Be Careful What You Wish For

Sign Along Wacouta Road

For the past several years, I have been yearning for a winter featuring snow conditions supportive of a few weeks of respectable cross country skiing. In years past, we would receive a nice snowfall quickly followed by a major rain event or abnormally warm temperatures.

This winter started with virtually no snow until mid-January. Following the brutal polar vortex at the end of January, the skies opened up blessing us with nearly four feet of light fluffy snow. I discovered without a groomed trail in this much snow, enjoyable cross country skiing is next to impossible.

I tried breaking a track only to have it drift over with the slightest wind. Guess I will wait for what should be some awesome spring skiing into the Mississippi River bottom lands.

Three Among Many

With the arrival of winter snows, deer tend to yard up in close proximity to an available food source. Prior to the heavy snows of February, deer were taking advantage of crop residue. The field where this photo was taken would have as many as 24 each evening.

With the deepening snow conditions of February, travel becomes more difficult forcing deer to switch feeding habits by browsing on woody twigs. Hopefully this deep snow will settle significantly before a hard crust forms. Young deer are quite vulnerable to coyotes and free roaming dogs during deep snow and hard crust conditions.

Springs and a Snowy Landscape

There are a number of open springs around the edge of Wacouta Bay making getting onto the ice problematic, but at the same time creating opportunities for winter wildlife.

Robin

On the positive side, these springs create feeding opportunities for a variety of wildlife including otter, fox, eagles, crows, mallards and even hardy robins. At the time this photo was taken, the temperature was a balmy one above zero.

Rooster Pheasant

With our current snow conditions, many species of wildlife are facing serious challenges just to survive. The two most demanding obstacles they must overcome are food and protective cover (habitat). In the case of pheasants, adequate habitat in our local area is almost non-existent.

So it was a big surprise to come upon this rooster pheasant along a gravel road (Hill Ave.) in the afternoon of February 21st. It was working it's way along the edge of the road picking up grit and exposed seeds.

Snow Drifts

With the blizzard like winds up to 50 mph on February 23 and 24, numerous beautiful snowdrifts could be found in a variety of landscapes. This photo was taken at the edge of Wacouta Bay.

Snow Sculpture

With the settling of all this light fluffy snow, some very interesting snow features have formed in unusual places around our backyard.

Bird Feeding Station

Even though the deep snows have cramped my style with anticipated cross country skiing adventures, our adult entertainment center has been bursting with activity. I end up filling the feeders a couple times each day. Regular visitors to our feeders include; downy, hairy, red-bellied and pileated woodpeckers, blue jays, black-capped chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, goldfinches, mourning doves, pine siskins, starlings, cardinals, tufted titmice, tree sparrows and house finches.

Mourning Dove

Despite the fact I woke up this morning (March 3) to minus 13 degrees, we entered "meteorological spring" this past Friday. This should give us encouragement along with my recent observations that warmer temperatures are not too far away. On sunny mornings this past week, I have heard the enthusiastic spring calls of the cardinals, chickadees and mourning doves!