February 25th. Back to the marsh in mid afternoon, hoping for turtles. Plenty of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).

 

Up periscope.

 

 

 

 

 

No sign of the whirlpool as I walked in, but nice ripple patterns in the slight breeze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turtles! Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta).

 

 

 

 

 

On my way back, the whirlpool was working again.

 

February 26th. First pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) at Raymond Brook Marsh this year. (They soon took off.)

 

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are really impressive birds. Nothing "common" about them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 27th. A late morning walk. Clouds, sun, and stiff breezes.

 

 

 

When the sun broke through, it lit the marsh, section by section.

 

A male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)...

 

...and a female. Both very wary; hard to get pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

Surface ripples at a calm moment.

 

A bit more disturbed.

 

Still more.

 

And then the wind really picked up.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28th. A chilly, breezy afternoon with great light.

 

 

 

February 29th. The pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) are a morning fixture at Raymond Brook Marsh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1st. Seventeen degrees. Still life on a Bittersweet vine.

 

First Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) at the marsh this year.

 

It was displaying and calling much like a Red-winged Blackbird.

 

Hear it for yourself at Cornell's All About Birds site: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/media-browser-overview/485161

 

 

 

March 2nd. The whirlpool was back this afternoon at Raymond Brook Marsh.