It's still chilly, but I have a public walk for the Avalonia Land Conservancy to plan at my old stomping ground, the Babcock Ridge Preserve, and while I'm beginning to think that absolutely no one is likely to join me for an evening trek to see imaginary amphibians—no self-respecting frog or salamander will be out in the cold that's forecast for the next couple of nights—nevertheless, I have to be prepared. Just as I feared, there was precious little going on in the Babcock vernals that are the subject of the walk, and after I was done sampling, I took a nerve-soothing jaunt across the street to check out the Henne refuge. There, at least, was natural history action, with the Great Blue Herons back at their nests and engaging in all manner of courtship activities, including the offering of pre-nuptial snacks. Why there are two couples so involved at the same nest is a mystery. I'll need to watch this to figure out just what's going on.