To change the subject and location, we go to southern Connecticut to find out how Spring is moving in. A modestly sized and probably younger blue heron is shown hanging around this shoreline this weekend.
Heron on the Ice Pond
More early spring on the Kennebec
At Mill Park along the Kennebec river in Augusta (Maine) a pair of mallards foraged last week.
The mallards at the Calumet Bridge
While wandering around downtown Augusta (Maine) last week we checked out the usual hordes of mostly mallards at the northwest side of the Calumet bridge spanning the Kennebec river. This is a small sample of the typical group.
Merganser on the Kennebec
Among the usual suspects (mallards, gulls, ospreys, eagles, sturgeon, and cormorants) typically found near downtown Augusta along the Kennebec river was this hooded merganser.
Gull along the Kennebec
During an afternoon walk along the Kennebec River in mid-Maine last week. Four or five of these possible immature gulls flew around looking for treats.
Springtime on the Kennebec
On the first day of alleged Spring along the Kennebec River at Augusta (Maine). The good news is there is significant open water in the river as compared to the local ponds and lakes. This means this is where we will find many of the birds who made it through the winter or are moving in for the summer. Stay tuned!
Heron in the shadows
A heron sneaks around the Ice Pond on New Year’s Day 2023.
Mallards on Ice
A large group of mallards were found hanging about on the Kennebec River shoreline in Augusta (Maine) last week.
A winter in discontent
We have managed to make it through the strange winter of 2022-2023 so far. The range of temperatures have been wide and varied, but not too different then last year or so. As such, it still gets to be disconcerting for a day reaching 56F and then a couple days later it is 13F at noon. The more surprising attribute has been the lack of snowfall. That is, not a big difference in the amount of precipitation but in the basic liquidity, as it were. The amount of rain and almost-snow has been most noteworthy. In the middle of February, we seem to be in the middle of what Mainers call, “Mud Season.”
A small heron looking for a snack
During our wandering along the Connecticut coast last weekend, we found various locals going about their routines.
john's f-stop 