The boardwalk sees little sun at this time of year. What sun the boardwalk does get is filtered through the trees.

A light cover of snow over the frozen Wetlands.

Ursula rummages around in the snow for a snack. Typically, it's the other four bears that are up and about, but they were all taking a snooze this morning when this picture was taken.

Enjoy the snow while it lasts.

I did, however, manage to get a few photos of some interesting happenings out on the Outdoor Exhibits trails…

Parasaurolophus with a new snow cap

The Wetlands covered with ice and snow.

The snow that covered the ice of the Wetlands is a great place to look for animal tracks. Here, a Raccoon walked across the ice and back.

These tracks are a mix of Raccoon (bottom left) and River Otter. The otter, or otters, made several passes.

A close view of the otter tracks, note the five toes.

Finding tracks in the snow is fun, but it’s fleeting. The snow that these tracks were left in are now mush, washed away by the rain.

There were many tracks in the snow on Tuesday morning (Feb 2), tracks of birds, feral cats, Gray Fox, as well as the animals depicted here in the photos. Just a few short hours later, they were all gone, vanished, as if the creatures that made them had never been there.

It’s often tracks left in the snow that alerts you to the animals in the area, their passings never being discovered if not for the snow.

The swamp between Catch the Wind and Explore the Wild.

The Groundhog which made an appearance on January 13th also came out of hiding on Groundhog Day.

Living near the edge of the swamp above, our early rising Groundhog apparently made an appearance on Groundhog Day as well (Its tracks are visible near the center/right of the photo.)

A close view of the Groundhog's tracks at the entrance of its burrow.

Enjoy the snow while it lasts!

It doesn’t snow very often in our area so it’s a thrill when it does. I  took a few photos (lots of photos) on the Dinosaur Trail before the snow disappeared. Here’s a dozen.

The snow tipped branches of a Loblolly Pine.

Already beginning to melt, the drips collect on the tips of the pine needles.

The last few blossoms on Mahonia's long flower spikes.

Ice collects on the hardy leaves of Mahonia.

A Hermit Thrush pauses in its foraging to look me over. Although present from October through spring they are often easier to locate when snow or ice covers the ground.

This Stygimoloch seems bothered, but not by the snow.

I did say that I took most of the photos on the Dinosaur Trail, so it’s only proper to include some dinosaurs in the mix.

Peeking out from behind a palmetto, the Alamosaurus.

Troodon race off towards the Maiasaura nests.

Albertosaurus chasing after Edmontonia, or it it Styracosaurus that it's after?

Styracosaurus readies for the Albertosaurus. Are these dinosaurs cold-blooded?

You know what this is.

Have a Holly Jolly!

Mystery tracks. I discovered a set of tracks on a 15-18-inch diameter log lying in the water (ice) of the Wetlands. The 12-foot-long log is just below the circular platform, halfway down the boardwalk which leads into the Wetlands. The animal that left the tracks came up from a hole in the ice and onto the log, continued along the log for approximately eight feet and then headed out across the surface of the ice towards the opposite side of the Wetlands. The following morning (1/22) there were more tracks on the thin layer of snow that covered the ice closest to the boardwalk (in winter, this part of the Wetlands is in shade throughout the day). The tracks led to another log below the boardwalk, then back across the ice and directly in front of the boardwalk. The tracks were left by a River Otter (see “Mystery tracks” image at left – the tracks on the log after the otter emerged from the water).

Perhaps this otter was just investigating the Wetlands’ suitability for future habitation. It may have been a one-time visit. Otters, when present for any length of time, often leave telltale signs of their presence – they usually have a fairly well-defined “latrine” area. Perhaps the otter’s been in the Wetlands before and this “sign” has been in an area that is not easily accessible. The truth is, I don’t know if the otter had visited the Wetlands previously, or since, but if it hadn’t been for the snow, the otter’s visits during January 21-22 may never have been realized. It pays to get out and have a look around.