Deer and Ducks

Deer browse snow covered
grass, ducks waddle over the
frozen slough - to eat

~carliewired

I left the house just after 10 having waited for the clearing that was promised. It's coming, but slowly. My goal was to find deer in McAthur Island Park so I drove down and came in at the east side entrance. 

I drove along the east side of the slough and spied a yearling grazing along the roadway. She was all by herself and very unconcerned as my car pulled alongside her. I pointed my camera out the passenger window and my mission was complete!

I stopped by the foot bridge to have a look into the slough. It's frozen over now after so many days and nights with below zero temperatures. The ducks walk along the ice as though it was a normal thing to do. I don't know where they find food other than the handouts of visitors to the park. 

I walked to the far side of the bridge to get a shot of my mountains. The tops of them were still obscured at this point. I turned back to the bridge and heard a resounding banging on the bridge rails followed by the rustle of wings and squawking of ducks. There was an older woman on the foot bridge looking into the slough. She had hit her walking stick against the rails and stood watching the ducks rise up. I asked her why she was disturbing the ducks. She mumbled some reply I didn't understand. I said "Don't bother the ducks. They have a difficult time in winter as it is." I walked on and she did as well, still muttering. 

I drove over to the south side of the park so I could walk near the disc golf course. I thought I might see more deer, but no luck today. I got a look along the river and also spotted a man in a kayak on the river. I think he was wearing a lifejacket, but I wondered how useful that would be in freezing water. 

I was home before 11:30 with a breakfast sandwich and something that passed for orange juice. I got a shot of my mountains from my deck with some sun and blue sky. The day has been redeemed!

The forecast was for clearing today and a high of -1 C. Below freezing temperatures for night and day will remain for the next week.