I’ve been able to start working on some of my spring projects this week because the snow has nearly gone. The fields are clear of snow, and so are the south facing slopes of the hills. There are still big patches of snow in the woods.

This is the view of Center Valley from Indian Grass Point. The snow is gone from the floor of the valley, but the north-facing slope across the road still has plenty of snow.

I re-found a small prairie that I don’t visit very often, and decided that if I make a path to it, and give it a name, it will be easier to keep track of. I spent the last few days making a path, and cutting some of the Buckthorn and Gray Dogwood bushes that had invaded the top of the prairie.

Path to the prairie

I also gave it a name. It’s going to be called First Burn Prairie because we tried our very first burning there. During one of the first winters we were at the farm we lit and burned a small area in the center of the prairie while it still was surrounded by snow.

Here are a few pictures – it’s difficult to take photos because the prairie is very steep, and there’s nowhere to stand where I can see the whole area.

Looking up from the center of the prairie

Looking north across the prairie

I saw my first moth of the spring on a 35-degree day. Moths usually come out earlier than butterflies – they are able to keep themselves warm in colder temperatures. It was “The Infant” – a small brown and orange moth that we see here as soon as the weather starts to warm up. Its caterpillars live on birch.

The Infant (Archiearis infans)

I found a Giant Silkmoth cocoon – the first time I’ve ever found one in the wild. The cocoon was large – about 2 inches across – but very well camouflaged. Here is the view of the path and the plants where I found it. The cocoon is in the center of the photo.

This is a detail of the cocoon.

I talked to Ian about it, and his guess is that it’s a Polyphemus cocoon. It’s hard and solid – not flimsy like a Luna cocoon.

The spring birds are starting to arrive, so my weekly bird list are getting longer and more interesting. This week we saw our first Red-winged Blackbirds, American Woodcocks, Purple Finches and Song Sparrows, and I’ve been seeing flocks of Tundra Swans and Sandhill Cranes flying overhead.

Today it’s snowing again – heavy, wet, spring snow.