Long-tailed Ducks, who spend the summer in the Arctic, are found in the Great Lakes region and along much of the Atlantic coast in winter. Today we saw a few that still show the brownish summer plumage.

We had many today on this 6 degree, overcast morning:

Species list: mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, American black duck, gadwall, common goldeneye, bufflehead, long-tailed duck, red-breasted merganser, herring gull, ring-billed gull, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet.  (15 species)

Some botany:

Park scenes:

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

Shorter and shorter now the twilight clips
The days, as though the sunset gates they crowd.       – Alice Cary (1820–71)

Miles Hearn