Bona Dea Update

It's been a while since I have posted. Have been slow to get around so have been taking it easy. However I have managed to get around the park a few times in the past weeks. The latest thing is that there are some signs on Waldon Way and Swinging Bridge Trails that note that the authorities are trapping. Don't know what but presume it is Beavers. But I haven't seen any real new damage of the trees. I noticed that at the recent snow the a couple of weeks ago that someone had walked around the edges of Prairie Creek and Waldon Pond. Then a few days later the signs and markers went up. But I looked all around and could not find any traps or chains attached to trees and traps. Actually some of the markers are now gone. So don't know what is going on. I have some photos here of the snow that we had in this area on 02-09-11. These are from home and was around 8 inches. More than this around some parts of the state especially in the NW part of the state. However the last few weeks have been spring like and the trees and flowering shrubs and early flower bulbs have been doing their thing. Also the Canadian Geese have been thinking that enough winter is enough and have started feeling a little romantic. They have begun separating from the flocks and looking for their nesting places. Various woodpeckers birds have been coming in and the Turkey and Black Vultures have been flying in numbers around the park. The ducks are moving out on their migration routes. Not all as Wood ducks and a few others stay here in the spring and summer months. Also down on Prairie Creek I put out some cracked corn today and saw numerous raccoon tracks right in the spot where I feed. You can see at the tracks link the front and rear footprints. They look like human baby hands I think. I also jumped a pair of Redhead Ducks a few weeks back at this same area. Also the Double-crested Cormorants and Pied-bill Grebe ducks have been in Lake Dardanelle close to Bona Dea. These are also one of the earliest forms of wildlife to come around in the spring each year.