Melting

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Our Spring has seen below normal temperatures.  The thermometer flirts with temperatures in the 40's, but then drops into the teens and twenties.  Still, the snow and ice retreats.

I've taken to putting a small stick in the ground and watching the piles of snow retreat.  I seems to pull back an inch or two each day, but over 50% of the ground is still covered in 1/2 foot or more of snow.

The river level has come up.  In the middle there are sections where melt water has collected on the surface of the ice.  We don't have open water on this stretch of the river, but it is ice free downriver near the Montezuma wildlife refuge.  The melt water has been deep enough for the geese to paddle about and bath.

Wishing for open water. . .

White Water

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We have had one of the coldest and snowiest February's on record.  The river has been frozen for nearly 2 months.  My brown water  is white water.

I put on my snowshoes and walked along the trail across the river from our place.  I walked along the frozen river bank.  Sometimes the snow was well packed and easy to traverse.  Other times, the snow was in deep drift - making the trek more difficult.

As I had my head down, I came across a hole in the snow with small, circular items about.  What were they?

Snails!  I saw no tracks, but something was munching on 'escargot' and depositing the shells out their snowy door.

In a few moments I came across another unexpected site.  A lone Canadian goose by the bank.  When it saw me it walked out onto the river, and then nestled down.  It headed to the bank as I passed by, keeping and eye on me.

There were few signs of any liquid water.  There was a tiny creek which must thaw periodically.  The creek was only 2 feet wide.  Where the creek ice met the snow. tiny, delicate crystals had formed.

Along the bank are frozen marshes.  The wind blown cattails and snow covered tussocks made for difficult walking.

There was little sign of the earth beneath the snow and ice.  I was surprised to see this short stretch of gravel at the river bank.  I could  not understand how it was formed.

The ice on the river is quite thick, but it shows signs of cracking and movement.

A came across this strange impression in the snow.  I could see impressions of wing flight feathers.  Did a hawk take a small mammal or bird?

I headed upstream and got to Squirrel Island.  It was obvious that animals venture out onto the ice.  I think my theory of how squirrels would find their way onto the island is correct.

It was a beautiful day.  Walking along looking for tracks and the best path in the snow, I had to remind myself to look up.

Three weeks to the start of astronomical Spring.  It will be a while before the white water melts and becomes brown water . . .