not to try and convince the reptile to move, but just make passing cars aware of it. She meant well, and I thanked her for her efforts!

          Brown Pelicans soaring over the waves, as one drops out of the sky diving for a fish.

It was a great trip to the Tidewater area and fun way to end the summer season…..maybe!

I pulled myself out of bed at 4:45 am. It was still dark and the 52 degree temperature outside was pretty chilly for late July in Virginia, but just the kind of morning I was hoping for. Sunrise was not for at least another hour, but I had to move quickly and find my locations. The recent heat wave finally came to an end, and as the overnight temps dropped, it created thick, morning fog that hung over the surrounding valley and mountainsides. Add some early morning rays of sunshine, and you can discover some excellent photo opportunities in these conditions, but the “golden hour” doesn’t last very long.

Fog drifts over a fresh cut hayfield at sunrise, and the surrounding valley.

Outdoor photographers love the golden hour. If the weather is favorable, it happens twice a day-right after sunrise and right before sunset , when the sun’s light is softer and not so bright. If you have a decent camera, the photos can be awesome!

Most of my golden hour landscape locations I pre-scouted during regular daylight hours. Where exactly will the sun rise and what natural features could it highlight? Are there any human-made objects that may detract from the photo that I don’t want in the picture, or human-made objects that I DO want in the picture because it may add something special? Of course, is the location safe, and/or, will I be attracting attention I may not necessarily want? Most of my early morning encounters usually involve the good men and women in law enforcement, who, along with a few local farmers, are usually the only ones up at that time of the morning.

Such was the case this past weekend when I had pulled my truck nearly all the way off a quiet, country road at 5:45 am, with my 4-way flashers clearly visible. As I waited for the sun to rise over a distant ridge, I could see in my rearview mirror a car cresting over the hill behind me. I knew exactly who it was. As I waived the sheriff’s deputy on by me, he turned on his lights, pulled up beside me and rolled down his window. Before he could say anything I politely told him I was just snapping some sunrise photos. Although it seemed as if it was an hour before he responded, a few seconds later he told me I was parked in the middle of the road and was blocking traffic, and I needed to find a safe place to pull all the way off the road. Without hesitating I simply said “OK officer,” as he sped away. I understood he was only doing his job.  I only stayed long enough to get my photo!

Today (June 21^st) marks the Summer Solstice-the day with the maximum amount of daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. This is when the sun reaches its most northern point in the sky, at noon. Some people refer to it as the “longest day of the year,” but technically, all our days here on earth are the same length, which is 24 hours!

“Solstice” is derived from the Latin words “sol” (sun) and “sistere” (to make stand) (Dictionary.com). After this date, the days start getting “shorter,” i.e., the length of daylight starts to decrease, and although we now call it our “summer season,” we’re actually headed toward the next seasonal change, the autumnal equinox (September 22^nd in 2017), when the days and nights have equal amount of daylight and darkness-12 hours. Oh, we call this season, fall.

I know, as my dear wife has repeatedly told me, I should stop reminding her that after the summer solstice (i.e. June 22^nd), it’s time to begin preparing for autumn! We haven’t even gotten our first swim in yet, and I’m already babbling about Halloween, bird migrations, apple cider, hunting season and where my winter clothes are!

As we edge closer to the official start of summer, the next generation of many animals are already busy growing and learning to survive on their own. In my outdoor travels, it seems like May and June are the two main months that I encounter many baby animals. The “nature nurseries” are full of baby birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians still being fed and protected by their parents, learning to hide from predators, and sometimes, simply playing with their siblings. It can be an exciting and wonderful time, as well as a challenging and dangerous period in their young lives.

When we talk about baby animals, many of us may imagine that cute little fawn clumsily running after its mama near the forest, or the Robin parents in our backyards constantly grabbing worms and returning to the nest to feed eager, begging chicks. But many baby animals learn to find food for themselves fairly quickly after birth, while others may “hang” with their parents for much longer. Grizzly bear cubs may stay with their mother for 2-3 years. Does this sound familiar to any of you parents out there?

Baby animals are born in a variety of places. They can start their lives in a nest 100’ up in the forest canopy, or 10’ underground in a hidden burrow. The challenges they face are many, and unfortunately for many young critters in the wild, they will never survive to adulthood due to starvation, disease, predators and even humans. Sometimes, even our good intentions of concern can be detrimental to baby wild animals.

 A mama Rock Squirrel carries her baby in Zion NP, while Prairie Dog babes play near their burrow at Wind Cave NP 

Waterfowl such as Canada Geese and  Mallards will hatch many young, to insure some of them survive to adulthood.

Since there’s an abundance of wild baby animals out and about at this time of year, we often see them by themselves. Automatically, we assume the young critter has been abandoned by its parents or possibly injured. But, in most cases the parent (s) are close by and know exactly where their offspring are. Humans will “scoop up” baby birds or “capture” baby mammals, thinking they’re orphans and cannot take care of themselves. In most cases, this should be avoided. Baby wild animals belong in the wild! I’m not saying we shouldn’t care, we should, but unless you actually see a dead parent nearby, or the animal is obviously injured (broken bone/bleeding), or your dog or cat has brought it back to the house still alive, we should give their parents (most likely hiding nearby) a chance to reclaim their youngster. I like a slogan that NY State has used for many years, “If You Care, Leave Them There.”

…..and we can’t forget the other wild babies that may not be so cute-looking, like the tadpole of a Green Frog and a newly hatched snapping turtle which is smaller than the size of a quarter

May and June are the months for babes in many parts of the U.S. Although they may look abandoned, vulnerable or sick, most likely they’re not, and are just learning to survive in nature…with a little help from their parents. Observe them from a distance and allow the wild animal babies to be wild! Enjoy the outdoors!

The light rain didn’t bother me, nor did it seem like any of the critters I encountered during my wet walk were too concerned about the warm precipitation either. In fact, the spring shower appeared to stir even more activity in the woods, and seemed to make the vibrant, green colors of the forest, even greener! The forest I was wandering around in was part of a larger tract of eastern deciduous forest nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest mountains in the world. Extending nearly 2,000 miles from Newfoundland, Canada south to Alabama, they form a natural border between the coastal plain to the east, and the interior lowlands to the west. The forests that cover this impressive range hosts some of the most diverse plant and animal species on the planet. To the north, the tree communities are primarily made up of conifers such as fir, spruce and hemlocks. As you travel south, the plant diversity increases, and the mountain ridges, slopes and valleys change to broadleaf deciduous plants such as oak, maple, ash, beech, hickory, birch, walnut and poplar. Growing under these canopies you may find shrubs such as Mountain Laurel, azaleas, spicebush, blueberries, serviceberry and viburnums.

I love the Appalachians in May. To spend time hiking in these mountainous woodlands is almost spiritual. Add a little rainfall and the lush, forested landscape transforms into a bustling, but beautiful, natural community-from the forest floor to the highest reaches of the tree canopy! Throw in dashes of brilliant-colored songbirds (along with a few of their delightful songs) and a mosaic of blooming wildflowers and trees, and you have beautiful, living canvas of dazzling colors and sounds all around you!

The green deciduous forest is dotted with lots of colorful songbirds (above) each spring, including (from top left to bottom right) Blackburnian warblers, Hooded warblers, Black & White warblers and Wood thrush.

The White Trillium (left) and Wild Azalea (right) can be found in rich, deciduous woodlands

Many species of birds are migrating through at this time of year, while others may already be busy with nesting and defending territories. The woodland wildflowers are in full bloom-some bold and showy, some delicate and hidden. Other forest animals like chipmunks, squirrels, deer, bear and fox stay occupied by finding food and caring for their young ones.

Theresa and I venture out to the forests whenever we have time. It’s our time together-a hike in a local park, bike ride along a scenic rail trail, or just a walk in the woods with our binoculars. We love the woods, and we hope we never stop discovering “the forest through the trees!” As Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, “We must not always talk in the market-place of what happens to us in the forest.”

Get Out & About in a forest this spring! Cheers!

The sun was just breaking through the heavy, morning mist when I arrived at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. The time was 5:50 am, and I joined a short line of cars waiting for the gate to open. It was already quite warm for April, and the giant mosquitos were already buzzing at my window, licking their chops. My first bird of the day-a male Cardinal, singing his loud, clear song from the top of a shrub. This was my annual spring trek to this awesome wildlife refuge on the Delaware Bay, near Smyrna, DE, and as always, it did not disappoint.

Bombay Hook was established in 1937, and protects one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region. The refuge’s 16,000 acres is located along the coast of Delaware, and is mostly marsh, but also includes freshwater impoundments and upland habitats that are managed for other wildlife. The name is derived from the Dutch “Bompies” or “Bompies Hoeck” meaning “little-tree point.” In 1679, Mechacksett, chief of Kahansink, sold Bombay Hook wetlands to Peter Bayard, an early Dutch settler. The price for the area was 1 gun, 4 handfuls of powder, 3 waistcoats, 1 anchor of liquor and 1 kettle. Today, it serves as a major migration stopover along the Atlantic Flyway, for thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds. In addition, many species of birds rely on the refuge for breeding. The refuge, a nationally recognized birding spot attracting birders from across the country, is designated a Globally Important Bird Area. Oh, and it’s one of my favorite destinations as well!

A sampling of birds at Bombay Hook NWR. From left to right, top to bottom. Forster’s Tern, Yellow-breasted Chat, Dunlin, Snowy Egret,  Black-necked Stilts, Tree Swallow, Wilson’s Snipe, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

The self-guiding auto tour allows almost everyone access to observe and enjoy so many birds, and other critters, that sometimes you don’t even know which way to look, since they can be all around you! If you like to see Bald Eagles up close, this is the place to go. My tally of eagles for yesterday (April 27^th) was about 37! The unique aspect of the refuge is that it protects a variety of habitats including tidal marsh (fluctuating water levels), freshwater marsh, upland forests and meadows. Lots of different places for birdies to hang out! However, you do have be prepared for some of the refuge’s less desirable critters, such as ticks, mosquitos, and later in the summer “green head” flies. But I’ll deal with them any day if I get a chance to see one of the greatest migration shows on earth!

Bald Eagles and more Bald Eagles-juveniles (no white head or white tail) and adults. I even saw one outside the refuge, just sitting in a local farm field along the road.

The refuge is also home to many other animals as well, and I managed to run into a few of them during my trip there as well-literally! I walked right up on two different Northern Water Snakes-one basking on a dock that I nearly stepped on, and another that was wrapped around the branches of a shrub when I was looking for a warbler. Neither moved out of my way, so I simply snapped my photos and backed off. I also stumbled upon three other reptiles (all turtles crossing in front of me), a Red Fox hunting in a field, several deer and a Muskrat busy gathering food-and did I mention ticks and mosquitos? Yep, found lots of those critters too, or I should say, they found me!

Northern water snakes-hanging out on the dock, and in the bushes! Turtles included Eastern Box Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle and a shy Painted Turtle.

 Bombay Hook NWR is a great place to visit in any season. But, if you find you have some time in the spring or fall, it can be especially rewarding. Grab your binoculars and come on down. You won’t be disappointed!

There they were. Just popping up out of the leaf litter of the forest floor. If I hadn’t stopped to listen to a distant Red-bellied Woodpecker sounding out his territorial call, I would have walked right by the small, group of delicate, white wildflowers, with faint pink striping. I recognized them instantly, since they’re one of the first woodland wildflowers to bloom in the spring, hence their name-Spring Beauty!

Spring Beauties (left) and Coltsfoot (right) are two, early-blooming spring wildflowers 

This past weekend I dashed out for my annual spring wildflower walk, to a location that I knew had a good variety. Although I was two weeks earlier than my normal search time, I still managed to find a good variety of species just beginning to emerge from their winter rest. They begin blooming as early as March, although this year, a few friends had told me they found very early blooms during the bright, warm days of late February. By June, all but a few of the woodland wildflowers are past their peak bloom times, and if your timing is off, you’ll miss seeing them altogether and have to wait another year to witness this, quiet forest extravaganza!

A friend once asked me, “What exactly is the definition of a wildflower?” I’m no botanist, but I answered his question by breaking the word down-wild and flower. Simply put, a wildflower is a plant that grows in nature without being managed by humans, and is usually colorful and produces seeds. There are native species, and non-native species. A native wildflower is one that has been growing here since before Europeans settled here (1600’s). Non-natives are not originally from this country, but were brought by settlers and planted here. Some species escaped (spread) by accident, and others were planted in nature on purpose. OK, that’s your wildflower science lesson, now let’s cover some of the more interesting and fun facts about these plants!

 Wild Grape Hyacinth (above left), Wood Violet (above right) and Hepatica below (both white and blue)

There’s nearly 2,000 species of wildflowers that grown in Pennsylvania. They can be found growing just about anywhere, from roadsides to fields to steep mountains. When it comes to the spring wildflowers, the one thing these plants share is that their bloom time is pretty short. I’ve found a few species that were just getting ready to burst, returned as little as a week later, and the main flower had already wilted. They come in all shapes and colors, like the yellow Trout Lily, which gets its name from the markings on its leaves that looks like the skin of a Brook Trout. Or, the white-colored Bloodroot, an early spring flower that oozes bright, red-orange (blood-looking) sap if any part of the plant is broken. This is how the plant got its name. Native Americans used this sap as a dye.

 One of my favorite spring wildflowers is the Mayapple. This umbrella-looking flower grows on the forest floor and has one large single or double canopy-like leaf that covers the flower growing below it. Its name comes from the fruit that develops after the flower is done blooming, usually in the month of May. Mayapples grow in large colonies. When I was a kid growing up in NE PA, I would find stands of Mayapples and try to lie down beneath them looking up through their “umbrellas” and imagining I was only a few inches tall standing in a giant rainforest. Last year I found a huge cluster of these in a local state park. With no one watching, I tried to turn back time, and once again, I carefully laid down among them, trying to gaze up at their large leaves. The only problem I found was that the plants weren’t as tall as I remembered them when I was 10 years old. I wasn’t seeing anything above me, except me! Then it hit me, maybe the plants haven’t changed, maybe the curious naturalist grew larger! Maybe that green canopy above me was my gut, hiding under my green sweatshirt and looking more like a large piece of moss, rather than the Mayapples that surrounded me. With knees creaking, I slowly arose, groaning like an old bear coming out of hibernation, flicked off the slug that took up residence on my shoulder and cautiously left the Mayapples to themselves. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

I love springtime in an Eastern deciduous forest. The birds are starting to sing, the trees are just beginning to leaf out, and those elegant, colorful wildflowers. Their beauty and the important role they play in early pollination in our natural ecosystem is more than enough reason to enjoy these valuable plants. As Thomas Wentworth Higginson wrote, “The first wild-flower of the year is like land after sea.” I couldn’t agree more!

Here’s a critter quiz for you! What animal lives in water (for the early part of its life), lays eggs, sounds like a duck quacking, but is not a duck? If you still guessed a duck, you should take the quiz again! If you guessed a Wood Frog (I know, why would you guess a frog?), congratulations, you’re correct! The calls of the male Wood Frog sounds just like quacking ducks, and right now they’re busy doing their best imitations of the feathered versions! 

The calendar may read that spring is still a couple weeks away, but nature is well underway with its annual transition to a new season-especially with the crazy warm spell of weather we had in February. One group of critters that has already been active with the early spring weather are the amphibians-specifically, a few species of frogs and salamanders.  

Click below to hear the call of the Wood Frog

Every year in late winter/early spring, certain areas of forests come alive with these animals that travel to small, temporary wetlands, called vernal pools, to breed and lay their eggs. Vernal pools are like large puddles found in woodlands that only appear for a few months every year. In Pennsylvania, late fall rains and winter snow/ice melt fill these low areas with water where salamanders species like Spotted and Jefferson, as well as Wood frogs, migrate to breed and lay eggs. Vernal pools usually do not hold any fish. If you remember your basic biology lesson, these species need water for this part of their life cycle. But since these small forested pools dry up by late spring, their “window” to find these wetlands, do their thing and make baby salamanders and frogs is very narrow. I’ve even seen Wood frogs begin breeding in vernal pools when there’s still pockets of ice in them. It’s very important that we recognize these small, seasonal wetlands and continue to protect them. Unless you’re in the right spot, at the right time, you may not see the salamander’s migration/use of these vernal pools. This usually happens on warm, rainy nights, and these animals don’t vocalize like the frogs. But, those quacking Wood frogs, they’re not shy about sounding off! It’s the males calling feverishly to attract girlfriends, so they can, well, you know!  

The woodland amphibians aren’t the only ones that become active in early spring. If you venture near other wetlands, edges of lakes, cattail marshes or ponds, you’ll probably hear the calls of the tiny (almost invisible) Spring peeper. These tiny frogs may only be an inch long, but groups of them together can produce very loud choruses that drown out any other sounds around them! Like most frogs (and toads) they do this by inflating air in their throats and letting it out very quickly. “Peep, peep, peep,” they call out, but if you try to sneak up on one to find where the sound is coming from, the peeping stops, and all goes quiet. Turn around and walk away, and their calls begin again-a kind of amphibian “cat and mouse game.” I can just imagine a few of these little froggies, hiding in a stand of cattails, alternating between calling and quiet, laughing at me every time I get close with my camera! Some of these animals aren’t as elusive, and sometimes don’t even care if you’re standing among them-the toads. Click below to hear the mighty call of the Spring Peeper

American toads (Bufo americanus) are common toads of eastern and central U.S. They’re brownish-grey with many “wart-like” bumps on their bodies. No, they will not give you warts if you touch one. However, if you handle one, you may get some skin irritation since they have small poison sacs right behind their eyes, which are used as a defense against predators. They like to hop around gardens, parks and backyards in search of insects, worms and slugs. But the real action starts when it’s breeding time! Males will move into marshes, ponds or even drainage ditches in hopes of attracting a female. The males will begin calling a long trill that may last as much as 30 seconds. When the breeding action gets hot and heavy, watch out! I was standing on the edge of a small wetland a couple years ago trying to get some photos, when several males swam over to me and tried mating with the side of my hip boots. I blushed a bit, but decided not to photograph them, in case any of their toad buddies were watching!  

                                        Click below to hear the trills of the American Toad

Spring is upon us, and with it comes the wonderful world of amphibians! As the snow melts and rain falls, salamanders and frogs make their way to vernal pools. Some move quietly in the dark of night, while others let us know they’re around by their peeps, trills and quacks! Enjoy, and get out and about this spring!

We could see the snow on the tops of the Catskills as we drove north on the NY Thruway, as if inviting us to keep going, keep searching for winter. But the Catskills were not our destination, we wanted something a bit more-the Adirondacks.  Friends had asked us, “Where are you going?” Followed by, “Why?” We wanted to find winter! Not the winter weather we’ve been experiencing for the past few years in SE PA-rain, freezing rain, a few cold days with a dusting of snow here and there, then weeks of mild, 60 degree temps. I’m talking real winter, like the kind I remember as a kid growing up in northern PA. You know, lots of snow, cold temperatures that stay cold, lakes and ponds frozen solid enough you never had to worry if the “ice was thick enough!” That kind of winter, that’s what Theresa and I were searching for. We just wanted a real winter get-away, or more like a winter come-to!

The headwaters of the Hudson River starts up in the Adirondacks, as the sun rises on the peaks above 13th Lake

OK, I admit it. As I’ve grown older, I don’t necessarily need to have five months of what I just described above, but I still crave being outdoors in this season. Thick blankets of fresh snow combined with freezing temperatures. Weather that keeps you moving, keeps you alert, keeps you curious!

Our destination was Adirondack State Park in upstate New York. This is where we found winter. We settled on an area in the central part of the Adirondacks, and stayed at a traditional lodge called Garnet Hill Lodge, near North River. The lodge sits at an elevation of 2,200 feet and is well known as one of the best cross-country ski (Nordic) areas in the region, with beautifully groomed trails. Our goals were simple- go find winter, try our and hand (more like feet and legs) at cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and most importantly, enjoy being outdoors in winter. We accomplished all three, but not without a few “bumps in the trail.”

Theresa and I in a rare “vertical” photo of our cross-country skiing experience. We looked real good, until we actually had to start skiing! A mountain stream is blanketed in fresh snow.

Our first adventure was to take a ski lesson, then hit some of the beginner trails on our own. Our lesson started in the ski shop where two teenagers showed us how to properly hold the ski poles. I had a weird feeling that I might be in over my head when I almost whacked Theresa in the face with one of my poles, then almost fell backwards over a bench, before I ever stepped foot outside. Read on, it gets better!

We then ventured outside and learned how to put on our skis. I managed to quickly slip, slide, and crumble to the ground before we even moved, as two 10-year olds chuckled  then started snapping photos of me with their cell phones-probably to post on some social media site. Did I describe the trails as “beautifully groomed?” They were so beautifully groomed I felt a little guilty after falling on my butt so many times I kinda messed them up. If you wanted to track me, it would have been fairly easy because all you had to do was look for a series of large snow divots. Oh, and you wouldn’t have had to travel far. All this “practice” took place about 16’ from the ski shop! Theresa and I had some difficulty keeping up with our two, young Nordic instructors, as they shouted something about bending my knees as they zoomed in front. The first lesson we learned was how to properly get back up after falling-we practiced this one a lot for the first half hour! Just when we felt we mastered our stand-up recovery, our teen teachers looked at the clocks on their cell phones, announced that our lesson was over and pointed us toward a trail that looked like it should have been in the Winter Olympics. Just like that, we were Nordic skiers-not! The final straw in our new winter past time was a slight downhill collision between husband and wife, when husband panicked a bit as he lost his balance, headed for a large oak tree, then swerved in front of his unknowing wife, bringing them both crashing down on the beautifully groomed trail! Cross-country skiing-done! But as quickly as we ended our Nordic ski activities, we strapped on the snowshoes and enjoyed the next two days hiking the forests and frozen lakes of the Adirondacks! We both agreed, this was our preferred mode of winter travel, and we had a ball!

                                                   Snowshoeing in the Adirondack Mountains

              Checking out a beaver lodge on a frozen pond, and a chilly selfie on frozen 13th Lake

                A Hemlock branch sticks out of a frozen waterfall, and a Red Squirrel jumps for joy!

We took a couple hours and drove north to visit the Adirondack Interpretive Center, where we enjoyed watching Red-breasted Nuthatches, BC Chickadees and Hairy Woodpeckers at their feeding station.

Although cross-country skiing wasn’t our thing, snowshoeing allowed us to continue doing one of the outdoor activities we like best, hiking, even when the ground was covered with 18” of snow. We finally found winter, and it was just as we had hoped it would be! Enjoy the outdoors, all year round! Get Out & About!

It’s January, and it’s 50+ degrees-just doesn’t seem right to me! I overheard someone saying yesterday, “I’ll take this weather for January any day.” Nope, not me. On my seasonal calendar, January is winter, and winter should include snow and cold temps. That being said, I also took advantage of this mild weather and ran for the NJ coast to do some “winter” birding. I focused on two popular state parks-Barnegat Lighthouse SP and Island Beach SP. Both of these sites are an easy destination for millions of people from the metropolitan areas of New York and Philadelphia, but not usually in January! They’re much more popular as summer beach trips than winter visits. However, what they lack in human visitors in January (yea!), they more than make up for in feathered visitors!

Barnegat Lighthouse SP sits at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, an 18-mile strip of land dotted with several small towns.The main attraction at the park is the lighthouse, which you can climb to the lightkeepers catwalk. Once you reach the top (217 steps-172′), you’re rewarded with wonderful views of Long Beach Island, the Atlantic Ocean, Barnegat Bay, Barnegat Inlet and Island Beach State Park.  You can also watch commercial and recreational fishing boats coming in and out all day long.

The main reason for my visit was to search for winter birds, including many seabirds, gulls and a few shorebirds we normally don’t see in PA. For the most part, I was not disappointed, although I did not realize that hunting season was still in, and there were several duck boats in the inlet shooting up a storm at the passing sea ducks. But, my waterfowl list was still pretty good: Harlequin Ducks, Common Eider, Black Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Ducks, Common and Red-throated Loons, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye.

                                   One of my favorites-Long-tailed Ducks-very cool-looking ducks

                                                Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead (both males)

A Common Loon prepares its lunch, a fresh caught crab, and Ruddy Turnstones share their barnacles with a Purple Sandpiper

Unless you have a boat, to reach Island Beach SP, you must drive about an hour north, cross the bay, then wind your way back south again through the beach towns of Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. IBSP is a preserved barrier island between Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s made up of nearly 10 miles of sandy beach, vast sand dunes, thick coastal (low-growing) forests and tidal marshes. Over 400 species of plants have been recorded here, along with plenty of wildlife, including Osprey and Red Fox. Most visitors come to the park to swim, fish, stroll the beaches and even surf. It’s a very popular summer destination.

                                       A brave surfer tests his skills in the chilly Atlantic Ocean at IBSP

Although these islands, their many small towns and the two state parks are quiet with human visitors in the winter, they’re a very popular destination for many species of wintering birds. I highly recommend a “cold-weather” trip to see some of these cool critters, and if you really want an extra challenge, climb to the top of the Barnegat Lighthouse. Enjoy!