Kaw Valley Almanac

Leaves are emerging from woodland gooseberries in northeast Kansas, with a few false rue anemone emerging. The dry weather has meant a slower spring woodland wildflower season, but this week’s rains may change that, so go take a look!

Sandhill cranes migrate by the hundreds of thousands annually through Kansas and Nebraska. Now is the time to see them. Spring woodland wildflower plants have emerged as well.

A seagull-seeking field trip coming up; bobcats, raccoons, skunks and coyotes are in the midst of their mating seasons; plus a surprising amount of conflict between feathered foes in this week’s Kaw Valley Almanac.

Learn what to do with new seeds; watch for geese, moonrise, and blooming crocuses; and more from this week’s Kaw Valley Almanac.

This opossum seems to have a real sense of purpose after selecting a piece of hedge apple to take back to the den.

Looking for color in the dead of winter? Look in the woods, under trees, up close and you might be surprised by the wide variety of mosses amongst the leaf litter.

Please consider supplementing the shrinking food and water supplies with a birdseed feeder and some water for the next month or so. This is typically the hardest time of the year for many birds — give them a hand!

This is not seagulls in a cloudy sky — it’s snow fleas on the snow.

This photo of the first quarter moon through the cottonwood tree was taken at sunset when it was due south. Each day at sunset this week, the moon will move a little further to the east until by the end of the week it will rise a little more than an hour before sunset, almost completely round.

This female cardinal looks like she is eyeing how much bird seed is left in the feeder, a little concerned about how little is left. Birds eat a lot more seed in cold temperatures as metabolism increases and alternative food sources diminish.

This eastern gamagrass provides a native grass burst to mirror fireworks overhead as a way to bring in the new year. The calendar year is a human construct recognized by no other life forms, but happy new year anyway!

The winter solstice is on Tuesday; expect 14 1/2 hours between sunset Tuesday and sunrise Wednesday morning. In contrast, summer solstice nights last just a little more than 9 hours.

Last week, the calm water reflected the sunset and leafless trees just west of the Baker Wetlands a few minutes after sunset. This week promises to be much windier, with high fire danger and potentially severe weather midweek.

This heron is hanging out on a cottonwood branch at the Baker Wetlands near the Wakarusa River in the fading twilight. The sun sets at 4:59 p.m. all this week, the earliest sunsets of the year.