Late, late Winter...(otherwise known as, the Best Part of Winter.)

Sorry, Winter, but that's really only because Spring is coming. :) Not to say there isn't still some beauty in the late winter..you just have to go looking a little harder for it...

I am not sure how these leaves hang on all winter, but they do. Just touching them makes them fall off, but somehow they survive the New England snowstorms, wind, hail, sleet, and freezing cold for months...

These little starlings are sometimes considered pests at the birdfeeders, because they chase other birds away. You can often see them in large numbers grazing in fields. I think their markings and iridescent wings are really eye-catching.

A tree illuminated by late afternoon sun rays.

The first color tinging the branches around my house and the reeds by the beach...

The fields around Trustom Pond, Charlestown wildlife refuge from last week. They sparkle in the sunlight. On the second photo I used a digital texture from Kim Klassen.

Wrinkled end-of-winter berries on the beach.

More survivors...underneath the shallow water of a little pond in the woods.

And a thorn covered branch getting ready for the snow. All photos taken with my 300mm lens, because my trusty 105mm is broken and won't focus properly. I hope to get it fixed soon...but I like the way these came out, the 300mm does have a nice bokeh and I get pretty sharp closeup shots from it as well. Happy Monday :)