Monthly Archives: March 2017

Signs of Spring 7: The Day of Amphibians!

Last Saturday was forecast to be warm (70 degrees here in Apollo) and only “iffy” rainy, so we decided to schedule out annual Spring trip to Ohiopyle with Rob and Michele Bridges to check out the vernal pools and the … Continue reading

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Signs of Spring 6: Caffeine and Coffee Trees

I have written about caffeine before. It is a wonderful chemical with many roles in nature including acting as an attractant for pollinators and as a protection against pests and pathogens. That it also helps us wake up in the … Continue reading

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Signs of Spring 5: Harrison Hills Walk and Cavity Nesting Team (3.0)

Last Thursday Deborah and I headed up to Harrison Hills Park in northern Allegheny County to take advantage of a few hours of sunny, spring weather before the next cold front (and set of snowstorms) blew in. We wanted to … Continue reading

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Signs of Spring 4: Earthworms on the Sidewalk!

The full moon of March (which this year will occur on March 12) has many names. The Algonquin’s called it the “catching fish” moon, while the Omaha and the Cree called it the “little frog” or just the “frog” moon … Continue reading

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Signs of Spring 3: Tree Buds and other Emergences

The branches of the silver maple at the bottom of my field are covered with flowers (photo to the left). Last week’s warm weather stimulated the opening of the flower buds a good two weeks before “normal.”  If the early … Continue reading

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