Overcast with some rain. Temperatures in the upper 30s.
Connor reported hearing White-winged Crossbills up Indian River valley recently. I’ve not observed them so far this year, so decided to head up that way to see if I might be able to find them. My brother joined me.
We made reasonable time up the trail. It was much less icy than the last trip, but some sections still required care to navigate.
Along the way I noticed some of the boards used had the circles cut in them. I learned recently these had been used as part of a bridge. It was built many years ago and blew out during a high water event shortly after.
I used to see more of those boards. Sections would be along the river where they had washed up. I am curious about the year the bridge was put in. I don’t remember it, which would put it before 1992. Impressive the boards are still intact after 30 years (unless these came from somewhere else).
We went up into the muskeg. I did hear a flock of Red Crossbills, but that’s all. Along the way I had heard a handful of species. It tends to be quiet in the woods this time of year.
We walked up to the bear trail at the upper end before turning around.
Why do the bubbles seem to form in lines? If they were coming from the bottom, I would expect them to vertical, but these do not seem restricted to that orientation
Jonathan was curious about the bubbles and bubble lines present in the ice. I suggested some migth be from gas escaping up from the bottom. Perhaps others are from gasses coming out of solution as the water freezes (I think this happens in ice cubes made in a hoem freezer).
My brother is scheduled to leave tomorrow, and my parents Saturday. I will no doubt start to settle into more typical routines again after that.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
