"Out & About" Photo Blog: On the Path & 2nd Marsh </br>February 9, 2013

A few days back, I took a camera on my walk on the path. I thought it was such a contrast to today (when I went down to see Farewell Creek after our snowfall) that I'd include them both in one post.

The path looks pretty boring this time of year, though the snowfall would add a lot. Problem is, trudging through deep snow quickly tires me out, so I'll give it a day or two before I go again.

A Hemlock twig with the distinctive white stripes on the underside of its flat needles.

Biding their time... Poison Ivy berries.

A beautiful golden gall on a Goldenrod stem. A Goldenrod Gall Fly larva is inside, waiting for spring when it'll chew its way out.

Moss

I like the shapes of the Dog Strangling Vine pod leaves in the winter.

Some hardy fungi with enough color to make it worth a shot.

I've only seen this species on the path on a fallen tree. I would've thought it would be easy to ID in one of my books or on the Net but I couldn't find it.

I don't expect to see Milkweed pods this time of year that still haven't dispersed their seeds... but I like to see them any time of year... especially when they're unexpected.

2nd Marsh

As I slugged my way in through the deep snow to get my shot of Farewell Creek from the footbridge, I saw these patterns in the snow.

Jane calls this 'Winter Cotton'. Sometimes there are 100s of them.

This was the shot I was after... Farewell Creek from the foot bridge. Not as good as my 2008 shot but still pretty nice.

As I turned to look down the other direction from the bridge I spotted a beaver. I've been very lucky this year in seeing beavers. This one was by itself. He didn't look like he was enjoying the cold, but he wasn't in any rush to get back to his lodge either.

He had the open patch of water to himself.

He wasn't shy. He gave me all the time I needed to move about trying for good shots.

I caught his forepaws in a couple shots.

Looks like he had a snack before I got there.

He looks cold but nature has given him a thick coat and the stamina to survive our winters.

He even went for a couple short swims while I watched.

I kept my distance so I wouldn't bother him. He didn't seem to mind me moving around from one side of the creek to the other to get shots. I watched him for about half-an-hour. I finally left and he was still milling about.