March 18th.  An afternoon walk with temps in the 70s and blustery winds.  Ripples on the channel side.

 

(Same photo, in color.)

 

 

 

The wind really stirred things up on the open marsh side.

 

Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) were basking in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Striders (Family Gerridae) were skating on the surface of trailside ditch pools.

 

This shot shows how the insect's legs dimple the water's surface tension.

 

I saw one Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) and heard a number of them calling elsewhere.

 

I heard a couple of Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) calling in a wooded section of the trail.  Ignore the video and turn up the volume.

 

Black-legged Deer Ticks (Ixodes scapularis), the carrier of Lyme Disease, were out in force.  Venturing just a few yards off the trail, I picked up six of them.  This is a female...

 

...and this is a male.

 

A Rove Beetle (Family Staphylinidae).  Many feed on filth; seems somehow apt.

 

March 19th.  Forty-four degrees and windy.  Nice early light and no sign of snow or ice anywhere!

 

First Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) sighting at the marsh this year.

 

 

 

Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are back!  Half a dozen at least and I'm sure there will be more soon.  I never saw them take a break from foraging.  (I took nearly 60 photos and this was the only one worth posting.)