March Madness (Margo's Version)
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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2w ago
March Madness means different things to different people. For most, it means collegiate basketball. For me, it is the start of the spring cleaning period when I must get my garden cleared of leaves, pods and other winter debris before the bulk of the flowers start blooming. This year, however, was especially mad because instead of mid-month the unusual February warmth started the daffodils in my front yard blooming two weeks early and the plants were surrounded by, or growing through, leaves. Another problem: Periods of rain expected in the coming days meant I had only two consecutive dry days ..read more
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Oh, Deer!
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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3w ago
My brother-in-law lives in a rural part of New Hampshire. When we visit in winter his feeders draw a number of birds. Winter can be harsh up there, climate change notwithstanding. Sometimes the feeders draw something unusual - common redpolls or a flock of wild turkeys, for instance. (Margo D. Beller) Recently he announced the feeders had drawn something really unusual, at least to his yard - deer. Welcome to my world. In the past, hunting or natural predators have been very efficient in keeping down the deer population in his area. But now there are more homes being built on his road ..read more
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Leap Day Thoughts
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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3w ago
One year ago, on February 28, 2023, the last day of meteorological winter, my area of New Jersey got significant snow for the first time all season, so much snow that Spruce Bringsgreen got a thick white coat. First daffodils, Feb. 29, 2024 (Margo D. Beller) Yesterday, February 28, 2024, the temperature in my area came close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for the second time this month. February is usually the coldest month of the winter. After the first very warm day a few weeks before, the early flowers - snowdrops and crocus - in my yard came up and the flowers were close to op ..read more
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The Study of Nature
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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2M ago
Do schools teach earth science anymore? Is there discussion in the classroom about nature and all the things one sees when outdoors? "Anna Botsford Comstock 1854-1930" by USDAgov is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Nowadays, it seems we hear more about what CAN'T be taught in schools or what should not be allowed to be taught in schools than about what IS taught in schools. (I am not a teacher and do not have children, so I don't know.) During the administration of George W. Bush, in 2002, the U.S. enacted the "No Child Left Behind" law. At that time Bush was quoted as saying ..read more
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Once Around the White Oak
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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3M ago
Back in November I wrote a post about my dismay at finding another trail at the Great Swamp, the 7800-square-foot national wildlife refuge, was being boardwalked so that more people can walk through a variety of habitats without the danger of slipping on icy or muddy ground. That was then. (RE Berg-Andersson) This "managed" part of the Swamp has been slowly but surely planking paths to get more people walking, and perhaps limit where they walk. Too many people have a habit of walking wherever they feel like, with or without dogs and children, thus disturbing wildlife and eroding ..read more
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Canary In A Coal Mine
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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4M ago
There are things we see every day and take for granted. Birds, for instance.  When I was growing up not far from the southern Brooklyn shore, I did not pay much attention to the birds. There were "sparrows," "pigeons" and "seagulls." In my immediate area the "park" was a large, concrete area with swings, basketball hoops, benches and a wall for playing handball. There was no greenery beyond some trees. My house had a postage stamp-sized backyard just big enough for some rose bushes, hydrangeas and small bit of grass. A part of the Brooklyn shore I didn't appreciate when I was growin ..read more
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Odds And Ends
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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4M ago
Most of the leaves have come down, except for those of the white oaks in back and the walnut in front between my property and the neighbor's. The acorns finished coming down, at least on my porch roof and patio, weeks ago but there are still plenty of pods left in the locust tree.  All the important plant work is done, the pots stowed away. With the exception of a couple of small jobs, I can rest for the winter.  So now I'm looking through the pictures I took that didn't get used in a blog post.  For instance, here is Speedwell Lake, located not far from where I live. It is stoc ..read more
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When Too Much of a Good Thing Can Be Bad
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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4M ago
Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded. -- Yogi Berra As more trees are cut down and more buildings are put up in urban and suburban areas, I've noticed it is rare to have a static piece of open space. It has to feature more things for people to do rather than boring stuff like walking, listening to the birds or sitting quietly on a bench. These pieces of open land have to include soccer fields, playgrounds, areas for "special needs" people, cross-country running tracks and the occasional field hockey rink. This is known as "mixed use." Boardwalk under construction at Great Swamp (M ..read more
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Wild Goose Watching
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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5M ago
Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way. -- William Shakespeare, "King Lear" A cool October Sunday morning and I am sweeping. The trees are starting to color and the leaves are falling in earnest when shaken by the breeze coming from the north. It is blessedly quiet, only a couple of dogs barking in the near-distance dog park, the occasional jay or crow calling and the sound of my broom brushing together the acorns on the patio. The clouds are being chased across the sun.  It is slow right now, no runners or dog walkers or kids yelling. No one heading to church or VFW pancak ..read more
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Cleaning Up After The Trees
Backyard Birding...And Beyond
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6M ago
 In October, a maple tree before your window lights up your room like a great lamp. -- John Burroughs October, the year's tenth month (with a name reflecting when it was the eighth month under the Roman calendar), is a time of transition. October is when you really notice it is darker later in the morning and earlier in the evening. October is when the weather switches from over 80 degrees one day to cold enough to break out the winter quilt the next.  The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree - a small sample of what I have been sweeping up from the patio. (Margo D. Beller ..read more
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