Coldest day

 12 Fahrenheit. 

After weeks of 'unseasonably', pleasantly mild December days in the 50's, 60's and above, a powerful cold front brought 0.75 inch rain and in 24 hours abruptly dropped our dawn temperature to near single digits. I returned to the SW Gate at 2 PM, interested to see how the sudden change had affected the Woods.

I disturbed an owl near the largest cottonwood and it flew silently south through the Woods. Walking east then north, to connect to Two Friends Trl, I passed the old leaning elm I had watched falling apart, for a decade or more. A large portion of the bole that had fallen, had a new distinctive reddish hue from some unusual decay fungus digesting the rotten wood. 

Wandering NW I came to the fallen big cottonwood and found illuminated ice stalactites hanging below the tree at two points. Rain had soaked its way through the massive bole, picking up a caramel colored mixture of decay products, then  dripped out at two points separated by 20 feet. I looked and could not find any reason for the water to have exited at those points. Another example of hidden ecological structure that develops, invisibly until revealed by unusual conditions.

It was a sunny afternoon at the NW pond, with 20 robins gathered at the SE corner, the warmest part of the shoreline where free water had melted and was available.

The Woods were quiet. No human truck noise on this second day of January. No insects or arthropods moving after last night's deep cold. Winds with the front had shaken a few new branches down, but nothing significant.

Quiet peaceful winter Sunday afternoon. Happily.

As I was leaving, a large white dog (stray, no collar) bounded into the Woods from the SW corner, saw me and ran east along the south boundary. It was the same dog I photographed in the Woods weeks ago. Not good that it is still here and using the Woods as part of its range. It could be an effective predator and its scent could intimidate vulnerable wildlife.