My New Blog

I started a new blog that has several categories. I've been sick for several days, so I propped my laptop on my knees and finally got a new blog started. I will keep a link to the Driftless Diary as long as the cyber gods will let me, and I might even post here once in a while. I just uploaded the new blog today, August 2nd, and made several posts. Anyway, here is the link.

Slow and steady wins the race

I rest my case:

NEW YORK (AP) — A runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport was shut down briefly Wednesday morning after at least 78 turtles emerged from a nearby bay and crawled onto the tarmac.

The invasion began unfolding, slowly, at around 8:30 a.m., when an American Eagle flight crew reported seeing three turtles while taxiing out for departure. Before long, a chorus of pilots was radioing the tower to report turtles either on the end of a runway that juts out into the water, or approaching on the grass.

The FAA halted flights for about 12 minutes shortly before 9 a.m. while some of the turtles were cleared away, then quit using the runway entirely after getting new reports of "massive numbers" of turtles on the tarmac. The turtles Diamondback terrapins, a species common to Jamaica Bay, which surrounds the airport. The turtles appeared to be about 8 inches long and weigh 2 to 3 pounds each.

Hiatus

Hello nature lovers. I'm taking a hiatus from my nature blog as I develop a new blog with several categories, including nature of course! I'll post the new link here when it's ready. I might post here in the meantime if something interesting comes up.

Empty Nest Syndrome

Sigh. This post is late, as the very next day I checked the nest and it was empty. No bits of egg shell, nothing.  Many predators around, it's nature's way.

Step ladder nest

This perfectly round Robin's nest sits atop a metal step ladder that leans against the old stone house in the yard.  It is vulnerable to sun and wind and rain (not to mention convenient step access for four-legged creatures), but so far, so good. Stay tuned. There are three well-protected Robin's nests on the house, each with baby Robins in residence.  

The darling spores of May

This bunch of Morels "popped" sometime in the last 24 hours near the stump of an Elm that was cut down two years ago.  The thrill of the hunt has me in its grip and I find myself wandering off into the woods a couple of times each day.  Once I've spied a morel I crouch and pivot around 360 degrees until I'm sure I've spotted every single one in the area.  Squinting hard helps. So does a cloudy day.   I find that shallots are the perfect complement (most people use ramps, which are abundant now). Shallots, butter, wine, morels..on toast or pasta. What could be more perfect. 

Warblers All Around!

This morning the windows flew open to the songs of Warblers, especially the Blackburnian Warbler, whose song was so close by (they like to perch high in evergreens) and sweet that the thought of listening to the chattering radio - the usual morning routine - seemed deadly dull. Listen to the song of the Blackburnian...this is very close to what I heard this morning.

I grabbed this wonderful photo of this fiery little gem from 10000 birds, an excellent website for bird lovers.  Click here to go to it, and enjoy!