Marcy’s Woods Blog

Amazing! April 30th – Allison and I saw trilliums in the vales and ridges of Marcy’s Woods. Not even May 1st and the great hosts of our Ontatio floral emblem are everywhere/ Worth a hike.

Marcy’s Woods under attack? Could be. In May we will accompany scientist Sarah Leone in a walk in the Woods. A small, aphid-like insct the hemlock wooly adelgid is an attacker of our Eastern hemlock trees. Sarah will inspect our resident trees then. These insects can kill hemlocks. Hopefully they will be absent!
One sad note: Our 100 year old hemlock with its resident Witch’s Broom was cut down last year by the local power company. It was in the way of a new power line. The stump remains. Sad

19 students of Niagara Christian School walked the Lower Trail and the beach. Excellent group. They want to return in May for the trilliums!

Allison, my daughter and I along with  Gr.7&8 studerts, four parents and Kris Wlkie teacher of Niagara Christian school walked the Lower path of Marcy Woods. It was Earth Day Wed. April 22.
They were a good group. We saw Dutchman’s breeches, Blood root, Skunk Cabbage, Wild Leek, Marsh marigold, coltsfoot, Spring beauty, hepaticas, the ever present Spicebushes and various trees including the giant Tulip tree. The class picked up trash on the beautiful beach fulfilling an Earth Day request. They will thank thr DiCienzo family for this great walk. Earl & Allison

Apri 3rd warm and wet. Few frog sounds but signs of our first spring flowers. Daughter Allison spied two Spring beauties this day. Soon others will follow – Sharp-lobed hepaticas, wild leeks , Bloodroot, and Dutchman’s breeches.

They’re back! March 31st, 2009 friend Paul called. “Earl, the wood frogs are quacking!” They were. With tape recorder we caught their raspy calls. It was mating time. Intermingled with the wood frogs calls were the piercing sounds of a few spring peepers. They’re back!

Saturday, March 28, 2009 beautiful day. drove to Marcy Pond. Ice gone. open water. waited and waited – no frogs yet. Watched surface for life – none yet. But great sighting- again this year two beautiful wood ducks. they were on the pond and took off as we approoached. Hope they nest nearby. Earl Plato

March 24, 2009. Drove the Lower Trail to the pond. Still frozen over – no wood frogs or spring peepers yet. Warmer weather coming. No ice on the road. Earl & Allison

It’s March 12th and time to tune our ears. Why? Not bird calls but frog calls. First of all we want to hear the “quack! quack! of that little masked guy, the wood frog. Timing several minutes important. They come to mate in the pond. It is a hectic time for it is a week to ten days that you hear the duck-like calls. Once mated they disappear in all directions for another year. Timing is important, eh. Like most frogs they can hear you coming on the Lower Trail. All is silence. Wait! Several minutes then comes a “quack” then another until there is another cacophany of sound. Hearing is believing. Later we hear spring peepers and the Chorus frogs – quite an spring orchestral sounds.

Daughter Allison and I checked out Marcy Woods.
Too icy-many ruts- difficult drive so backed up. Another day when ice melts down. Earl Plato