Baby It's Cold Outside

Baby It's Cold Outside! How do the little birds with their tiny legs and feet manage to stay warm? I'm watching a large flock of what might be Pine Grosbeaks. What a treat to see a large flock of these round bodied birds, the males with a dusty red plumage hanging out in the ash trees. The Crowe River is almost completely frozen over this morning as we experience -23+ temperatures. There's a sliver of open water here and there that is crammed with Trumpeter Swans, both in the water and resting on the ice. Local river otters like to snag a fish then bring their meal up onto the ice to eat. Eagles and crows soon catch sight of the fish bits and will often swoop down to finish off any remains. Curiously large prints are exposed in the snow, moving all over the yard then out along the edges of the bay towards Beaver Creek. Lovely long shadows cast upon the smooth snowy ground from the towering pine trees late at night. An owl hoots to a far off partner while looking for a midnight snack.