December 29th. An afternoon walk at 50 degrees, starting from the Brownstone Bridge over River Road.

 

First I walked west through a rock cut with lots of icicles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under bark, I found an ant queen, three workers, and a small batch of eggs.

 

The foundation of a new colony in the spring.

 

Nice to see some still green ferns.

 

My goal was to check on the Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) at the only place I know it grows along the trail.

 

It's doing real well, thankfully.

 

Flower buds have already formed, for blooms in April or May.

 

Next, a short walk east of River Road across the Blackledge River Bridge.

 

Two trees down since the recent rain and wind storms.

 

Just past the first downed tree, there's a path on the left that leads to a patch of Pink Earth Lichen (Dibaeis baeomyces). The lichen is crustose grey, and the fruiting bodies are salmon pink.

 

The spot also has lots of Reindeer Lichen (Cladonia rangiferina)...

 

...with some Haircap Moss (Polytrichum juniperinum) mixed in.

 

December 30th. At the marsh before dawn in hopes of a sunrise.

 

I thought that was about it.

 

One of several crows flying by.

 

Some light pinks in the clouds away from the sun.

 

Then things started to pick up where the sun would come up.

 

 

 

 

 

Here comes the sun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 60 degrees, an afternoon walk east from Cranberry Bog in East Hampton.

 

The rock cut is great for winter icicles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little stream of melt water.

 

 

 

One of three sheep at the little barnyard near Cranberry Bog.