News from the Friends of Reinstein

Nature Sightings

Signs of spring are present despite the lingering cold temperatures and snow. Red-winged blackbirds and grackles flock to our bird feeders upon their return. The rattle of belted kingfishers is heard around ponds with open water. Crocuses began sprouting in people’s front yards and pussy willows showed their fuzzy buds during the thaw in late February. Wooly bears were even slinking across the trails at Reinstein Woods. I was optimistic that spotted salamanders might have migrated to their breeding pools, however this cold spell has halted that migration. Photographers have seen the red-headed woodpecker excavating holes in front of the education center. Look for soaring turkey vultures on their migration north. Ring-necked ducks, pied billed grebes, hooded mergansers and green-winged teals are common waterfowl that stop off in our ponds during spring migration.