The morning was cold, we were the only ones walking the trail. That is the only humans. The resident flock of turkeys, 20 was the count today, was busily looking for food.
Everywhere on the west side of the lake was covered with turkey tracks in the fresh snow, including on the fresh ice
The flock was mainly this year's juveniles (left-hand photo below). There was at least one male adult (right-hand photo below) and two female adults.
There were a good number of spots where the turkeys had scratched away the snow to get down the bare ground to find whatever they can to eat. I really have to wonder how a flock of 20 large birds can find enough to eat, but it seems they can.
Except for two very small patches of open water at the trail entrance, the lake was completely frozen over. There are a few large circles in the ice and several small 12-15"(?) circles of very freshly frozen over holes. Almost looked like some animal had surfaced from below. One of the beavers maybe.
Off the trail where no one had ventured the fresh snow was topping a fallen pine tree and a stump
A late fallen maple leaf lay on the snow, some maple seeds were still hanging on, an aster plant, growing on an old stump, was still standing upright,
Down on the river, the mallards seemed to have an intruder in their midst, but they didn't seem to mind the ring-billed gull joining them
A group of at least 6 common golden-eyes were up the river where they usually hangout. They all took off but no photo as they quickly went behind some trees
A female downy woodpecker was working on a nearby tree while a male cardinal was hoping a few sunflower seeds might be placed near the trail for him.
There is a flock of robins that stay over every winter. They usually can be heard/found on the east-side trail just before the water filtration plant. Today there were quite a few of them working the buckthorn berries up on the ridge.
