The Rick Mercer Report link below fits Calgary so perfectly, lol!

youtu.be/wkDvqQKGgDA

How do waterfowl like Geese, Swans and Ducks stay warm in winter?

"Waterfowl like geese and ducks have a built-in feature that prevents their feet from freezing to the ice when tucking them under their body just isn't enough: a counter-current blood-warming system. Hot arterial blood wraps the venous (returning) blood with smaller, branched capillaries just like a glove, allowing for that valuable heat to efficiently warm the incoming blood from the legs and feet," Brian Keating said. "That way they can save that valuable heat energy and keep their core warm."

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/how-birds-survive-winter-1...

We are still in a deepfreeze - windchill dropped to -42C the other night! Today, 5 January 2022, our temperature is -25°C
(windchill -31°C) at 4:00 pm. Sunrise is at 8:38 am and sunset is at 4:44 pm. A few more days, and the forecast so far is for much milder weather for at least a week More snow, though.

The day before yesterday, I finally took my car for a drive in the city. First time since I got it back on 28 December 2021. Most days have been brutally cold, so it was more pleasant to stay home in the warm. I had only done three walks since 1 October 2021, so I definitely needed some fresh air and exercise. The pain caused by the T-boned car accident has lessened by now, so I wanted to see how well, or otherwise, my body would deal with a walk. Lower back pain was frustrating, especially as I had not had this the last few years. Still managed the 5 km walk at Carburn Park, that took about two and a half hours. No sign of the sun, so overcast, cold (around -21C excluding any windchill) and misty. Someone else who was visiting the park at the same time posted that it was -33C with the windchill. Not surprising, it was almost impossible to take photos, as my camera lens had a layer of ice on it, but that was OK, as I spent the morning with half a dozen of some of my favourite people, (who are very careful about Covid).

Especially because I have barely been out for so long, a few of the bird sightings were very welcome. A highlight was seeing a female Ring-necked Pheasant lying up on a tree branch. A Dipper was also a treat and there were several Swans on the river, Everywhere was coated in hoarfrost, which looked so beautiful. So glad I pushed myself out the front door. That is, until I woke up the next morning, barely able to move!

Tags:   Calgary Alberta Canada Carburn Park urban park winter snow nature wildlife ornithology avian bird swan Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator Bow River white preening side view -21C -33C windchill? adult outdoor 3 January 2022 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott

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This beautiful female Ring-necked Pheasant was barely visible in the original photo, but I wanted to post this edited image just for the record. The day this was taken was bitterly cold and my camera lens had a layer of ice over it. Even when I managed to clear it, the ice would start to develop after just a couple of seconds. Not a good day for taking photos!

We are still in a deepfreeze - windchill dropped to -42C the other night! Today, 5 January 2022, our temperature is -25°C
(windchill -31°C) at 4:00 pm. Sunrise is at 8:38 am and sunset is at 4:44 pm. A few more days, and the forecast so far is for much milder weather for at least a week More snow, though.

The day before yesterday, I finally took my car for a drive in the city. First time since I got it back on 28 December 2021. Most days have been brutally cold, so it was more pleasant to stay home in the warm. I had only done three walks since 1 October 2021, so I definitely needed some fresh air and exercise. The pain caused by the T-boned car accident has lessened by now, so I wanted to see how well, or otherwise, my body would deal with a walk. Lower back pain was frustrating, especially as I had not had this the last few years. Still managed the 5 km walk at Carburn Park, that took about two and a half hours. No sign of the sun, so overcast, cold (around -21C excluding any windchill) and misty. Someone else who was visiting the park at the same time posted that it was -33C with the windchill. Not surprising, it was almost impossible to take photos, as my camera lens had a layer of ice on it, but that was OK, as I spent the morning with half a dozen of some of my favourite people, (who are very careful about Covid).

Especially because I have barely been out for so long, a few of the bird sightings were very welcome. A highlight was seeing a female Ring-necked Pheasant lying up on a tree branch. A Dipper was also a treat and there were several Swans on the river, Everywhere was coated in hoarfrost, which looked so beautiful. So glad I pushed myself out the front door. That is, until I woke up the next morning, barely able to move!

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We are still in a deepfreeze - windchill dropped to -42C the other night! Today, 5 January 2022, our temperature is -25°C
(windchill -31°C) at 4:00 pm. Sunrise is at 8:38 am and sunset is at 4:44 pm. A few more days, and the forecast so far is for much milder weather for at least a week More snow, though.

The day before yesterday, I finally took my car for a drive in the city. First time since I got it back on 28 December 2021. Most days have been brutally cold, so it was more pleasant to stay home in the warm. I had only done three walks since 1 October 2021, so I definitely needed some fresh air and exercise. The pain caused by the T-boned car accident has lessened by now, so I wanted to see how well, or otherwise, my body would deal with a walk. Lower back pain was frustrating, especially as I had not had this the last few years. Still managed the 5 km walk at Carburn Park, that took about two and a half hours. No sign of the sun, so overcast, cold (around -21C excluding any windchill) and misty. Someone else who was visiting the park at the same time posted that it was -33C with the windchill. Not surprising, it was almost impossible to take photos, as my camera lens had a layer of ice on it, but that was OK, as I spent the morning with half a dozen of some of my favourite people, (who are very careful about Covid).

Especially because I have barely been out for so long, a few of the bird sightings were very welcome. A highlight was seeing a female Ring-necked Pheasant lying up on a tree branch. A Dipper was also a treat and there were several Swans on the river, Everywhere was coated in hoarfrost, which looked so beautiful. So glad I pushed myself out the front door. That is, until I woke up the next morning, barely able to move!

© All Rights Reserved

We are still in a deepfreeze - windchill dropped to -42C the other night! Today, 5 January 2022, our temperature is -25°C
(windchill -31°C) at 4:00 pm. Sunrise is at 8:38 am and sunset is at 4:44 pm. A few more days, and the forecast so far is for much milder weather for at least a week More snow, though.

The day before yesterday, I finally took my car for a drive in the city. First time since I got it back on 28 December 2021. Most days have been brutally cold, so it was more pleasant to stay home in the warm. I had only done three walks since 1 October 2021, so I definitely needed some fresh air and exercise. The pain caused by the T-boned car accident has lessened by now, so I wanted to see how well, or otherwise, my body would deal with a walk. Lower back pain was frustrating, especially as I had not had this the last few years. Still managed the 5 km walk at Carburn Park, that took about two and a half hours. No sign of the sun, so overcast, cold (around -21C excluding any windchill) and misty. Someone else who was visiting the park at the same time posted that it was -33C with the windchill. Not surprising, it was almost impossible to take photos, as my camera lens had a layer of ice on it, but that was OK, as I spent the morning with half a dozen of some of my favourite people, (who are very careful about Covid).

Especially because I have barely been out for so long, a few of the bird sightings were very welcome. A highlight was seeing a female Ring-necked Pheasant lying up on a tree branch. A Dipper was also a treat and there were several Swans on the river, Everywhere was coated in hoarfrost, which looked so beautiful. So glad I pushed myself out the front door. That is, until I woke up the next morning, barely able to move!

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A poor photo, posted just for the record.

We are still in a deepfreeze - windchill dropped to -42C one recent night! Tonight, 7 January 2022, our temperature is -24°C (windchill -33°C) at 1:30 am. Sunrise on 8 January is at 8:37 am and sunset is at 4:48 pm. Two more days, and the forecast is for much milder weather, hovering just above or just below 0C for at least a week. More snow, though.

On 3 January 2022, I finally took my car for a drive in the city. First time since I got it back on 28 December 2021. Most days have been brutally cold, so it was more pleasant to stay home in the warm. I had only done three walks since 1 October 2021, so I definitely needed some fresh air and exercise. The pain caused by the T-boned car accident has lessened by now, so I wanted to see how well, or otherwise, my body would deal with a walk. Lower back pain was frustrating, especially as I had not had this the last few years. Still managed the 5 km walk at Carburn Park, that took about two and a half hours. No sign of the sun, so overcast, cold (around -21C excluding any windchill) and misty. Someone else who was visiting the park at the same time posted that it was -33C with the windchill. Not surprising, it was almost impossible to take photos, as my camera lens had a layer of ice on it, but that was OK, as I spent the morning with half a dozen of some of my favourite people, (who are very careful about Covid).

Especially because I have barely been out for so long, a few of the bird sightings were very welcome. A highlight was seeing a female Ring-necked Pheasant lying up on a tree branch. An American Dipper was also a treat and there were several Swans on the river, Everywhere was coated in hoarfrost, which looked so beautiful. So glad I pushed myself out the front door. That is, until I woke up the next morning, barely able to move!

Tags:   American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus

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