Bald Eagles Incubate

For the 5th consective year, the Bald Eagles near my home are on the nest incubating. They began last Friday, February 17, 2012. Both adults have been busy renovating the nest for weeks. How many eggs are present?

Bald Eagles usually lay one egg  per day, but not always on successive days.  The clutch is usually completed in 3–6 days. The incubation period averages 35 days and hatching occurs over a period of days. So by March 23rd, the first egg could be pipping open. Both male and female incubate with the female serving the majority of the time.

If you are mesmerized by the behaviors and activities of nature, I recommend you tune into the fabulous Bald Eagle nestcam from Decorah, Iowa. This is a 24/7 camera with tremendous views of the eagle nest. They have 3 eggs present. http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

I wish a nestcam could be erected here in Morgan County to observe the activities of the Bald Eagle nest I watch from my home. Nestcams are a wonderful tool to involve the public in learning about wildlife and creating a connection. Although not the same as being outdoors and observing first hand . . . the nestcam does allow a  intimate and consistent connection.

Advances in technology allow us to peer into the daily lives of wildlife both night and day now. I have observed tree swallows nesting in my plastic gourds in the past. The behaviors and interactions were fascinating and revealing. This technology allows us to learn a great deal and dissolve some of the mystery about the breeding behaviors of birds. The key words here are "some of the mystery". There is still plenty of mystery. Without mystery . . . what is life?

Red-wing Blackbird Return!

Male Red-wing Blackbird singing     ©Joni L. James

Although a late post, January 30, was the date I heard my first Red-wing Blackbird at my home. This is a bird that I mark the winding down of winter. Their song fills the ponds where I live usually in mid- February, but the mild winter has them heralding it early. They are a benchmark wetland bird for me! Welcome back! And welcome back to me!

Thankful On This Day

This day dawned cloudy, misty and 41 degrees cool. The field is damp and the ponds and lake are empty of pooled water. No bald eagles are present at this moment. As I reflect today on what I am thankful for . . .  many blessings come to mind. Of course my family, friends, home, work, and health are always at the top.

But I am especially grateful for the small "things" at work in our lives which we are often unaware of. This presence usually goes unnoticed. But if we look closely . . . we can deepen our awareness.

Beauty exists in the details. I am grateful always for Nature. Grateful for the beauty of this earth. For the bounty, the connectedness, the unity, and the processes that are always present.

We are all connected. We are all related. It is this Greater Mystery that underlies it All. It has been described as " . . . the ceaseless, restless, creative flow of energy in the universe" by Jack Kegan.

Gratitude fills me. May it fill you too.
What are you grateful for beyond family, friends, and home?

©Joni L. James

Ponder Thoreau: November 12, 1859

A little Henry David Thoreau to ponder . . . written in his journal on November 12, 1859:
"I do not know how to distinguish between our waking life and a dream. Are we not always living the life that we imagine we are?"




Cloud Reflections or not?                                           ©Joni L. James 



Tree Roots and Your Life

Tree roots anchor, support, and stabilize trees in the soil. Tree roots absorb water and also take nutrients and chemicals out of the soil and use them to produce what is needed for the tree’s growth, development, and repair. Tree roots have character and can be fascinating in their shapes and designs. There is a beauty in their perseverance and struggle to maintain a healthy hold in the soil for the survival of the tree that continues to grow and change high above.

 


Beech Tree Roots I                                                     ©Joni L. James

 


Beech Tree Roots II                                           ©Joni L. James

 Tree roots can be a symbol for our own lives. How do tree roots relate to your roots? How are you anchored, supported, and stabilized? What about the character, beauty, and perseverance of your growth and survival? I invite you to add your comments to these questions. Click the comment button and share your thoughts! 


Stories in Nature 1

It does not matter where you saunter in Nature, but you will encounter a story just waiting to be interpreted. Walk the edges of a wetland. Wander through a forest. Find your way through a field. There is a story awaiting you. At times you may need to alter your perspective and get on your knees or lie down. Other stories require you to crane your neck high.

We are use to reading stories from paper or the "ink" of an electronic device. These are easy stories. They roll off the page quickly. They require much less thought. Reading Nature is another story-- pardon the pun. To read Nature you must engage your mind and curiosity. You must use deductive reasoning as a nature detective.  You must ask many questions. We all learned in school about the "W" questions-- who, what, when, where, and why-- and don't forget "how".  Are there lessons to be learned within the story?



Story #1 Fallen Tree Trunk      ©Joni L. James




Story #2 Fallen Log      ©Joni L. James



Here are stories I discovered a few days ago. Can you identify the objects? What story/stories do you think are waiting to be read? What story could you create? (Please post a comment below).

When I find tracks, signs, and remains, I often wonder about the events and dramas that occurred in my absence. I can attempt to piece a story together through my knowledge of wildlife, weather, plants, ecosystems, tracks, and signs. Perhaps I will interpret it with accuracy or perhaps not. But what ultimately occurs, is that I learn something and deepen my connection to Nature. And that is the best ending to the story.

Let the Trees Teach Us (Autumn): Thoreau's Journal Anniversary

Today is the 174 year anniversary of the beginning of one of the most momentous journals in history. On October 22, 1837, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal--

“What are you doing now?” he asked. “Do you keep a

journal?” So I make my first entry to-day.

SOLITUDE
To be alone I find it necessary to escape the present,—I avoid

myself. How could I be alone in the Roman emperor’s chamber

of mirrors? I seek a garret. The spiders must not be disturbed,

nor the floor swept, not the lumber arranged.

THE MOULD OUR DEEDS LEAVEOct. 24. Every part of nature teaches that the passing

away of one life is the making room for another. The

oak dies down to the ground, leaving within its rind

a rich virgin mould, which will impart a vigorous life

to an infant forest . The pine leaves a sandy and sterile

soil, the harder woods a strong and fruitful mould.

So this constant abrasion and decay makes the soil

of my future growth. As I live now so shall I reap.

I have spent many hours recently photographing and enjoying the autumn forest nearby. I traveled to Morgan-Monroe State Forest to immerse my senses in the beauty of autumn. I spent time at Cherry Lake photographing near the water's edge. Cherry Lake was a mirror of colorful reflections. The multitude of colors, ripples in the lake surface, and spent leaves that rode the subtle current, transformed Cherry Lake into a nebula of inner and outer space. Mesmerizing abstract images were everywhere. 

              Autumn Nebula                                             ©Joni L. James

I so love this time of year. The air resonated with blue jays, crows, red-bellied woodpeckers, and the drip of leaves which had released their grip from the trees. The sound of a light "tick" broke the quiet as a leaf landed amongst the other spent lives below or on the lake surface. At times a breeze traveled through the forest and a congregation of them would flutter downward.




Autumn Maples                                                      ©Joni L. James
                          

 
 Trees have much to teach us. They are an apt symbol for our lives. Trees show us how to live. Just as with people, there is great diversity among species of trees in the forest. Living in communities, they are interdependent upon other life forms and the resources around them. And yet they have much in common.



Autumn Dogwood                                             ©Joni L. James

                                
Trees share their bodies with other creatures such as woodpeckers, owls, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, as well as a myriad of insects, bacteria, and fungi. They allow other lives to live with them in their space and they provide food for many. They share their bounty whether it is fruit, seeds, nuts, flowers, or sap.




Autumn Reflections                                ©Joni L. James



                                 

During their lives, trees endure many challenges from wounds, pollution, clearcuts, disease, chainsaws, wind, lightning, insects, and more. Many lose their homes or are removed from their homes. They are resilient. They are flexible in the strong winds and they adapt to the tragedies that befall them. Some trees survive and some don't. Those trees who do, often find their bodies altered in some way.



Leaves on the Final Ride                           ©Joni L. James

                                  
Yes, trees show us how to live. But they also show us how to die. Trees cycle through seasons each year, yet there are seasons within seasons. They witness the births and deaths of those around them. Often what affects one, affects the neighbors and families in close proximity. Each year the leaves of the trees must release themselves from their lofty positions. They cycle through seasons within seasons too. Leaves are shed. They surrender and let go. They join the thousands below.




Surrender--Beech & Maple Leaves on Lake Surface         ©Joni L. James

                               
One day the tree will die. Each death may be swift or slow. But through the process they will  still be giving. Giving of themselves to other life forms. Creating conditions for others to thrive or be born. The tree will transition and release their hold on the soil. They are onward to a new adventure-- one of rebirth.



Death of Trees                                             ©Joni L. James

                                 
As Thoreau stated in his journal entry, "As I live now so shall I reap." Let the trees teach you.