A Snow Sandwich

Last evening, as strong southwest winds raked Metro Denver, it was 73 degrees F under sunny skies.  Overnight, the temperature fell to 28 degrees and at least 3 inches of snow blanketed the region.  By tomorrow, mild, sunny weather will return and afternoon highs are expected to approach 80 degrees F within a few days.

Such is spring along the Colorado Front Range.  While many areas of the country report that their weather often changes rapidly, few experience the reliable gyrations that we encounter here, along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountain corridor.  As the regular Pacific storms of spring move in from the west, we initially receive downsloping, southwesterly winds that warm and dry out the air.  Once the storm front crosses the Continental Divide, the winds shift from the northeast, producing the upslope snowstorms of March and April; then, as the storm system moves off to the east, the downsloping winds redevelop and warm, sunny weather returns.

As I have discussed in previous posts, weather in the Mountain West is all about elevation and wind direction.  This week's weather highlights that fact and is more the rule than the exception.

Crow Love

Late this morning, an American crow landed in our large catalpa tree.  Despite the warm, sunny weather, he seemed to be in a foul mood, delivering a long series of raucous calls.  Since there was no hawk or owl nearby to scold, I eventually assumed he was either calling his partner or just venting his frustration.

Ten minutes later, another crow landed in a nearby tree, returning his calls.  This appeared to calm the first crow, who began to bow repeatedly, clicking his bill with each maneuver.  This pattern of loud calls followed by bows and clicks continued for at least twenty minutes while his love interest stuck to more typical crow rants, interspersed with her suitor's performance.  Eventually, he flew over to join her and the two soon left our property.

Often despised for their aggressive and noisy behavior, their omnivorous diet (including nestlings and bird eggs) and their large congregations at winter roosts, crows are highly intelligent birds that play an important role in a wide variety of ecosystems.  The opportunity to observe such intimate behavior this morning certainly softened my image of these large, hardy corvids.  

An Eerie Wake-Up Call

Just before dawn, when the full moon still illuminated our Littleton farm, the eerie calls of our resident fox pierced the morning chill.  Soon thereafter, barking dogs joined the chorus and, I suspect, the Sunday morning racket was not welcomed by our neighbors.

Red fox, known for their beauty and stealth, are also known to deliver a wide range of calls, barks and screams.  The latter, which continued for 30 minutes this morning, are especially disturbing and, in semi-rural areas, often prompt calls to the police.  These eerie cries are most common during the mating season of January-February but can be heard throughout the year; utilized to locate a mate, to communicate with an established mate, to define the fox's territory or to warn others of an approaching enemy (often a coyote), the screams carry a long distance.

Since we are well past the usual mating period for red fox, I am hopeful that this morning's wake-up call signals the presence of a denning pair on the property.  We will know by late May when up to eight pups might be tumbling about the property. 

The Worm Moon

I awoke this morning to the bright spotlight of the full moon, about to set behind the Rockies to our west.  The March full moon is traditionally known as the "Worm Moon," a rather ugly name for our brilliant and beautiful satellite.

The name is derived from the fact that, in early spring, the frozen soil is gradually thawing and earthworms are moving toward the surface, a fact clearly noticed by their natural predators (robins, opossums, garter snakes and many others).  Of course, worms play an important role in soil aeration, fertilization and nutrient recycling as well, deserving their astronomical salute.

The Worm Moon will reach its maximum fullness and brightness tomorrow.  We humans may take notice but the countless worms will surely not.  They have important work to do. 

First Summer Residents

On this first snowless day since I returned to our Littleton farm, two tree swallows circled overhead, the first "summer residents" of the year.  Having wintered along coastal areas of the southern U.S. or in Mexico, they begin to return to more northern latitudes in early spring, well ahead of other swallows.

The first to arrive are primarily males, searching for nest sites that they will claim and offer to potential mates when they return; tree cavities, crevices in outbuildings and "bluebird boxes" are most often utilized.  Since wintry weather will recur along the Front Range through April (at least), such an early appearance is risky for a bird that feeds primarily on flying insects; fortunately, they manage to survive the cold spells by strafing the surface of rivers and open lakes for insects and by supplementing their diet with seeds and berries.

The appearance of these small, energetic, hardy birds is always a welcome sight after a long, cold winter.  Their "faith" is inspiring, especially as spring snowstorms continue to lash the region. 

A Snowy March

 March is the snowiest month along the Colorado Front Range and this March, according to meteorologists, is the 4th snowiest on record.  Of course, the massive snowstorm that occurred 10 days ago contributed significantly to that total but less impressive snowstorms and snow showers have been spaced through the month and are continuing this week.

Indeed, as I write this post, an intense snow shower is passing over Littleton, dropping an inch over the past 30 minutes.  While some may despise the occurrence of snow in spring, it is vital to the health of this semiarid ecosystem; combined with the thunderstorms of May-June and the monsoon rains of August-September, the upslope snowstorms of March and April serve to combat drought which increasingly threatens this region.

One would hope that a wet spring will limit the use of irrigation along the Front Range but green lawns, however small, seem to be important for most homeowners.  As the population continues to explode, record-breaking spring snow will provide but a temporary reprieve from the relentless effects of climate change.

Failed Stewardship at the NPS

A friend of mine gave me a copy of The Business of Scenery, Why America's National Parks need new management, by Christopher Ketcham, published in the April, 2021, issue of Harper's Magazine.  In a few pages, Mr. Ketcham documents how and why the National Park Service has failed in its mandate to protect the natural ecosystems of the Parks.

Bowing to corporate, political and public pressure, the Service has focused on access and entertainment rather than on conservation.  As a result, overcrowding, pollution, traffic jams, injuries and low morale among the Park Service staff have threatened the welfare of the Parks and diminished their "wildness" for those who visit them.

As I have mentioned in the past, I have all but given up visiting our National Parks.  Discouraged by the crowds and not wanting to become part of the problem, I prefer to explore the relatively "undeveloped" landscapes of our National Wildlife Refuges and State Conservation Areas which attract individuals who understand and respect the fragility of natural ecosystems.  I recommend that you read Mr. Ketcham's thoughtful and disturbing article.  

A Backside Train

The potent storm system that dragged its cold front across the Southeast yesterday, fueling severe thunderstorms and tornados, has been inching its way eastward.  Currently centered over southern Illinois, its counterclockwise winds are pulling up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the mid Atlantic, sending it westward below the Great Lakes.

This train of showers, sleet and heavy rain is curving from central Ohio across northern Indiana, central Illinois and northeastern Missouri, dipping southwestward across central Missouri.  Here in Columbia, the swath of unrelenting precipitation has continued overnight and through the morning hours; by this evening, the central zone of low pressure should be far enough to the east that we will escape its pinwheel of chilly rain.

Tomorrow and through the weekend, we expect a southerly flow of warm, dry air and the first sunny days in more than a week.  Spared the destructive storms that devastated the Southeast, we will nevertheless welcome the exit of this large and powerful system.

A Southeast Tornado Outbreak

As I write this post, tornados are spinning across central Alabama and others have occurred in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.  More will follow later tonight as a cold front slices across the Gulf Coast States.

The severe outbreak of long-duration tornados is the result of warm, humid air at the surface, cold air aloft and wind shear produced by southerly surface winds and southwesterly winds at higher elevations; the supercells and their tornados are moving from the southwest to the northeast.  In addition to the tornados and intense lightning, the storms will drop torrential rain, setting the stage for flash flooding.

As the system's cold front races eastward tonight, it will produce strong, straight-line winds, severe thunderstorms and imbedded tornados from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Carolina Coast.  Widespread damage to trees and structures is, unfortunately, expected across the Southeast.

A Misty Morning at Eagle Bluffs

Since my daughter and grandson are in town, we thought they might enjoy a visit to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area on the Missouri River floodplain.  Despite the cool, cloudy, misty weather, it proved to be a good decision.

Highlights included a small flock of snow geese, about fifty American white pelicans and a few bald eagles.  American coot and northern shovelers were abundant, joined by a mix of other common ducks and a handful of pied-billed grebes.  Other sightings included a flock of ring-billed gulls, two red-tailed hawks and the first tree swallows of the season (for me at least).

While my four-year old grandson enjoyed seeing the waterfowl and eagles, he was primarily fixated on the possibility of seeing coyotes.  Unfortunately, those wild canines did not make an appearance this morning but their absence spawned a host of possible explanations from our youngest naturalist and the futile search kept him entertained.

Missing out in Missouri

As the historic blizzard unfolded along the Colorado Front Range this past weekend, I found myself in central Missouri where low clouds and occasional rain were the weather highlights.  My exposure to the massive spring snowstorm was, like for most Americans, virtual.

I thoroughly enjoy a good snowstorm, even when it comes in spring.  In this case, I was beneath the feeder bands, where Gulf of Mexico moisture was flowing northward into the system, fueling thunderstorms on the High Plains and bringing heavy snow to the Front Range.  Potent low pressure, centered over southeastern Colorado swept the moisture toward the higher elevations of southern Wyoming, western Nebraska and the Front Range; Cheyenne received 3 feet of snow while most areas along Colorado's urban corridor were blanketed with 15-25 inches.

Now that I have expressed regret for missing out on the big storm, it is moving east and igniting tornadic thunderstorms.  One is headed in our direction and we may soon find ourselves in the basement.  Just desserts for my personal sentiments. 

Obsession with the Royals

While I can, to some extent, understand and respect the British tradition of a Monarchy, I cannot begin to accept that its members are, in any way, super human.  They have the same strengths and weaknesses that we observe throughout our civilization and to focus so ferociously on their personal and interpersonal problems is a bit obscene.

I am especially disappointed in the American media which has devoted so much time to the recent family squabbles of the Royals, apparently shocked to learn that racism and distrust infect their castle(s).  While racism itself deserves plenty of exposure and condemnation, it is a universal trait of the human species, cured only by education.  Meanwhile, while the cable and television networks devote valuable air time to the "crisis" in London, genocide, famine and human rights abuses across the globe receive fleeting, if any, mention on the evening news.

Unfortunately, news executives know that celebrity scandals garner the most attention and ad dollars.  The ravages of climate change, war and poverty cannot begin to compete.

Thunder in the Night

Yesterday, strong southwest winds raked central Missouri, a sign that change was on its way.  That change arrived late in the evening when a line of strong thunderstorms unleashed intense lightning and heavy rain.

Thunder rolled throughout the night, indicating that the cold front had not moved off to the east.  Indeed, the storm front has become a stationary front, stretching across the Midwest.  Separating mild, humid air to its south from cold, dry air to its north, this front will spawn thunderstorms and showers over the next four days (at least).  Since the soil is still relatively cold and the trees are just beginning to transpire moisture, widespread flooding is likely.

On the other hand, the nocturnal thunder was both soothing and promising, a sign that spring has arrived in the Heartland.  Raw days may lie ahead but the higher sun and restless jet stream will thaw the soil and ignite the feverish growth of the season.

Steinbeck in the Desert

As I near the end of Travels with Charley (see posts on February 25 & 27), John Steinbeck finally diverts his mind from the people, cities and roads that he encounters on his cross-country trip and turns to ecology while enjoying a cold beer in the Mojave Desert.  Ironically, this diversion begins as he spots two coyotes in the distance; inclined to shoot the "varmints," he then decides to leave dog food for them (neither appropriate from a naturalist's point of view).

Nevertheless, he devotes most of that section to describing the plants and animals that reside in the harsh environment and how they adapt to the intense heat and lack of water.  Going beyond the facts of desert biology, Steinbeck surmises that these hardy species will likely be the last to succumb to our gradual destruction of the planet and the first to rebound from our careless stewardship.  Prescient words in 1960!

All in all, it turned out to be an enjoyable journey with this renowned author who would die at 66 within six years of his road trip.  We would all do well to follow his example and explore the fabulous diversity of America while we can.  I highly recommend the book.

Spring Flocks at Eagle Bluffs

On this mild, sunny morning in central Missouri, I visited Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area on the Missouri River floodplain.  As expected, migrant waterfowl were abundant, stopping to rest and feed as they move northward through the Heartland.

Flocks of snow geese, greater white-fronted geese and American white pelicans graced the refuge but were far outnumbered by the ducks.  Among the latter, northern shovelers were most common, joined by mallards, gadwall, green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, redheads, hooded mergansers, a couple blue-winged teal and a lone ruddy duck.  Other sightings included a bald eagle (on her nest), red-tailed hawks, killdeer, coot, great blue herons and a pied-billed grebe; a river otter was also observed in the central channel.

The waterfowl exodus will continue through April, joined by migrant shorebirds and wading birds in the coming weeks.  Eagle Bluffs is an excellent destination for naturalists and birders throughout the year but the spectacular flocks of spring and fall are certainly the annual highlights. 

Detour to the Chalklands

On our way back to Missouri, we decided to visit the Cretaceous chalk formations in the Smoky Hill River Valley, south of Oakley, Kansas.  The best exposures are at Little Jerusalem State Park, west of Route 83, and at Monument Rocks (photo), east of that highway.

Deposited within a broad seaway that stretched across the American West during the Cretaceous Period (about 80 million years ago), the rocks have been uncovered and sculpted by the river and its tributaries.  Access to the above areas is via dirt/gravel roads that cross a High Plains landscape of cattle ranches and oil fields.

Wildlife sightings included pronghorns, sharp-tailed grouse, lesser prairie chickens, ring-necked pheasants, rough-legged hawks, prairie falcons and a host of grassland songbirds.  Bugling flocks of lesser sandhill cranes were a special highlight, on their way to their spring staging area on the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. 

Rocks, Birds & Sunshine

Blessed with another sunny, mild morning along the Front Range, my wife and I visited South Valley Park.  Southwest of Denver, the Park's grasslands are studded with salmon-colored fins and domes of the Fountain Formation (Pennsylvanian in age) and the yellow-gray wall of the Lyons Formation (Permian in age).  The entire valley lies between the Dakota Hogback (Cretaceous) to the east and the Front Range foothills (PreCambrian granite) to the west.

Access to the Park is provided by a fine network of sandy trails that wind through and past the rock formations and across the yucca-studded meadows.  Mule deer are common here throughout the year and elk winter on the Park's grasslands.  This morning we also observed a golden eagle, a pair of prairie falcons, common ravens, scrub jays and spotted towhees, among other common species.

This will be our last warm, spring day in Colorado for a while since cooler temperatures and snow are forecast for tomorrow and we will begin our trek back to Missouri.  The beauty and grandeur of South Valley Park certainly offered a pleasant send-off.  

Memories from the Garage

On this warm, sunny day in Littleton, my wife and I decided to clean out the garage.  Amidst all the junk were boxes of "momentos" for each member of our family.  Mine included photos, documents and "appointment books" from grade school through my early practice years, a collection spanning about twenty years of my life.

Of course, this collection brought back many fond (and some not-so-fond) memories of people and events that shaped my formative years.  Most had stayed with me but some had been lost to the march of time.  Nevertheless, it was an unexpected treasure chest of the past that provided a couple hours of entertainment after a morning of steady work.

Among the momentos was a nature diary that I wrote during our years in Glendale, Ohio.  There we lived in a historic neighborhood with large yards; adorned with a broad diversity of plants, they attracted a fascinating variety of wildlife.  The diary, inspired by the books of Hal Borland, Edwin Way Teale and others, was composed of brief entries related to the weather, the resident plants and animals and the seasonal changes on our property.  Written almost exactly twenty years before I initiated this blog, it provides a look back at my early years as a naturalist; now rescued from a dusty box, it will be a welcome source of nostalgia and reflection during the autumn of my life.