March 9th.  A sun pillar as I approached the trail before dawn.

 

 

 

It faded in about two minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 10th.  Yesterday, I saw what I thought might have been a Coyote (Canis latrans).  It was far away and my low light photos were noisy and ambiguous.  It could have been a dog.  Today, it was back and definitely a Coyote.  I've heard them calling far away before, and heard many anecdotes of sightings, but seeing one, albeit far, far away, was a first for me on the trail.

 

It took off across the widest section of Raymond Brook Marsh...

 

...then turned to assess me, before heading away.

 

The first Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoniceus) I've seen - and heard - this year; twentyfour days later than the earliest sighting I've had in prior years.  No wonder, given the horrendous February and early March we've had this year.

 

 

 

 

 

March 11th.  Temp well above freezing and foggy after rain on snow overnight.  Snow surface soft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 15th.  Out early in hopes of a sunrise.  (Forecast was for partly cloudy.)  Barely a hint of color in pretty much full cloud cover.

 

 

 

Quite a few Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) overhead, looking for open water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) each time I visit the marsh.

 

I found a pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) at the small marsh near the Colchester Spur junction.

 

 

 

 

 

March 16th.  Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) up close, epaulettes raised.

 

March 17th.  First bare earth I've seen adjacent to the trail in a very long time.

 

 

 

Open water at the marsh margins too!  (That may freeze over tonight with cold temps and high winds.)

 

 

 

Black and White conversion, just for fun.

 

March 18th. The first of two Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) battling to out-display each other.

 

The other bird.  I don't think I've ever seen epaulettes so fully displayed.

 

 

 

 

 

The first American Robin (Turdus migratorius) I've seen on the trail this year.

 

March 19th.  Yes, more Red-winged Blackbird photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen!  With calendar Spring starting tomorrow, this ends postings for Winter, 2015.  Sadly, we can expect snow and more cold in the coming days.