December 8, 2024: Ducks on the Ice

The days of ducks are just about over.  The ice slowly crept its way over the lake this week as cold temperatures settled in.  When you see Wood Ducks walking around on the ice, you know the end is near.

Why don't his wet feet freeze to the ice?!!

This little woody swam along the edge of the ice, then climbed right up and poked around for a while looking for edible bits blown onto the ice.

I found it interesting that the late arrivals were mostly males.  Are they waiting to migrate as long as possible, hoping to yet find a mate?  At any rate, it was a late season treat to see these pretty ducks on the lake right up to the bitter end.

Of course, there will still be plenty of open water on the larger lakes for the late migrants, but on Wicwas, the waterfowl show will now be usurped by passerines - the large family of birds that includes most of our song birds - because with snow on the ground and temps in the teens overnight, it should be safe to put out the bird feeders without fear of acclimating bears to the yard.  

We've already seen most of our winter residents at the feeders, including chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, blue jays, downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers, even a sparrow.  We haven't seen the Juncos yet though.  

A White-breasted nuthatch departs with his selection from the feeder.

Along with the cold temperatures came the artistic renderings of Jack Frost on the inside of the un-heated sunroom windows.

It was nice to see these because the early snow falling in the open lake before ice formed meant we didn't get the cool ice formations we get when the lake surface freezes on a calm, cold night.  The variety of crystals forming on the glass is always unique, and the detail is beautiful.

I love the way the expanding crystals spawn tiny palm trees in random places.

Lake Wicwas is very close to ice-in.  The next few days will be critical as the temperatures are forecast to rise again, so the small remnants of open water may or may not freeze completely.  

As the temperature rises and falls, and clouds form and disperse, the day to day appearance of the laket his time of year can change dramatically.

Monday

Thursday

The low December sun shines across the Chemung State Forest.

But any way you look at it, it's beautiful.