Ponds and lakes in our area are frozen and mostly covered with ice. I went and walked around some of them and saw a few hardy birds. Flocks of dunlins were flying around, landing and taking off near any open water spot.
Dunlins
This herring gull was or had just finished eating a mussel, I believe.
Herring Gull
Other gulls were half asleep in broad daylight, maybe trying to conserve their body heat.
Ring-Billed Gulls
Only one juvenile Herring Gull was doing aerial acrobatics for my camera.
Juvenile Herring Gull
Herring Gull
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Poor little Sanderlings were skating on the ice…I loved the expression of the herring gull that had just eaten!
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Tiny, I just learned today that the Sanderlings are actually Dunlins.
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Ok thanks, I’ve not heard of them…need to look them up.
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I love the words with the pictures. They bring me right there! A lot different than Las Vegas! 🙂
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Thank you for visiting and commenting!
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Aren’t their feet cold? I know. I know. It’s just hard for my little brain to think about it. Nice photos. I like those half asleep ones. They seemed quite enjoying what they were watching. Helen
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According to this article http://askanaturalist.com/why-don%E2%80%99t-ducks%E2%80%99-feet-freeze/ birds do not lose much heat through their feet, and they are comfortable standing or sitting on ice.
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Very interesting article. Thank you so much, Hien. Helen
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Waiting patiently for the ice to thaw.
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Me too, spring cannot come soon enough! 🙂
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Haha, I’d like to imagine that the one to the left has its feet frozen in the ice…
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Actually their feet do not conduct heat, so they will not be frozen and stuck to the ice. Thank you for visiting and commenting.
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Oh really?! That’s very interesting! I’m going to do some research!
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Here’s a link that may interest you: http://askanaturalist.com/why-don%E2%80%99t-ducks%E2%80%99-feet-freeze/
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Great captures of the flying gull! Beautiful wings!
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Thank you Amy!
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