November 29th. A lone male Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)...

 

...diving to feed.

 

Large numbers of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) with ice mostly gone from the marsh.

 

Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) at the Wood Duck nest box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Bluebird and a Northern "yellow-shafted" Flicker (Colaptes auratus).

 

December 1st. Seventeen degrees. Felt cold, looked cold. Thankfully, no wind.

 

 

 

The marsh, and even most of the channel, were frozen over. The Mallards were gone, at least for now.

 

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).

 

A few American Robins (Turdus migratorius) around.

 

 

 

Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) forage in groups...

 

...as do the White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis).

 

December 2nd. Thirteen degrees. Hoar Frost forming from warm damp air coming up from below...

 

 

 

...not far from the channel.

 

Ice patterns on a trailside ditch just east of Old Colchester Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 3rd. Another 13 degree morning.

 

Frost everywhere.

 

Hoar Frost of course.

 

Frost on Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) fruits...

 

...and on dried brown Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris).

 

 

 

The usual White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) were foraging from the trail surface.

 

No idea what this bird was eating.

 

A Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) pecking apart an acorn.

 

I'm not sure if the bird was eating the nut or hunting for the Acorn Weevil (Curculio sp.) grub often found inside them. I've been noticing partly eaten acorns on the trail nearby so perhaps the weevil guess is possible.

 

The pond east of River Road is now frozen over so not much likely to be seen there.

 

December 4th. First snow last evening. A crusty dusting.

 

 

 

Amost all the ice on the marsh covered with snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis).

 

I'm guessing an American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) feeding on Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa) female catkins.

 

Presumably a Sparrow, but I don't know which species.

 

I saw a few Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis).

 

Pleasantly surprised to see this lone Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 7th. Rain and snow hardened into a thick crust. Crunchy, but not a bad walk if you've got knobby soles and/or slip on spikes.