The deer are all pretty much antlerless now, and the coloration is beginning to change from the drab gray winter coat to the reddish brown spring and summer coat. You can tell that hunting is dropping off as the deer are no longer skittish. They are quite abundant and gathering in herds rather than running alone.
The upland birds have shown in abundance. This morning as the day lightened, I could hear out the window several wrens, those little birds with up turned tails jabbering loudly in beats of four per bird. And right along with the wrens were warblers. I can tell them by sound, but I don’t know much about them except that there are about twenty or more kinds around the Preserve.
Alligators are showing in the Preserve as an indication of rising water temperature. We have found one hole (pond) where there is a large gator that suns himself on a rock and a large turtle that does the same. Melanie calls the gator “Big Al”. He’s between eight and nine feel long with a very long tail. I think he owns the hole. He’s the only one you see there.
The spring wildflowers are starting to bloom. In the side yard, we have tiny yellow clover and in the warmer sun, the shamrocks are blooming, their blossoms similar to those of the violets but with different shaped leaves, though three on a stem much like violets. And back in the Preserve, there are some huge purple-blue violets.
Out behind the house, one of the original Cedar Key peach trees, perhaps the only one still alive, is blooming. The fruit when mature is white and sweet. It may be my imagination, but I believe the Cedar Key bay trees are starting to bloom. The leaves are great for cooking, seasoning. The limbs make a great smoke for barbeque and smoked meat.
And there is no question about it, the cedar trees are blooming and dropping residue. That is what leaves the yellow green powder on your car in the morning after a heavy dew. Many people have sinus problems from that pollen. It leaves a layer of dust in the house and on the porches as well.
There is no doubt that the season is changing. I’ll keep looking for signs of the changes. What have you noticed? Keep your eyes out and some time before next week, let’s share our observations. And perhaps we can exchange thoughts while looking for Trouble in Cedar Key.
