Trout lily leaves and dandelion blossoms are growing.
For the past two days, after checking my pocket survival kit contents, I’ve enjoyed every minute of the balmy spring weather.
I treated myself to a picnic by the lake, so I could read a library book entitled Wild Mammals As Pets
As it turns out, this book published in 1972, gives some very good guidelines about when and when NOT to interfere with wild animals. Some tolerate captivity better than others – but his goal is to encourage healthy animals to return to the wild.
The tree buds are all swelling and the foliage will mask the skeletal form of the trees. I alternate reading with scanning for twiggy bird nests, and trying to locate the sound of the persistent call. It eventually dawns on me that sound will be distorted by the lake. A tiny periwinkle-colored butterfly dances on air currents and lands intermittently in a sunny spot.
I hike back and notice a flicker, possibly the bird that been calling all afternoon. And what my bird experts tell me may be a hermit thrush. I didn’t realize they came back so early. I also had no idea that the robins I’ve been seeing all winter have probably left for Canada, and these robins have just flown in from south of here. This is also my first sighting of a roufous-sided towhee, who let all the other birds know I’m on the trail.
There’s always more to learn – nature is infinite.
I’ve gathered trout lilies both days; they’re still small and perfect for salad. Yesterday it was dandelion fritters, today I experimented with a dandelion frittata, which is basically an open-faced omelet. It worked just fine.
I’m just weeks away from completing a project that will allow me to take the next step – spending consecutive days in the woods. The last time I had real woods time was October. I’m still not sure what approach I’ll take to shelter or where – I’ve got my eye on a few locations. That is enough to motivate me to work on my skills.
When are you adding Wild Mammals as Pets to your booklist? I want to know more about animal behavior, especially squirrels. Will this explain squirrel behavior in the wild?
Coyote, the book is now at the top of my booklist page. Villiard explains squirrel behavior in terms of what to expect when you have them in captivity. It appears they are more likely to tolerate human interaction than many other mammals. But they still have basic needs, like exercise and if caged, a hollowed-out shelter like a log or basket, where they can build a nest.