Harbingers of Spring

Just in the past few days there have been true signs that spring may be closer than we think. Officially it’s not until March 20th, but from the front porch of the caretaker’s cabin I’m encouraged by 4 things that I’ve either seen or heard.

Number one: The maple trees are blooming.
Number two: I noticed a crocus in bloom. Flashing it’s spring colors right here in the front yard.
Number three: Since last week’s thunderstorms the chorus frogs have been deafening.

Number four: The red-eared slider turtles are now sunning themselves, jockeying for the best possible position atop the rocks in the Upper Pond.
As we all know, the weather for the next 6 to 8 weeks can be highly unpredictable. Just two weeks ago we had 7 inches of snow followed by 72 degree weather. But I’m going to be optimistic for an early spring.

And who knows. Perhaps turtles are smarter than they look.

2014 Reflection Riding Spring Native Plant Sale

The Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center at Reflection Riding is hosting its 27^th annual Native Plant Sale and Open House March 28 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), 29th (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and 30 (noon to 5 p.m.).

The sale will feature native plants that volunteers have propagated in the nursery on site for a variety of garden conditions. Native plants are a good choice for introducing into the home landscape for a number of reasons:

• They are beautiful 
• They are sustainable
• They contribute to habitat conservation by creating biodiversity and an environment favorable to wildlife.

Bring the whole family and explore the unique landscape that is Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center at Reflection Riding, with over thirteen miles of trails, over one-thousand different species of flora and an incredible variety of animal life. 

“We are anxious to share with our community the beauty, serenity and adventure to be found all on one site, right here, just minutes from downtown Chattanooga.”  Dr. Paola Craddock, Greenhouse Manager said.  “And we hope many people will take advantage of the free admission all weekend.”

Evidence of early Tennessee Valley Native Americans, Spanish explorers, pioneer settlers and Civil War soldiers is present in the natural landscape of Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center at Reflection Riding. Other features include the George S. Bryan Discovery Forest Treehouse and the Paddler’s Perch, both located on the banks of Lookout Creek, and the Wildlife Wanderland, with its many species of captive native animals including highly endangered Red Wolves.

For more information visit www.chattanoogaanc.org. 

Embrace Black & White Landscapes

One of my roles here as caretaker/resident photographer is to document the sights and sounds that make this nature preserve so unique. From flora to fauna, each season offers something new.  

When I first moved here about a year ago, our marketing department didn’t have many wintery photos on file.  We just don’t get that many good snows here in the valley. With this weeks forecast calling for 3 to 5 inches I knew it might be a rare chance to grab some new snow shots for future use.  You can see some of those photos posted on our Facebook page.  

But, to change things up a bit, I thought I might convert some of those same images to black and white just to show what a difference it makes.  Some pictures work better than others, but it’s always worth exploring how your photos might look minus the color.

Back when Paul Simon wrote “Kodachrome” photographers preferred the rich colors that slide film provided.  But if you are more of a traditionalist and are familiar with the work of Ansel Adams, winter landscapes are a great opportunity to try something new.  Winter scenes are monochromatic anyway so why not embrace it.  

When you decide to experiment between your color shot vs. converting it to black and white, always make a duplicate of the original photograph.  Then go to your photo editing software and choose your effects tab.  Click on black and white. You may take what was once an average photograph and discover that it’s true value is revealed by its simplicity.  

Few of us will ever be able to produce the brilliant black and white tonal range found in Ansel Adams photos, but thanks to digital cameras we now have the option with just one click. 

Click here to see Ansel Adams photos for inspiration ansel adams link to his photos

Prickly Perch

This possum retreated to a Honey Locust Tree in Millison Field located near the back corner of the property here at Reflection Riding. 

The long thorns presented a prickly perch, but perhaps offered great protection from predators.

Bucks & Antlers

As I drove through Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center just before sunset it dawned on me that it’s been several weeks since I’ve seen a White-tailed buck. On this particular evening I counted more than 30 deer. Not an antler in sight.  All does, right?   It wasn’t until I spotted another group of deer towards the backside of the property that it dawned on me that perhaps some of the deer I suspected to be females were actually males. My suspicions were confirmed when I got closer and noticed a couple of deer were sporting only one antler each. Perhaps it was my imagination but the look on their faces seemed less than dignified. I’ve never been a deer hunter or a taxidermist so I’ve never really thought much about the development of antlers, how they grow and how long they last.  So, I searched web sites like any academic starved Googler looking for a quick fix. An explanation in 30 words or less please.  For those of you who prefer high brow charts and graphs, check out the TWRA site http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/deerantlers.pdf   For me the Cliffs Notes version sufficiently quenched my curiosity. To keep it simple, antlers begin their growth due to an increase in testosterone which coincides with the White-tailed Deer mating season. This season is referred to as the "rut" and typically occurs around here between October through January.   Antlers are made of true bone that is fed by blood which is carried in an outer velvet-like covering. At this stage of development the antlers are sensitive and bucks avoid confrontations with other males. It’s not until the velvet is rubbed away that a buck challenges other males for a mate. Age, nutrition and genetics are all components in developing the larger sized antlers found on a prized 10 or 12 point buck.  The largest I’ve spotted here on the property has been a 10 point buck.  “Casting” as it is referred to by wildlife biologists, begins as testosterone levels decrease. When the bucks sense that all the does in the area have mated, their antlers simply drop off. Discarded like dog-eared business cards. At least that's the Cliffs Notes version.

Making Tracks!

The morning following this week’s snowfall, I noticed that an army of nocturnal guests had passed near the caretaker’s cabin during the night.  Footprints left by critters have always been a curiosity of mine and with the recent snow it was two-bit detective work.  Well, sort of.

At first glance, I know what a deer print looks like but trying to distinguish between a dog, a coyote and a fox is often

difficult for me.  Subtle differences are the tell all signs of identifying what you’ve seen.  I often reference my wildlife tracks guide which I have hanging on the kitchen wall. You can purchase a really nice mobile app for this at http://www.itrackwildlife.com.  Oftentimes my success is determined by the medium in which the print is made.  But that too can complicate things.

If the mud is too wet or if the snow is too grainy, each smudge seems less than perfect.  It’s never as cut and dry as what you might find in a guide book.  But what I do love is just knowing that there is so much wildlife around me and that it thrives here at this nature preserve.  I just wish I was better at deciphering the clues. Need more snow!