HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 04, 1982 - A Brief Taste of SpringSECOND SECTION The 6tiffolh TiMC5 FEBRUARY 4,1982
A Brief
Green grass. It seems a long itime
we've seen that and moderate
temperatures. January surely was a tough
month as far as the weather went. Sub -zero
temperatures and a good snowfall all added
up to enough winter for most. Yet,
February's reputation for being kind to us
doesn't hold too much hope that spring is
just around the corner. At least today our
green grass and mild temperatures do give
us a taste of what's to come.
My chickens, I'm sure, think only of
today. Out from the confined house where
they stayed during the snow and cold
wave, they scratch and pick away in the
leaves just as they do in the summer
months. Even the horses in the back
pasture have left their parched hay to
nibble on what seems to be insignificant
green on the back hill.
The flocks of black duck and mallards
that have been confined to small open spots
in our creeks are once more freed to move
and feed in the run -off ponds of our farm
fields. New food and longer days will bring
that time - honored urge that perpetuates
each species.
Already the rabbits and squirrels in our
back woods are testing their skills of
dominance. Who shall be king of the hill and
have his choice of ladies fair?
Once mated, young squirrels are born in
about 42 days. Born blind, they'll remain in
their nests for another 37 days.All this is
timed so that just when the buds on the
trees start to swell,the young squirrels will
venture forth from their nests. These buds
will be the first solid food they take and it's
usually well within dashing distance of
their secure, snug home. Squirrels usually
have two litters of from four to six young,
which accounts for their abundance. In
today's time there are few predators
compared to years ago when there was an
abundance of hawks and a wide variety of
other animals to keep the squirrel popula-
tion down.
Rabbit and Man Compatible
Rabbits, like squirrels, do well around
man. Many can vouch for rabbits on their
lawns and in their gardens in the heaviest of
populated areas. Somehow they elude the
few predators left, and like the squirrel
have more than one brood.
Rabbits are extremely clever in hiding
their ground nests. Once I found an early
nest of rabbits that used the warmth
generated in our manure pile to rear its
young. It knew exactly where to build. The
straw made the nest and heat given off from
the manure kept the young warm. Few
predators would visit such a spot.
Another time when I was teaching, the
groundskeeper of the school showed me a
nest his lawnmower had taken the top off of,
right alongside a busy tennis court. After
looking in and seeing the young, almost
ready to leave the nest, we put the grass
back over the top and left it. In a few days
the young had grown and left on their own. I
often think of that nest right alongside that
very busy playground.
Everyone knows how prolific rabbits
are; some
breed three and four times a year. The
four to seven young are born blind and naked
30 days after conception. As I mentioned, the
nest is in the ground and usually made
of dried grasses and leaves, with an
extra warm layer of fur that is taken from
the mother. Here the young lay concealed by
a covering of grass that camouflages them
perfectly. All day they stay unattended
and at night the mother opens the
nest, nurses them, cleans them and as
dawn approaches covers them over and leaves
them for another day. Each night the
process is repeated. Greatest Danger
When Young It is
during these early days that the greatest toll
is taken, both in the nest and when very
young. This is their most vulnerable time.
Yet there always seem to be enough
rabbits to go around. Some actually believe
there is a higher concentration of
rabbits around man's homes than
in the wild. Muskrats are
our earliest animal breeders. Their
world is one of tunnels and mounds, well
protected from the cold and marauding predators.
By March or April, their young
are born and wherever we find salt or
freshwater marshes, we are sure to find the
muskrat. A few are still trapped for their skins,
but by and large they are left pretty much
undisturbed by man. Often I'
ll go down to the old dock that juts out over
the marsh and see them swimming about. As
they swim, most. of their body is below the
surface, their nose and a bit of their head
protrude above, while their long tail trails
behind like an old piece of rope from behind
a boat. When they approach the entrance
to their underground dens along the
banks, they dive and enter below the water.
On extremely
low tides you can actually see these
underwater tunnels along the edge of
the bog marked with debris of mussel shells
and reeds. Muskrats are an integral part
of our marshes and do little harm, save
burrowing. They shouldn't even be considered
in the same breath with the common Norway
rat, for they in no way resemble that
lowly fellow. As I
write, a huge low flying helicopter passed over
the house and worked its way across the
back lot. Up rose hundreds upon hundreds of
black ducks and mallards that were passing
a quiet afternoon in one of those farm
ponds I spoke of earlier. Everywhere was
confusion as the ducks circled and
headed out. They must have thought some
great demon was about to descend upon
them. A half an hour later they started
drifting back. Most have paired off
by now. Occasionally three would TOM Y= -
PIKE
TWOMEY
TT TO 1LJ,/ STEVE (
C
JOYCE
LATHAM
ROOP
John F.
SHWA Shea III
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the months ahead, the mallards will never look better. Preened to
bring out every hue, the gaudy male will spend weeks displaying and
driving away other suitors. The cycle of life has begun again. Photo
by Paul Stoutenburgh drift in - -
two males and a female. Its beauty breathtaking. Why is it so many Much grooming
and displaying will take have so much difficulty in understanding place in
the months ahead. Mating, nest it? After all, we are all part of this magic building, incubation,
hatching and caring circle. of the
young -- the cycle of life will again be PAUL STOUTENBURGH played. The
magic of our world is endless. For Reservations
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