December 10th. Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) still at Cranberry Bog...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) too.

 

December 11th. Snow expected this afternoon and evening. Trail will look different tomorrow.

 

A tie left over from the railroad days.

 

A pair of Mallards (Anas patyrhynchos) mostly hidden behind a curtain of brush.

 

Leaves under fresh thin ice.

 

 

 

 

 

December 12th. Three inches of new snow...

 

... already melting in the midday sun.

 

 

 

 

 

(Not a duplicate. Minor differences.)

 

 

 

Spring's abandoned bird nests stand out under caps of snow.

 

Some little rodent, Mouse or Vole, had been out atop the snow.

 

Look for figures in patches of remaining snow, as you might for shapes in clouds? Platypus maybe?

 

The "eyes" were formed by water droplets from above.

 

A Small Winter Stonefly (Family Capniidae) atop the snow near the Route 85 parking lot where a stream is nearby. About 7mm long.

 

I see these atop snow when the temperature is near 32 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

Too many pictures of this one, I suppose, but nearly the only insect I've seen on the trail for quite some time.

 

December 14th. Roughly 2PM.Still quite cold and breezy. Brrr. I saw no birds at all...

 

...and only 3 men, one cocooned infant, and two dogs (one of them Cricket).

 

December 17th. Rain yesterday and overnight dispensed with the last of the snow.

 

Sun trying to break through clouds where I saw snow flakes as I drove towards the trail.

 

 

 

A dozen Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) overhead.

 

 

 

December 18th. Nifty clouds seen from the Route 85 trailhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and a Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (Junco hyemalis). Lots of both feeding on the ground.

 

Fresh ice sculptures. Interesting the way something projecting through the surface can focus crystal growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 19th. Guardrails being installed at Cranberry Bog.

 

 

 

 

 

December 20th. Common Reed (Phragmites australis) catching the early sun.

 

And this wraps up Fall 2022.