The critters were out moving around today with the temperature finally above freezing with some sunshine in the afternoon. I saw several different flocks of turkeys, even one flock crossing the road and heading into a cemetery while another flock was foraging in field.
Turkey On the Move
There was only a light dusting of snow today, where the snow could be swept off the cement instead of needing to shovel it.
Light Snow Coating
It was another deceiving winter day as the sun was out but the temperature was cold. Even the birds were fluffing up their feathers as they waited in line for the bird feeder. Birds fluff up in cold weather to create pockets of warm air next to their bodies. The technical term for fluffing up is ptiloerection.
Fluffed Up Bird
While there were some people who enjoyed the new coating of snow today, others including this cat, were a little less pleased to have to go out in it or shovel the snow.
Grumpy Snowy Cat
It can be hard to find much green color around here in the winter, as even the pine trees seem dull, but once in a while instead of a red barn there is a green one on the farm landscape.
Green Barn
On Saturday, 34 fisherman were stranded on a piece of ice that cracked and separated away from the rest ice near shore. They had to be rescued from the floating ice as it floating farther out into Lake Michigan. I wouldn’t be fishing on the ice since the ice changes frequently on big bodies of water as this image from Lake Superior was a solid sheet one minute, fractured a while later and after a few more hours, the ice floated out of view.
Lake Superior Floating Ice
It was sunny winter day but looks were a bit deceiving with the below zero temperatures. And the snow squeaked when I walked on it going to the bird feeders, but at least I wasn’t out shoveling snow today.
Crisp Winter Day
There was a flock of turkeys crossing the road and going down my driveway when I was trying to pull in so I had to wait for them. The group split up and some ending up wading through drifts into the trees while others stayed on the driveway longer before trudging a path through the snow.
Turkey in the Snow
It was a rather chilly start of the day with overnight temperatures dropping down to -22 degrees. And although the sun was out, the day just barely reached zero for an afternoon hike in the snow.
Another Chilly Day
The New Year started out with some sunshine, but it was a cold day as the temperature never climbed above zero and the wind made it feel like -25. And tonight will be even colder.
Frigid Year Start
