December 31st. Immature Red-shouldered (Buteo lineatus). Thanks Russ for the confirmation.

 

 

 

A male Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)...

 

...followed by a female.

 

 

 

January 1st, New Year's Day. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in the channel.

 

...and on the north side generally where the ice is gone.

 

Among them, the American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) from December 30th. Another photographer saw yesterday's male Bufflehead.

 

Note the blurry bird perched at the far right.

 

An Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis).

 

 

 

January 2nd. Out early for a sunrise. Barely got tripod set up before it was time to shoot.

 

This is about the only spot open enought for a view these days, Even at that, I had the camera about 7 feet high.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fading fast as sun rose behind the clouds.

 

 

 

January 3rd. The Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) pair still around.

 

The male diving.

 

 

 

Lots of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).

 

 

 

 

 

The map board at Route 207 was flipped over this morning.

 

I stood it back up, but Hebron Park & Rec needs to pick it up before it gets damaged even more - and eventually decide if it can be repaired or must be replaced.

 

January 4th. Sunny, 24 degrees, and breezy. Nice light.

 

 

 

Much better light for Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) pictures today, compared with yesterday (above).

 

Light catching the metallic hues.

 

Slightly different angle and the metallics fade away.

 

At least 32 Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) at Cranberry Bog. Not much open water for them...

 

...but they seem content on land.

 

 

 

January 5th. Twentyfour degrees. The marsh entirely iced over except for bits of the channel. All waterfowl gone, of course.

 

A few ground feeding birds like this White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)...

 

 

 

...and this Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor).

 

January 7th. The pond east of River Road is almost completely iced over...

 

 

 

 

 

...except for a small area...

 

...adjacent to the active beaver lodge.