Happy New Year and welcome to any faithful readers who are checking in after my long hiatus. I'm back with a wintry report from Beechwood Wetland.

We had a heavy, wet snowfall yesterday that turned everything white. Do not adjust your set: the world really was as monochromatic as these pictures. When the snow stopped I seized my camera and hurried down to the valley.

Things are pretty quiet around the ol' wetland:

Here's the pond:

As I fully expected, I ran into Don Watcher and Cup Plant:

Don Valley stewards: we never sleep.

See the mockingbird?

Let's get a bit closer:

Ah, there it is! I also saw a kingfisher, a gull or two, and the usual clusters of mallards. That reminds me, I haven't yet published my bird list from 2007. Tune in tomorrow!