Hey tweets, on the theory that there is no bad weather, only bad
clothing, I bundled up into my four layers of winter-wear and headed
out to the Fill this morning at dawn. Conditions were arctic, although
I couldn't understand why the puddles weren't frozen as solid as I
felt. Probably the puddles were loaded with methane, which lowers the
freezing point of water, I'm guessing.

I was all alone in the wilderness (except for the crew rowers, who are
the only people I know who can beat me getting up in the morning - do
they ever sleep?), when I spotted a big, raggedy vee of birds flapping
ponderously past the floating bridge, heading north. They arrived just
50 meters away from my vantage point in time for the sun to burst out
from between two layers of clouds and light up 50 GREATER WHITE-
FRONTED GEESE. They looked lit from within, like living candles. I
could hear them honking softly to each other as they sped by, a higher-
pitched far more melodious honk than the Canadas ever produce. They
were the first Greater White-fronteds of the year, and well worth the
wait.

Also of note: the Pied-billed Grebes who built a nest in the deeper
water of Southwest Pond are still sitting faithfully on the eggs.
They've been at it so long I wonder if a prankster raccoon might have
slipped white rocks in there instead. I think these grebes would be
easy to fool. They aren't the sharpest pencils in the desk. In fact,
when the female laid her first egg, the male came by and sat there
staring at it as if wondering what the heck that was and where the
heck it came from. The female tried to get him to take her place, but
he was too flummoxed. He finally paddled away to yoink a little stem
of plant, which he laid carefully on top of the egg. It didn't do much
to cover the egg, but at least he tried.I don't know if Pied-billed
Grebes can roll their eyes, but I sure was rolling mine. - Connie,
Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com
www.constancypress.com
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