[ValleyNature] salamander spermatophores, no coltsfoot, song sparrows running

[James W. Wolford]

PR. 8, 2009 - AM. TREE SPARROW still present at feeders.  Also at  
least 3 SONG SPARROWS, and 2 of them were involved in a RUNNING CHASE  
for several seconds (they were quite fast and ignored me during it).   
Also 3 PHEASANTS, a DOWNY WOODPECKER, 2 MOURNING DOVES, 2 WHITE- 
THROATED SPARROWS, and a CROW.

I checked out the roadside ditch I used to call "Bleakney's Ditch"  
1.2 km. west of Gaspereau and north of the river (by the dripping tap  
of spring water), and in the very shallow water I found one grouping  
of whitish SPERMATOPHORES (sperm-packets) OF YELLOW-SPOTTED  
SALAMANDERS (probably from a single male) -- these were not very  
fresh, being soiled a bit and not startlingly white, thus were  
probably deposited a few or several nights ago).

No noticeable flower-heads of COLTSFOOT yet on the adjacent south- 
facing bank -- very late this year.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville

Jim (James W.) Wolford
91 Wickwire Ave.
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4P 1W3

phone 902-542-9204
e-mail <jimwolford at eastlink.ca>

"In wildness is the preservation of the world" -- Henry David Thoreau

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