At Ratlum Mountain, got there in time to do a short hike down to the big marsh. Very icy conditions, so spikes for everyone.
Highlight was a critter spotting by Charlie, one I am not familiar with. After some research, we think it was a
Northern short-tailed shrew, though it's quite possible it was something else.
Yours truly kept his distance, but Charlie was much braver and grabbed the thing by its tail, not knowing, as we found out afterwards, that this particular shrew has a nasty bite. In retrospect, it seems the tail was absolutely the best place to grab it.
Shrews are mainly nocturnal. If they are out at all in the daytime, then they are usually just resting, as this one apparently was.
Quite the excitement!
Down at the marsh there were lots of great blue heron nests, but the herons, no fools, had headed south some time ago.