January 9th. Afternoon. 28 degrees and gusty winds.

 

Air bubbles captured at different depths.

 

 

 

 

 

Beetle larval feeding trails under bark.

 

Clubmoss (Lycopodium sp.) was a welcome bit of green.

 

The upstream start of Grayville Falls.

 

Heading downstream, a riot of ice formations.

 

 

 

 

 

This frozen disk about three feet across was spinning in an eddy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 10th. At the barnyard east of Cook Hill Road, all the cattle were in the sun next to the barn.

 

Four Rock Doves or Domestic Pigeons (Columba livia) atop the silo. They can enter through the opening at the left.

 

Three European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) atop a ventilation port.

 

Despite their bad rep, they are handsome birds.

 

The marsh further east.

 

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) will overwinter in this state before flowering early in spring.

 

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) foraging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 11th. Light snow falling when I got out after 9 A.M.

 

Serious twisting invasive Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) "vine".

 

Until I reached this point mine were the only footprints. Then someone had walked in from the Colchester spur.

 

Man on a fat-tired electric bike.

 

He was soon far ahead.

 

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia).

 

 

 

More Song Sparrows with White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) mixed in.

 

 

 

Here's a White-throated Sparrow close up.

 

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor).

 

 

 

 

 

Believe it or not, this represents the site of a beaver lodge 20+ years ago. Long collapsed, some plants are still rooted to it.

 

Sky brightening a bit. The snow virtually over for now at least. (Later much of it would melt away.)

 

January 12th. A clear morning in the twenties with no wind.

 

 

 

A hawk flying towards the sun. (Awful picture but not exactly one I could prepare for. Felt lucky to get anything at all.)

 

Slightly better with these Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) a few minutes later.

 

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia).

 

 

 

January 13th. A male Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus).

 

January 14th. For a few days, there have been roughly a dozen Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in the rare open water of the channel, but almost completely screened off by shrubs between the trail and the water. See what I mean? I discarded 7 other photos. This was the "best" one.