Rocks and Ice

It's around the time of year for certain creatures to begin stirring again. I walked along a little stream behind my house today in hopes of finding some spring salamanders. I turned over many rocks to no avail, but it is still early days! I'll go out again soon and may have better luck.

I did find some very interesting critters (actual term: benthic macroinvertebrates) under those rocks though. Most were different kinds of insect larva, and scurried very quickly once I removed their shelter. I did get a few good shots, like this aquatic sowbug:

(the one critter who was not an insect larvae)

Then I hiked through the woods, where the most prominent finds were fungi, like this cluster of last-year's mushrooms:

see the holes where the spores were released?

As I neared the swamp that my brook pours into, I started seeing more and more evidence of our beaver population. The little lady mentioned wanting to see what a beaver-downed tree looks like (how you can tell it from a human-downed tree.) I guess I won't have to go far to show her!

I just love the way the remaining stump looks, with the wavy pattern of the gnaw marks. 

And finally I made it out to the swamp. I was glad after such a warm winter (and on a very warm day) to find it completely iced over. And the ice was THICK.

Walking on the ice was a little unnerving, the top layer was kinda slushy from a very sunny day. I wouldn't have gone out on it except there were some very nice ice-fishermen nearby (proving the ice was thick enough for human weight and providing security that someone was there to fish me out if it wasn't.)

This fishing hole was a few days old.

I love the way this bubble looks under the ice, with the crack in the ice it's a little like a full moon over a mountain.