Mid-Winter Orange Trail

So, I opted for safe and familiar yesterday and took myself off to the Whiting Road preserve.  And, as usual, I had a wonderful walk.

The trail was still and quiet.  I only passed a couple of other people the whole time I was there, and they were on cross-country skis.  Snow cover, deep and still, blanketed the woods.

The little streams were running fast enough that they were still open.  That means that all of the woods creatures still had a place to drink from.

There were deer tracks everywhere.  I took a photo of this track because the two toed construction was very clear.

Most of the deer tracks were walking tracks, but I did see this one set of tracks where the deer was bounding through the woods.  I wonder what startled it?  I suppose it could very well have been one of the dogs that people walk there.  They are supposed to be on leash, but I very rarely see one that is.

I have been wondering what the occasional splashes of red on the ground were, and speculating what kind of berries made them.  Yesterday, they were very numerous, and I finally made the connection.  They were sumac berries, fallen to the ground when the birds were eating them.  The color is so beautiful that I wondered if you could use them to make dye.  I did a little research, and, sure enough, sumac berries make a good natural dye.

These winged seeds, probably from some kind of Maple, are still hanging on, waiting until Spring before they spin to the ground.

For some reason, this picture of the snow-capped fungus, makes me smile.

I wonder if some little creature is hiding under this snow covered brush, safe and warm, waiting for Spring?

But, the greatest joy of this walk were the Robins.  The last time I was there, they were all in the Great Meadow, flitting from tree, to branch to bramble.  This time, they were in the woods, and they were much less timid.  I was able to get several close-up shots of them, and one thing I noticed was that they were all males.  That's a bit of a puzzle.  Do the females still go south, leaving the males behind so that they are there to stake out the very best places to build a nest in the coming Spring?

Bingo!  Robin and Cardinal in one shot!

And, my favorite shot of the day, this Robin all puffed up, insulated against the chill.

Just as I was leaving, I met the most charming lady, just starting her walk.  She had to be even older than I am, with one of those glorious faces that show a life well lived.  She was there with her old German Shepherd, who showed just as much character as she did.  Dumb me, I never asked if I could take her picture.  I wish I had, but, hopefully, I'll see her again.