Spring is rapidly approaching. After 3 days of 50 degree temperatures and over an inch of rain, we're beginning to see bare spots. There is still a lot of snow on the ground, but we've got another few days of warmth and another rain storm coming, so its possible that we'll have open water on Heron Pond over the weekend.

As I was walking back from the mailbox, I first heard, then saw 2 Canada Geese flying over the pond. I quickly packed up my camera gear and drove the 1 mile to Mill Pond. There is a growing patch of open water where Rocky Pond Brook enters. On my commute this morning I had seen 12 dabbling ducks, possibly American Black Ducks, which would be a first for me. I'll go back tomorrow morning with my big lens; with any luck I'll get some definitive pictures.

I set my camera with a super wide angle lens on the tripod hoping for a nice sunset. It wasn't spectacular, and it was quite dark when I captured this image but here's what it looked like. It was very peaceful just sitting and watching to see what birds might fly in for the night.
Sunset on Mill Pond

While waiting for the sunset, a Canada Goose, an unidentified duck and another small bird flew in. The goose landed on the ice on the far side of the pond and after a while I heard it make a faint, tentative call. It was answered by an unseen goose elsewhere on the pond, after which a lively but short exchange took place. Even with company nearby, the goose didn't move from its original spot. 

The highlight of the evening was a Great Blue Heron...the first of the year in the area. I could barely make it out in the dark, scanning the pond with my binoculars. I'm hoping we'll get a few nesting on their namesake pond just around the corner.