A Nod To Journaling
Every year we have the opportunity to witness and compare the timing of the annual spring appearance of plant and animal species where we live. Keeping a journal and noting over a period of years when Silver Maples flower, Killdeer reappear, Spotted Salamanders emerge above ground, etc. can provide valuable phenological information. It can also be a wonderful guide to when you should keep your eyes open and what you should keep them open for.
As a rule, Ospreys return and engage in copulation during the first week of April in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. I know this only because I’ve jotted down my observations in a journal I’ve kept over the past 50 years. Each spring I religiously review past years’ journal entries for where I am currently living. This year’s review made me aware that chances were as good as they get for witnessing raptor courtship this week. A trip to a local Osprey nest confirmed that they had indeed returned. Two hours of waiting was rewarded with the accompanying photograph. (They do copulate an average of 160 times per clutch, so luck was in my favor!) If you’re fortunate enough to live in the same area for a lengthy period of time, journaling can be an invaluable tool for the naturally curious.
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