January 1st.  Happy New Year!  Predawn at Raymond Brook Marsh.

 

 

 

 

 

January 4th.  Pre-dawn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 9th.  Storms Friday and Saturday nights (the 7th and 8th), left 6 or 7 inches of snow on the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gusts sculpted the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mice or Voles left distinctive tracks across the trail...

 

...as did larger creatures.

 

 

 

January 14th.  My first approach to the trail since Wednesday the 12th's record-setting snow storm (27 inches at Bradley Airport).  The parking lots have been plowed, but the trail requires skis, snowshoes, or a snowmobile - the latter not permitted, but a boon for packing down the surface after storms like this one.

 

Raymond Brook as it exits the marsh (at Old Colchester Road).

 

January 16th. Snowmobiles have packed the trail enough for walking in boots.

 

 

 

All members of this family were out enjoying the trail.

 

 

 

Shadow and light on the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ruins of United Distillers in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

January 22nd.  Back on the trail after yet another snowstorm.  Sun touching the treeline as past-full moon above prepares to set.

 

 

 

 

 

Four degrees at the trailhead after my walk.

 

January 23rd.  Eight below zero.  Predawn by moonlight.  (1/2 second exposure.)

 

 

 

January 24th. A sunny afternoon with temps in the low teens.

 

 

 

Note the odd doughnut-shaped snow cap in the trail head stream.

 

That's because there's a truck tire and rim under it!  (I've moved that heavy tire out of the stream twice but person or persons unknown see fit to perform the hard labor to shove it back in.)

 

Hard to believe, but Wood Ducks will be back on the marsh in about 8 weeks.

 

A few Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) hips are still adding color to the marsh.

 

 

 

One of last year's Baltimore Oriole nests is still hanging in there (literally).  Probably wishful thinking, but are those Red Maple buds showing a little color?

 

It took 60 photos to get these two poor shots of a male Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa).

 

It was constantly on the move.