Nature Study #2, 2013 (1/9/13)

I was feeling under the weather, but thought I was well enough for a walk. I knew our vague goal was going to be rocks and minerals... sometime soon... But if our walk did not come to that today I was okay with that. JD was just ecstatic to get out for the walk. I think he sees these nature walks as opportunities to "not do school".

 Early January in MD, and the weather so mild JD was in shirt sleeves! Not me, though. I was in my long sleeve shirt with a polar fleece jacket over it.

Our first stop was at the chirping bush. I know they are hard to discern, but the bush is winter shelter to chickadees, sparrows, goldfinch, and many other birds. It is hard to know exactly what, as it is difficult to get any closer a look that my camera can give with full zoom. These birdies are so skittish that they quickly flit to a different bush when I try to get closer.

JD stopped next to check on a family geocache. It is hidden in the nook of an apple tree. You can barely see JD hidden behind the tree below.
 

 We also discovered some acorns, and then we decided to collect some to take home for the squirrels in our back yard.

 Then I asked JD to see what rocks he could find, and he dug one up.

 Milky Quartz, if I am not mistaken.

 While he was working on that I had noticed that the oak tree I was standing under had retained its dry, dead leaves, but the tree next to it was leafless. 
 



And the crowning finish to our nature walk was the pair of squirrels that were chatting with each other as we got back to our house. They saw us coming and ran for it, but I was able to snap a shot as they ran away.