Last Friday afternoon allowed me a few minutes to walk the Kip Trail at St. Lawrence University out to the marsh deck and snap a few photos. I was fortunate to run into interns of Nature Up North who reminded me to get an encounter posted (thank you, interns!). The initial stretch of the Kip Trail features a number of different microhabitats (field, marsh, river, scrub, pine, and deciduous forest), so there is a nice diversity of flora and fauna to observe. Birdlife was vocal with many signs of breeding activity - singing, agitation, carrying food, etc. Among the approximately two-dozen species observed were Wood Duck (with recently fledged young), Yellow-throated Vireo, Least Flycatcher, Common Raven, Sparrows (Swamp, Song, and White-Throated) and Warblers (Black-and-white, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat). There were many dragonflies and butterflies and upon return to the parking area found an Eastern Painted Turtle catching some rays. Not a bad way to spend 20 minutes...!