February 5th. Back on the trail after wind and bitter cold (minus 10 yesterday morning) recently.

 

 

 

Haven't seen that kind of ice formation before.

 

 

 

 

 

Ice on the outlet stream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 6th. A pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) on the channel (north) side of Raymond Brook Marsh in scarce running water.

 

There were six Mallards there, but note the one at the upper right.

 

It's a VERY odd duck: upper surfaces of head and back, plus breast "male-ish"; lower head, beak, and sides "female-ish".

 

Such birds are described as "intersex"or "chimeras" and may result from quirks in embryonic development. According to this site, several ways intersex mallards can happen.  (The "menopausal" female idea is interesting.)
https://dfwurbanwildlife.com/2014/04/11/chris-jacksons-dfw-urban-wildlife/mallard-intersex/
After 21 years photographing the Air Line Trail, it's nice to know there are more new things to observe.

 

Next stop a walk east from Cook Hill Road in Lebanon. Lots of White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis).

 

 

 

Nice to see and hear a Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos).

 

 

 

 

 

A large, vocal Hawk. I'll guess juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). (Thanks Russ for the confirmation.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading east past the barnyard.

 

 

 

Cattle enjoying a pretty nice day with mid-40s tems.

 

Calves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marsh on the right.

 

This is where I turned back.

 

 

 

 

 

February 8th. Under loose bark, the same overwintering parasitic Ichneumon wasp (Family Ichneumonidae) that I photographed on November 16th, 2022. (I remembered the same shortened left antenna.)

 

A slime mold, I think (Subdivision Myxomycotina).

 

Tree Clubmoss or Ground Pine (Lycopodium obscurum).

 

February 9th. The intersex Mallard (see pictures above) is still around.

 

Laura Erickson's charming blog post about such ducks. https://blog.lauraerickson.com/2016/02/intersex-mallard.html

 

 

 

Boiler slag or "clinker" is common along the trail. Left over melted impurities in the coal used in steam engines.

 

 

 

February 10th. Nearly 50 degrees and ground fog.

 

 

 

February 11th. A brief stop at the barnyard east of Cranberry Bog.

 

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).