Harvest is in...
and we begin to sleep. Or not...
Harvest is in and everyone is preparing for a long winter’s nap. Well, maybe not everyone. I’ve been seeing and hearing lots of eagles. After recent rains, mushrooms have been popping up to take a peek at the world.
One day family members joined me. I can’t tell you how much fun I have when someone—especially family wants to join me on my walk. If you want to join me, I would love it! Just reach out, and we don’t have to leave at dawn. I can be flexible. Violet the Dog is always ready to come along, even on a frosty morning:
The Rangers installed new benches! Thanks much! The Mahaska County Conservation Board employees work very hard to maintain the parks and provide incredible learning opportunities at the Environmental Learning Center, and most people don’t appreciate our naturalists, educators, and Rangers for the work they do. Please thank them for their hard work, if you see them, or if you don’t live in Mahaska County, please thank county employees where you live.
Look at the marks on the step. Its impressions are from the leaves, from the silt blowing in the wind and building up beneath the leaves. I think it’s beautiful. Art is everywhere.
I found this garter snake with its head bit/cut off. I’m not sure what creature other than man that would bite/cut the head of a garter snake off without eating it. I’m not sure what happened here. Maybe one of the biologists who subscribe to this newsletter will know more. But if you are going to bite the head of an animal off, please have the courtesy to eat it!
Above is a worm making its living.
Watching this milkweed disperse its seeds was interesting. It’s a pretty amazing adaptation, spreading its seeds incrementally and maximizing the chance of fertilization in the spring by timing the intervals of dispersion.
Love these spider webs. So beautiful.
Every day I wander the woods I realize that if I lived a thousand years, and learned voluminous amounts much every day, I would still know very little.
But in ignorance sometimes lies wonder…
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Hawks, crows, owls, foxes, cats, opossums, skunks, mink, weasels, egrets, herons, cranes, and raccoons are some of the predators that would eat a garter snake. I’ve even heard of squirrels eating them, but why only the head? Some animals eat only the head of their prey because the head is all that nutritious, making it a quick and efficient way to get a high-calorie meal. I’ve received countless photos of headless rabbits over the years. I reckon most of that beheading was done by an owl. I wouldn’t think this would apply to this snake, but what do I know? I saw a National Geographic video of a shrew killing a garter snake, and it began its feast by eating the head. Was the unfortunate reptile bashed on the head with a candlestick by Professor Plum, did it fall victim to a snake-hating human, or was it a snack item for a shrew? I don’t have a clue.
Thank you for this calming beginning to the day. I love the leaf prints on the step. Beautiful!