Monday, March 12, 2012

Had to look this one up

 The American Coot
 Much smaller than the Mallard
He swims with a bobbing head, dives suddenly for underwater food, very different from the ducks calmly gliding around the pond.
Saw two of these charming little birds yesterday at the Stony Brook Duck Pond after our hike through Avalon Park and Preserve. They looked charcoal black in person but in the pix they came out grey.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Yes, Virginia, there is winter somewhere

Not here on Long Island, though. This was the view from my hotel room in Albany on Monday afternoon. It was kind of nice to see the white stuff again, and I actually stepped in some of the crunchy leftover neige.