February

It has been the coldest and shittiest winter in memory. It finally got about 20° (a balmy 35°) so we went out to try to see if there would be a February post. We hit a nearby marshland/ river area. Luckily, we saw a few birds to add to the count.

Some Black Ducks were resting on the ice while a group of Mallards were dabbling. They were out cold.

We were eager to get to the marshy area where we usually see stuff. Sure enough, there was a Red-tailed Hawk (#27) looking for some lunch.

Much of the area was frozen but in the distance, we could see waterfowl frolicking in an open area. Canada Geese, Mallards and a few Wood Ducks. Here is one of the latter for #28.

It looked like another hawk was in a tree but upon closer inspection, it's a birdhouse... with a wasp nest growing out of the bottom!

On the way back, we noticed that a Mute Swan (#29) had joined the others in the open area.

And the Black Ducks were up and eating by the time we went past again, making them our official #30 for 2025.

That's it for frigid February. Next month should bring out amphibians, if we can get it above freezing for a few days.