Field Notes March 8th-14th

A very special thank you! to the individual(s) who took the time and energy to scrub the cedars and bridge clean this week.
One week until The official start to spring...
Looks like Father Winter and Daughter Spring are having their annual get together these past couple weeks. They are dancing around in circles at their annual reunion and every 2-step brings snow and cold from Father Winter followed by Sunshine and warmth from Daughter. Eventually we hope the old man tires out and goes to bed and Spring will come with her warmth and growth. I'll be willing to bet the old man still has a dance or two left with his daughter though. Have a good next week in the Vernal Equinox!

March 8th, 2009:
-Looks like someone pulled up several huckleberry plants (Vaccinum spp) just West (?) of this sign next to the big dead stump. Maybe they though it was Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)? Please be careful and leave the restoration to folks who know their plants. Otherwise, saw one ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula) among other things & think I heard a hummingbird (Trochilidae Family).

March 9th, 2009:
-Snow and sun @ Lybarger entrance. Sing your own Song
-Temple Entrance, noon. Snow still on ground, blue sky, sunny high breeze from SW. Gorgeous.

March 10th, 2009:
-10am: 3 crows (Corvus spp) chased sharpshin hawk (Accipter striatus) east of San Francisco entrance. Hawk returned to cedar (Thuja plicata) east of path to Lybarger and the crows chased it to tall cedar (I believe) across meadow as I stand at bag dispensers by bulletin board on Lybarger.
- Saw Cleavers (Galium spp), Red Clover (Trifollium pratense), and Plantain (Plantago spp) sprouting up on a side trail.

March 11th, 2009:
-Snowy couple of days. Sun finally shining. Tons of Skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanum) coming up around the creek. Flowers coming out in certain bush, Whole flowers, so pretty, not sure what the plant is. (maybe Indian Plum(Oemleria cersiformis))?
-Lots of Birds singing. 4-5 red breasted birds, 5-6 smal songbirds. Lots of Chirping. Took note of the Ivy choking out many of the large trees. I will bring some clippers to cut or remove some in the coming days/weeks, See someone has been removed.-Thanks to whoever you are! -S

March 12th, 2009:
-Someone noted that the woodpecker at Edison St. entrance was smaller than other years. The Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) that looks like Woody is usually there. I think the person must have seen the red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) that I spied yesterday.
-11am: Absolutely gorgeous spring day 40° + and sunny, deep blue skies.

March 13th, 2009:
-Frost Coated blades of grass winking in the early morning sun.
- Thanks to whoever scrubbed the tags /signs off the trees and boardwalk. Their presence was jarring.
- A Hummingbird (Trochilidae Family)? In this cold? I couldn't believe my eyes, but it levitated straight up and hovered above me. Then it set on a twig and "scree scree"d at me. Definitely a hummingbird, in 42° weather. This was by the rotten cedar stump (just west of the Fir Street entrance) A.K.A. Squirrelopolis.
March 14th, 2009-40's light rain, breezy. Good stream flow, moss is out on trees