X-country skiing in the EcoPreserve this past weekend, I came across scores of holes dug by gray squirrels down through the snow-cover to the leaf litter to recover acorns and nuts buried this past autumn. I also came across this little evidence of squirrelly frustration. Seems that a gray squirrel had buried a hickory nut in anticipation of digging it up for a mid-winter snack. Unfortunately, the nut froze solid into the ground and the squirrel tried in vain to…
A crew of students heading back to the trailhead after an afternoon of trailwork helping to construct a new trail to open up the western portion of the EcoPreserve to walking, biking, snowshoeing and x-country skiing.
Student volunteers came out to help spruce up the Livingston Campus trailhead kiosk area. New gravel was spread and woodchips raked to make a path down to the Ave E Roundabout.
(Photo by Darrell Jones) The EcoPreserve is habitat for several different snakes species. Most commonly seen are garter snakes and northern water snakes. This colorful snake (in the photo) is the northern ring-necked snake (Scientific name: Diadophis punctatus). The ringneck is harmless to humans. It preys on insects, earthworms, and other small herptiles. Remember: look but don’t keep.