Granby - McLean Game Refuge: Fish & Birds

Things are finally warming up a bit.  Temps were in the mid-50's making it another perfect day for a walk in the game refuge.  This time I started on Canton Road, walked down the still icy woods road and turned right in the direction of Trout Pond.  As I crossed the bridge over Bissell Brook, I spotted the small fish in the picture below.

Not long after that, I heard a woodpecker.  The picture I got isn't that great, but it is definitely a Pileated.

Pileated woodpecker.

I turned left on to the North Trail and climbed to the ridge.  Now I was headed in the direction of Kettle Pond.  I was hoping to hear the cacophony of Wood Frog calls, but I heard and saw nothing.  In previous years, I have seen thousands of them in Kettle Pond while half of the pond was still covered with ice.  There is no ice now, so I suspect I missed the mating season.  Check out this cool video on how North American Wood Frogs freeze and then thaw.  Amazing.

Looking down the North Trail.

A nice walk, on a nice spring day was capped off by being able to add a new bird to my life list - a Wood Duck!  They are much more skittish than the Canada Geese or even the Mallards, so I didn't get a close-up shot.  Still, I am happy to be able to add this beautiful bird to my list.

Two Mallards, two Canada geese, and two Wood Ducks.