3, 6 February
3 February An unusual mid-afternoon visit to the Forest and Wetlands, after a morning eye exam. A lesson--birding doesn't really go very well with dilated pupils. Notwithstanding which, it was a pleasant visit. On approaching the trailhead to the Marsh, I detoured to check the Happy Cow Farm, just up the road. Sure enough, there were abundant trumpeter swans. They've been present since the end of October this year. The weather has warmed up to unseasonal levels, awakening the tree frogs. They were very vocal--to paraphrase Tennyson, "In the springtime of the year, treefrogs' fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love." (Apologies, Lord Alfred.) Unfortunately, I couldn't see any frogs in the forest. They're tiny, and with impaired vision, although they were loud and abundant, they weren't visible. They're awake and active, but the chance that the weather will become cold again puts them at risk. ...