Timber rattlesnakes were up at two of the dens I visited yesterday, 10 at one den and 1 at another. the vanguard. No snake was more than twenty feet from either of the main portals, which suggests they very likely began to emerge this past weekend. Nights are much too cool (cold) for dispersal. This is a full two weeks early than last year. I arrived at the first den at noon with five snakes out and when I left at three o'clock four others had emerged, including one exceptionally large male stretched across the foyer, head in the sunlight and tail in the cool shade. All but one of the snakes were adults; the other an immature. Dutchman's breeches and rock saxifrage were in peak bloom, flowering on and between the talus. Elderberry was in leaf and flower buds expanding, but no where near open. Winter wrens were singing: hermit thrushes foraging. I had my first osprey of the year, an immature bald eagle, and nesting peregrines and ravens were seemingly everywhere noisy. Oh, and one garter snake up and about in the woods. To post messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages. To contact the list owner: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe: E-mail this command to [log in to unmask]: UNSUBSCRIBE UV-Birders To change your e-mail address: E-mail this command from your old address to: [log in to unmask]: CHANGE UV-Birders [new e-mail address] Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html