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    AERIAL DANCERS Dusk was falling, and it seemed that time was suspended. The concerns of the day were past and the ones of tomorrow didn’t exist yet. Reveling in the moment, I settled in to watch the evening’s performance of the aerial dancers. Looking up into the warm spring sky, I watched the dancers twist and turn, changing directions in midair as they sped forward and back, up and down.  The bats were coming out to feed! I have always been an advocate of bat conservation—not only are they fascinating but as the earth warms, insects are becoming more and more plentiful. Bats feed on hundreds of thousands of tons of insects yearly. If you don’t enjoy mosquitoes buzzing around you—then employ the most environmentally safe and effective way to rid yourself of them—bats! All four types of bats in central Virginia are insect eaters and can consume 600 to 1,000 mosquitoes per hour. Bats are integral to pest control and maintaining a healthy environment. You can ensure they stay around
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  Ethereal Beings   One April day I opened my front door and my attention was immediately drawn to loud munching coming from the vine directly in front of me. I stared at the source of the sound, willing the culprit who was devouring the vine to become visible. Nothing. The sound continued unabated. I was puzzled. Why couldn’t I see the guilty party, when the source of the sound was literally right under my nose? He didn’t even try to carry out his work stealthily, but undaunted by my presence—continued his loud, defiant munching. As the minutes ticked by, I became more and more determined to find out just who or what was making the sound. As I peered into the tangled network of leaves, I spied a small furry head with what appeared to be button-sized ears moving rhythmically with the munching. What I thought to be ears unfurled and became two feathery antennae. I could hardly believe it—yes it was! I realized that I was witnessing a moth chewing its way out of the cocoon. And not
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HARBINGERS of SPRING It was mid February and I was out for a walk on a snowy and cold monochromatic day that seemed to defy movement and color. Everything was still—so still. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I caught an impression of deep blue as several blurs of movement flashed past me. Five male Virginia Bluebirds, resplendent in their cobalt blue topcoats and tails They were busy scouting out appropriate territory for their ladies to nest in.  In a few weeks the women will arrive. When they do, the males will sing and sing in an attempt to attract a female to their nesting site, and to keep other males out. If the female feels that the selected nesting site is suitable, by April she will begin the arduous task of building a nest. Comprised of dry grass or pine needles, the nest is shaped like a cup. Photo courtesy of Skyler Ewing Male Eastern Bluebird Each day the female lays a single egg, until three to six are nestled snugly in the nest. Usually the eggs are a delicate turquo
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The Pond

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 Photo credit:  Donna Fernstrom The Pond On the bank of the pond surrounded by trees and interspersed with cattails I find refuge As I crunch through the thick carpet of fallen leaves their sweet fragrance envelops me I spy a doe as she sounds her barking alarm call then flicks her white flag and bounds away Around me is the busy, constant peeping of cardinals as they flit from branch to branch. I pause to drink in Their song Above me, a hawk closely observes my approach and waits a beat before sliding smoothly off his perch into flight. Before me, translucent dust motes float lazily I the slanting sunlight of afternoon. A tiny woodpecker circles the base of two trees, moving onto a third before setting to work and drumming out a beat A gaggle of geese is silently swimming I hear their laughter as their contentment rolls out in waves.                                                                     
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