Blog

Hopefully you had a chance to get outside this past week and enjoy the warmth and beauty of this spring-like weather. Here on the lake and in the classroom, training continues for the coming season. Outside, subtle changes are happening. Flower buds are swelling on the Oconee Bells; male catkins on tag alders are loaded with golden pollen waiting for the wind to work its magic, and soft shades of pinks and golds are visible in spots along the hills and slopes as red maple buds break dormancy and flowers emerge. In the Gorges, along the Foothills Trail, crews are hard at work, clearing downed trees and rebuilding sections of the trail that were damaged by the recent ice storm. February is peak breeding season for coyotes and raccoons, squirrels are giving birth to the first litters of the year, and loons’ hormones are in full gear as old damaged feathers are replaced by shiny new flight feathers and gorgeous breeding colors. Busy, busy… ~Sheryl White, JLT Naturalist guide