January 29th. Foggy...

 

...with occasional showers.

 

January 30th. Light snow overnight.

 

 

 

January 31st. Most of the snow is gone. I saw a dozen or so Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) taking off.

 

Fresh ice patterns.

 

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis).

 

 

 

February 1st. Surprised to see a male Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus).

 

 

 

Bye.

 

A bit further west, three more Hooded Mergansers, though this was the only one I could see through the dense shrubs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All three soon departed.

 

The pond east of Route 207 is still thoroughly iced over. Note the recent patches to the trail surface.

 

 

 

February 3rd. 27 degrees, breezy, but sun shining and no ice on the trail.

 

 

 

Reflections on wind rippled water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) - 5 males and one female.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 4th. At least three male Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) calling high in the trees bordering the marsh. They've been around at feeders, but these are the first territorial displays I've seen.

 

My annual estimate for when the males return to the marsh is February 14th, give or take a bit. So, a full ten days ahead of schedule this year.

 

Fresh ice at 22 degrees.

 

February 5th. A male Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) far across the marsh.

 

 

 

Early afternoon at the pond just east of River Road. Once again, the trail surface is a sea of mud.

 

In comparison, the standard stone dust surface at Raymond Brook Marsh this morning was dry and hard.

 

September 6th. Just one male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) calling.