The day before the blizzard warnings began, last Friday, was a calm, if cloudy day. I managed to get down to the lakefront and even though it was overcast, a few ducks swam obligingly close enough for photographs.
Redhead
Common Merganser Female
Redheads
Greater Scaup
Now it’s pretty hard to go anywhere without encountering mounds of snow to traverse, or icy and sloshy paths forged by foot traffic. It was hard to imagine being enveloped by snow until we were. I haven’t been out to see birds the past few days, only to shovel snow or trudge on in to work.
Common Goldeneye
I wonder where these birds went during the storm. Maybe they were thinking of taking off like these Common Mergansers.
Common Mergansers
In all, there were not a lot of birds, not even many Ring-Billed Gulls.
I hope to get back down to the lakefront sometime this week to see what it looks like and what birds are in the water, if any.
In the meantime, this page needs some color.
Duckies galore! I don’t think the duckies like that weather either! Nice shots Lisa! 🙂
Thanks H.J.! The duckies appreciate your concern for their welfare. Actually there was a nice rescue last week of a Harlequin Duck of all things–it was caught in some fishing line. The Elgin police and fire departments managed to get it into the hands of a birder who held it until the rehab bus arrived.
We have summer and terrible bush fires happening all over – I so worry about the wildlife!
The weather extremes are bad for us all. When I was in Queensland years ago after fires I found the desolation they had caused depressing. The actual fires must be terrifying. Some of all of this is a natural cycle but I’m afraid the changes we have wrought will not be easily undone.
Hopefully the ducks are faring better this year than last year when the lake completely froze over. Thanks for posting, Lisa.
Thanks for your comment, Sheryl! I know, I am always checking the river when I get off the train in the morning to see if the water is flowing and if there are any surprises in it.
Any post with a female merganser in it brightens my day immensely. Thank you.
Glad to be of service. Thank you. 🙂