March 27th. Cloudy. Red-winged Blackbird males (Agelaius phoeniceus) very loud.

 

 

 

Admiring himself?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).

 

I also saw Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers.

 

Periwinkle or Myrtle (Vinca minor).

 

March 28th. Significant beaver activity, and thankfully trapping season ends on Tuesday. Beavers have been dragging branches across the trail.

 

 

 

Not sure which direction they were going...

 

...but I did see some fresk cut young trees on the channel side...

 

...as well as some branches stripped of their bark - beaver snacks.

 

Looks like a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia).

 

 

 

 

 

Cold enough for heavy froast on this little plant (whick I've yet to ID).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course the resident pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) were cruising around.

 

Not sure which of these is the male or female. The white cheek patches cabn be used to identify individuals.

 

The usual group of Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris), with just one female among the males.

 

Not sure what the female was doing, though I may have seen an attempted mating seconds later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31st. A male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) perched on a car's side mirror...

 

...from where it would launch attacks on its reflection in the car's side window...

 

...then return to its perch, over and over again.

 

Aware of me, but not concerned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I chased him off, but he didn't go far (and likely returned to the reflection after I drove away).

 

His mate was nearby.

 

 

 

East of Route 207, Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) leaves are unfurling...

 

...and a male Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) was foraging.