March 22nd. Early afternoon, nearly 60 degrees, and Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) were warming up.

 

I've seen this turtle with the deformed shell in previous years at roughly the same spot.

 

 

 

 

 

East of Old Hartford Road, the Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica) were in chorus in the vernal pools...

 

...but this one was resting right at the edge of the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

Two of many in one of the pools.

 

A Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) that I've seen at that spot before.

 

 

 

March 23rd. A youngish Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) at Raymond Brook Marsh.

 

 

 

Key character for a Bullfrog: The ridge from the back of the eye curves around and down just after the eardrum.

 

 

 

Pretty patient (or cool) to let me hold it for a closeup. (I moved it away from the trail surface.)

 

Self portrait of photographer in a frog's eye.

 

Two American Crows (Corvus brachyrhyncos) far across the marsh.

 

One took off...

 

...but soon returned with food in its beak.

 

Looks like part of a roll? Maybe retrieved from a cache since the bird wasn't gone long.

 

A pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) seems to be hanging around.

 

A Slug. Slugs and snails are in the Phyllum Molluska, Class Gastropoda, and Order Pulmonata.

 

March 25th. American Robin (Turdus migratorius). Note how the Red Maple (Acer rubrum) flower buds are swelling.

 

Male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)...

 

...and his nearby mate.

 

A male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) far across the marsh.

 

A male Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) by the Wood Duck house near the Colchester Spur junction.

 

 

 

 

 

The female was nearby.

 

I've seen the pair there before and hope they're preparing to nest in the box.

 

 

 

 

 

March 26th. A male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).

 

Three Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris); two males and a female.

 

 

 

March 27th. At Raymond Brook Marsh, the resident pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) attempting to drive off interlopers.

 

At Mint Brook Pond east of Route 207, the Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) are still around.

 

 

 

They all seem to be paired up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) there too.

 

Several stops along the trail in the early afternoon. The date 1887 is carved into the keystone of the Brownstone Bridge over River Road. All the stones in the arch on both sides are numbered, suggesting that the bridge was assembled as a kit from pre-cut pieces.

 

West of the bridge Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) did well through the winter.

 

Several more weeks at least before it starts to bloom.

 

On the sandy path from River Road to the Blackledge River Bridge, a colony of Cellophane Bees (Colletes inaequalis) have created their burrows. They do this reliably every year, despite foot traffic damaging many burrows.

 

The females line their burrows with a waterproof cellophane-like substance to contain nectar for their young.

 

Get too close and the bee disappears down into the burrow.

 

A male Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) at the beaver pond on Day Meadow Brook east of River Road.