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
January is a Roman reference to the god Janus, the god of gates. This god has two faces, one looking forward and the other looking back, as we do at the beginning of a new year. While this sets the tone for this season, the vivid image of frost on the inside of the lodge is equally appropriate, particularly if you notice frost on the inside of your car or house windows on a cold morning. The Osage also called this month Moon that Stands Alone, which speaks for itself if you decide to take a brisk walk in the countryside this time of year.
This is the month when you can see bald eagles flying in the Kaw Valley as well as deer and other wildlife more easily due to the lack of leaves. Listen to the rustle of wind through the tallgrass prairie grasses, and look for rodent trails in the thatch, which become tunnels when it snows. A dry year means that water becomes a wildlife concentrator, with more species taking visibility risks to grab a drink in drought-lowered ponds, creeks and rivers that are made even more inaccessible by the presence of ice. Putting out water next to the bird feeders is more important this winter than most for this reason.
Enjoy the deep blues of the sky this time of year, whether it is duplicated in the subtle blues found in freshly fallen snow or not. While admiring the sky and looking for eagles and migratory waterfowl, keep an eye out for sun dogs and other daytime optical treats caused by the presence of ice crystals in the sky that refract and reflect the sun (and moon) light into circles, spots and other geometric forms. After dark, bundle up and enjoy the striking winter star constellations that can take your breath away especially if you know where to look with a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
Hi, My wife and I look forward to the Almanac each week. We live in rural Osage County and enjoy being outside. This year we have not seen the usual number of hawks. In fact we have seen none at all for over a week now. We are curious about what’s going on. Are we just not noticing them? Have they gone somewhere else? Is there a massive shortage of small rodents this season? Are other predators out-competing them? Have others noticed the same thing? We would appreciate hearing more about this mysterious absence. Thanks!
LikeLike
You’re not the only one who has noticed this. Here’s a quote from a birder posted yesterday on the KSBirds listserv:
“I travel the state pretty frequently, and enjoy counting raptors on all of
my adventures. This 4 hour trip yielded 11 Bald Eagles (higher than typical
for me on this route), only 16 Red-tailed Hawks (much lower than typical),
2 Red-shouldered Hawks, 9 American Kestrels, and a total of 42 Northern
Harriers. They were apparently enjoying the high winds today. Seems like
this winter I’ve seen more male harriers than I have in years past.”
My guess is that hawks follow the waterfowl to a good extent, and with ice on area reservoirs, many waterfowl have flown further south. Apparently hawks don’t like to compete with the eagles, who are concentrated around what open water there is.
LikeLike
Thanks. Informative.
LikeLike