Christmas Eve at Anchor Diamond Park

Earlier today on this Christmas Eve, I strolled through Anchor Diamond Park at Hawkwood in the Town of Ballston.  I craved an extended hike through the woods and the crusted snow and glazed branches helped set the mood for a White Christmas backdrop.

Some scenes from my outing –

Glazed alders along Stonewall Trail

FOUND: A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree!

Tranquil stream along Hemlock Trail

Lighted winterberry garland

Merry Christmas!

Happy trails!

Winter Solstice is Nigh

 

Fall…into Winter

The winter solstice will occur on December 21.

Winter is a great time for birdwatching from the comfort of your own home.  Consider putting up a few bird feeders.  For more info about winter bird feeding, please view my prior post.  Winter is also an excellent time to learn about animal tracks.  View this guide to winter tracks.

The arrival of this new season will mark the return of the shortest days of the entire year.  We should all be prepared to make the most of the daylight hours available.

Here is a list of winter outdoor activities to consider:

• Winter Solstice in the Pine Bush:  December 21, 2017
• Red Oak Ridge and Spring Overlook Hike:  December 22, 2017
• Wild about Winter:  December 23, 2017
• Howe Caverns Family Flashlight Tour:  December 24, 2017
• Cookie Burner Stroll:  December 26, 2017
• Winter Birds at Thacher Nature Center and Wetland Hike:  December 27, 2017
• Potter Point Hike and Family Moonlight Cross Country Ski:  December 28, 2017
• Wild Turkey Trail and Signatures in the Snow and Hike to Historic Knox School #5 and Winter Outing – Grafton Forest:  December 30, 2017
• First Day Snowshoe Walk and First Day Hike and First Day Hike and First Day Hike and First Day Full Moon Hike:  January 1, 2018
• Stewardship Hike – Vischer Ferry Nature & Historic Preserve:  January 5, 2018
• Snowshoe Walk and Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey and Winter Outing – Petersburg Pass to Berlin Mountain:  January 6, 2018
• An Introduction to Snowshoeing:  January 13, 2018 (1:30pm and 2:00pm)
• Winter Exploration Walk and Free Entrance Day at National Parks (go explore Saratoga National Historic Park):  January 15, 2018
• Candlelight Ski and Snowshoe and Eagle Hike:  January 20, 2018
• Family Moonlight Cross Country Ski:  January 25, 2018
• Winter Outing – Albert Family Community Forest:  January 27, 2018
• Stewardship Hike – Veterans Memorial Park:  February 2, 2018
• Fort Edward Grasslands Bird Observation and Winter Outing – Kinderhook Preserve:  February 3, 2018
• Winter Outing – Ingalls Preserve:  February 17, 2018
• Animal Tracking Winter Walk:  February 19, 2018
• Owl Prowl:  February 21, 2018
• Family Moonlight Cross Country Ski:  February 22, 2018
• Birding by Snowshoe:  February 24, 2018
• Invasive Species Winter Plant ID and Owl Prowl:  March 2, 2018
• Winter Outing – Grafton Forest:  March 3, 2018
• Owl Prowl:  March 7, 2018
• Family Moonlight Cross Country Ski:  March 22, 2018

Happy trails!

First Snow!

Saturday delivered a light blanket of snow to our area.

Read about how snowflakes form.  View the science of snowflakes.  View a slideshow of photographs of snowflakes.

Speaking of snow, here are some recipes and other ideas for you to consider:

• Snow Ice Cream
• 4 Simple Recipes using Snow for the Cold Season
• Cooking with Snow:  The Best Desserts
• 7 Genius Things You Never Thought to Make with Snow

It now looks wintery.  View the countdown to the winter solstice 2017.

I visited Shenantaha Creek Park in the Town of Malta.  The nature trail along Ballston Creek (also named Shenantaha by the Iroqouis, meaning “deer water”) offers several scenic views from the trail atop the bluff along portions of this creek.

View of Ballston Creek from trail atop cliff

Trail through woodland along stone wall

View of Ballston Creek from trail atop cliff

Shale bedrock-lined ravine

Looking upstream along Ballston Creek from where trail descends into flooplain forest

View of floodplain forest (Zim Smith Trail along top of high ridge in distant background)

Panoramic view of Ballston Creek from trail through floodplain forest

In addition to enjoying the beautiful woodland scenes along this trail, I also took the opportunity to do a little winter botanizing, which is more like forensic botanizing in that you look for plant features (such as seed pods or branching patterns) that help distinguish a particular species.

See what I found –

Maple-leaved Viburnum

Shagbark Hickory

Hairy White Old-field Aster

Thimbleweed

Selfheal

Common Mullein

Hawthorn

Christmas Fern

Which reminds me…it’s beginning to look a lot like…(listen)!

Happy trails!