Yesterday it was minus 2 Celsius but felt like minus 10 with the wind. The very large and pleasant bay a few minutes walk from my home, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, is still completely frozen over. Today however there may be a flurry of activity around the dozen or so ice fishing huts on the bay as the temperatures are forecast to rise to 10 degrees, with rain, so the long-time residents who ice fish will be wondering how much longer their huts can remain, and when they need to get out with their snowmobiles or vehicles to tow them back in to shore. Otherwise, they lose their hut - typically one a year ends up on the bottom of the bay, but it's been a while since anyone lost a pickup truck!
In the winter the 200 or so swans that live on the bay migrate just 80 kilometers west to open water on Lake Ontario warmed by the outfall from a nuclear power plant. This nesting pair however don't like the bay, or maybe just value their privacy, and for many years have lived by the storm drainage pond in our community. Like them we've migrated most of the last few winters so I'm not sure if this is their normal pattern, or something new, but this year they have flown back 'home' every time there is a hint of warm weather to check out their place. I'm not sure if this time they are back for good - I suspect not, because if it gets cold again in a few days and the pond starts to freeze over they will fly back to the nuke plant. Once they do return for good we'll soon see a nest on the shore in the tall rushes, and eventually, some cygnets!
You can find this, and other exciting stories from some great traveling Steemians at Steemit Worldmap...
Nice to see you back! Such a long time~BTW, Happy Chinese New Year! Yap, spring is coming soon!😊
Thanks for the feedback! And Happy Chinese New Year to you as well!
They are so lovely! Great photo!
Warmer weather, pond is almost completely open, and Canada Geese are starting to stop en route somewhere. Swans don't like them, and are chasing them off! Too funny to watch. Take care.
So glad to see you back @brightongreg, you have been missed :D
Thanks, have to check out your work, and start doing some content of my own again!
Over here we are at -20C nighttime and a little bit better daytime: -10 to -8C
So we'll have to wait for the swans a cople of more weeks...
Only been to Helsinki for a day off a cruise, liked it very much. Understand from Finns I've met that our countries - at least where I live - are very similar, lots of forests and lakes. Safe travels, and stay warm!
How exciting! Except the cold, brrrrr! Such a beautiful place, Greg!
Warmer for a few days, then another cold snap. Most of the snow on my lawn is gone, except for along the edges of my driveway where I had to pile it up. Latest I can remember significant snow here is early April so I expect I will get more!
So enjoy, meanwhile, and make some gorgeous photos!
Very beautyfull and look this
Looks warmer there!
Yes, because the sun was shining and the snow was melting
Raining heavily today, and feeling some flu, so not walking down to the pond to check out the swans! Cold coming tomorrow.
@brightongerg.............the season of spring already come...............and its smell fall in every where........its a beautiful season,,,, with beautiful atmosphere ,,for beautiful couple.........
Thanks for feedback.
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Welcome back mate! I look forward to reading your new posts. Have you been hibernating over the winter? Might need to change your name to brightonbear ;)
Re: your query on other reply about where I've been, my post to ackhoo in this string pretty much explains our past year since coming back from Portugal last April. And also I think I was suffering steem-burnout lol if that's a thing after finishing off my Tahiti-Oz-NZ series - fun writing, but a bit draining for an old guy! brightonbear has some possibilities...
Ah yes, I see. Sorry to hear about that. Hopefully she'll have recovered enough for your next trip! I know what you mean about steem-burnout. I definitely feel it too, especially after writing a series! I totally get you, its a lot of work. Well its good to have you back :)
Ohhhh, you're back! For a longer term I hope... How lovely to have swans nearby. Wish we have them here. Hope to see more of you... My regards to BrightonBonnie... :)
Should be in Portugal right now but brightonbonnie had some back issues, getting better but still some bad days, so traveling on a plane for 7 hours definitely not recommended. More importantly some specialist visits scheduled to get a grip on the problem, so we can't put them off.
Need to produce some original content but opportunities limited here at this time of year. So pass some time doing my 'rehearsal' for a trip we hope to take next winter from Singapore to Cape Town, seniors' spending their cash on a cruise before the kids get their hands on it (kids are OK with this in case you ask)! A couple of stops near you, Melaka and Penang. Our fingers crossed that brightonbonnie will be fit to fly by then!
Safe travels.