Ken Lassman has been keeping this almanac for over a decade, He invites you to share your observations and photos in the comments section. You can find his book Wild Douglas County at The Raven Bookstore and The Community Mercantile in Lawrence.
Frost on Inside of Lodge Moon: January
Another name for this moon according to the Osage Indians of the area is Moon Stands Alone, which considering how cold it can be, makes sense as well. This is an excellent time of year to observe wildlife, though–because of the lack of leaves, the presence of snow or mud for leaving tracks in, and the tendency of many animals to move around in flocks and packs, Overwintering birds of many species gather into winter flocks, perched raptors looking for food, and the sound if not the sight of geese are regular sights if you spend much time outside.
This month is also a good time to learn different tree species by their buds, limb patterns and bark. It is also a good time to learn about the local geology using books like Rex Buchanan’s Roadside Kansas to determine the ages and names of various shales, sandstones and limestone outcrops along area highway road cuts.
The days are finally starting to lengthen, and winter sunsets are legendary in our part of the country, with the low angle of the sun lighting up the underside of clouds, setting the sky on fire at times. Cirrus clouds can create conditions perfect for sun dogs and other rainbow-like optical effects during the day due to the ice crystals. Blowing snow and clouds from snow showers can also create sun pillars near sunrise and sunset, where the sun becomes encased in a pillar of light caused by the light scattering action of millions of ice crystals.
Kaw Valley Almanac 
I am an avid follower of the Almanac since moving back to Jefferson County 4 years ago. For the first three years I had a pair of barred owls in my woods, and every evening in the warm months they would hunt in my yard every evening, even bringing their young. This summer I have heard or seen nothing of them at all. This concerned me since when I lived in PA, we lost all the great horned owls, who moved out due to the noise of fracking. There is not that problem here. Another friend who lives 10 miles north of me has also heard no barred owls this summer. Has anyone else experienced this? Of course the owls might have simply changed territory, but seems unlikely since we are near Lake Perry and there is ample habitat, and this property has over 40 acres of woods.
LikeLike
I have not heard of any reduction of barred owl populations in eastern Kansas, rather my guess is that they seem to be increasing if anything. They do not necessarily stick around after breeding season. You might post your question to the KS Bird listserv or the Kansas Ornithological Society web site (www.ksbirds.org) or their page on facebook. Feel free to post again if you find out anything more or they return, and good luck!
LikeLike
Saw your wonderful talk on climate change at library tonight and wish to download your handout.
LikeLike
Sorry for the delay: it is available here online: https://kawvalleyalmanac.com/climate-change-online-resources/ and I keep it updated on a regular basis to make sure the links are still current, adding new resources as I run across the best new ones. If you want to download a copy, just “select” the text on that page, copy it, then paste it into a word processor of your choice and it should keep the clickable links when you do this. Or just bookmark the online link I provided at the beginning of this post and that way you can ensure that you have the latest updated links. Hope this helps!
LikeLike