February 20th. A brief afternoon stop at the pond east of River Road. No obvious wildlife...

 

...so I amused myself with pictures of tree reflections in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 21st. Twelve degrees. The trail still in good shape.

 

A cooperative male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the swelling buds on the Red Maple (Acer rubrum).

 

The Cardinal shared a perch with a Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoniceus). Both were calling.

 

One of a pair of Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) I've seen lately.

 

 

 

There were lots of American Robins (Turdus migratorius) flocking around...

 

...most like this one out on the ice.

 

 

 

...foraging for???

 

My best guess is dead aquatic insect adults that had emerged when it was warm yesterday, then died from the cold.

 

Best candidates would be Winter Stonflies and/or Chironomid Midges.

 

 

 

February 22nd. A pair of Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola)...

 

 

 

...and two pair of Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus).

 

Mid-afternoon at the Blackledge River Bridge, looking east.

 

Looking down from the bridge.

 

Heading back west, still some icicles in the rock cut.

 

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) is doing well through the winter.

 

Flower buds are nowhere near preparing to flower.

 

The Brownstone Bridge over River Road. Note the brown speck on the snow beyond the bridge.

 

A curious dog waiting for its owners to catch up.

 

February 24th. Thirtyfive degrees and wind picking up. Footprints captured in softened snow.

 

Enough detail to show claws.

 

 

 

 

 

A pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) took off. A pair?

 

The male Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) was around again. No sign of the female.

 

 

 

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) around, of course.

 

Not sure what these snow characters were meant to be.

 

February 26th. Mild at 31 degrees. A male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).

 

Nearby, eleven more Mallards.

 

The flock of American Robins (Turdus migratorius) were back, but not down on the ice as they were a few days ago.

 

The male Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) was back...

 

...along with his mate.