February 22nd. Winter is back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 24th. Water levels dropping in the marsh, heaving ice around stumps..

 

March 2nd. After yesterday's snow, someone crafted a snowdog near the Route 85 trailhead.

 

Repairs on the Lyman Viaduct near Bull Hill Road are now complete.

 

March 4th. The whirlpool that carries water under the trail in Raymond Brook Marsh has reopened. See QuickTime video from previous years. No photo, but saw the first grackle of the year today.

 

March 5th. I was very surprised to see a Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor) out today. Assume it got fooled by the brief sun and mid-50s temps. By the time I saw it on the margin of Raymond Brook Marsh, the sun was gone and a chill wind had picked up. Not thrilled to see me, it made its way down the bank and briefly into the water before I lost track of it close in under the bank. First time I've seen a large snake in the marsh that wasn't a northern water snake.

 

UConn's Kent Wells says, "Certainly I would never have expected to find it out this early in the year. It may be that it hibernates someplace like inside a beaver lodge, from which it could easily make short trips in brief periods of warm weather. Not much out for them to eat at this season, however, nor could they digest their food very well."

 

 

 

March 6th. Half a dozen distant Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) on the marsh.

 

March 18th. First Great Blue Heron (Adrea herodias) of the year on the marsh yesterday. Managed some pictures today.