I walked around a frozen lake today, enjoying the fresh air and beautiful sunshine. We have had a long stretch of gray and overcast days, so it was wonderful. And the temperature was amazing - just above freezing.
I saw some amazing wildlife, which I will get to shortly. First, here are some scenes from the snowy trails.
Next - the lake itself. As you can see, we walk on the frozen lakes here in Minnesota in the winter.
Here’s an overlook built out over the water.
At the very end of my walk, I decided to take this little side trip — a path that goes over a bridge and crosses a creek to a marsh.
And that was when I saw two swans! I have never seen these beautiful creatures in winter here.
Bottoms up!
The other amazing thing was that I could see two other large dark birds further out. It's quite a large lake and I couldn't get close enough to see them from anywhere. My guess was that they were turkeys, because we have tons of them around here -- although I also couldn't remember seeing them in winter. I was wishing for binoculars!
After I had been watching and photographing the swans for a while, a woman with a nice camera came and joined me. She had a good telephoto lens, and said she had just gotten her camera for Christmas (a Canon Rebel), and was really enjoying it.
I asked her if she could tell me what the other two birds were, and she told me they were eagles! Unfortunately, I neglected to ask her what type. We do have a lot of bald eagles around here but you can see their white heads from quite a ways off so it must have been another breed.
Okay just a few more pictures. The creek was really pretty. And I'm so amazed that the lake is completely frozen and people can walk on it, but meanwhile the water is running beneath the crust of ice.
Thanks so much for visiting and reading my blog! Please leave a comment to let me know if you experience anything like this where you live!
Well that was my #BeautifulSunday walk!
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A #BeautifulSunday indeed! Love the first couple of pictures with the ray of sunshine coming onto the path - like you were being guided!
That is strange to see the swans still there but I guess if the water is still running and there is some open water they will stay. We have that same phonomia with geese staying over winter in Saskatoon for the water remains ope in the river by the water treatment plant. Must be the same for the eagles that there is enough food with the open water.
Have you been having a milder winter?
That creek is really beautiful, giving you some beautiful shots! I could just image how it must have felt with sunshine and milder temperatures!
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, @porters! Yes, it was glorious. We have had some mild days among some very cold stretches. I’ve never seen open water in the middle of winter. So I do think we are overall having a milder winter. But also it rained off and on all summer and fall, so creeks were running when winter came that normally would have been dry. I think that has something to do with it too.
What a great walk and you got lots of activity steps in. We have about the same amount of snow here.
A lovely surprise to see the swans.
I couldn’t believe it! I really wonder where they normally winter
Unreal to think you're walking a frozen lake on the other side of the world and we're having one of our hottest summers here! Blow some of the snow our way please;)
Lovely photos @jayna!
Oh I wish I could! I would love to help cool you guys down!
That must have been quite a walk! The photos you took are beautiful. They reminded me of a walk I took in winter in Minnesota, in the wetlands of Eden Prairie.
Wow! This was in fact a wetland in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Possibly the same one.
It's a small world! ;0)
Indeed it is!
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You sure got some beautiful photos on your walk. The swans (and other water fowl) must have heating coils in their feet, as the frigid water apparently doesn't faze them at all!
I know, right? I’m assuming it’s the same for swans as it is for ducks. They have a different circulatory system: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/amp/why-dont-ducks-get-frostbite-when-swimming-in-icy-ponds
Thanks for posting that article link. A pretty complicated system they have! Says the same thing keeps them cool when they are in water warmer than their body. Incredible. Their feet are really important!
Yeah, it’s fun learning about things like that — in the category of stuff you don’t generally need to know but it’s cool!
Your pictures are breathtaking my friend.
I think that I have seen light snow a handful of times here in South Africa and it must feel like a dream to walk on a frozen lake.
So sad, as with my ultra zoom I could have gotten those eagles for ya!
A lovely post indeed!
Blessings!
Yes I would have loved to see the pictures you could take of the birds! I yearned to get a better view of them!
I know what it's like being unable to get real look at something interesting my dear friend. Also always troubles me.
But I console myself with the thought that sooner or later I will get a closer look.
Blessings!
Wonderful photos! Those of us in the Midwest do treasure the sun this time of year
Would it be old fashioned to actually pray to the sun, do you think? Ha ha. Where are you located?
Wisconsin, near Janesville.
Ah, Wisconsin — our neighbor. Howdy, neighbor!
Hey there! We ARE neighbors!
You can find the community announcement on Discord :) and it has also been shared on our FB Page and Twitter feed.
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What a beautiful walk @jayna...but cold!!! I remember how we used to bundle up and take those cold winter hikes. The sky is so blue! Love it
Thank you, @birdsinparadise. Yes, bundling up is a must! It helps to put on layers in case you need to peel one off. 😆
That was winter when I was a kid ...
I think you live somewhere very close to nature ... very beautiful!
Yes I’m very lucky to be surrounded by so much nature and so many wonderful outdoor areas and trails to explore. I do love it here!
I'm sure it is! The most important thing is to love the place where you live, when it is stress free and polluted, then you are really lucky.
Few places are truly stress free. But as long as I can get to nature, I will find my peace. 😁
Yes, I'm glad for you!
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So much snow @jayna, beautiful. They have black swans where my sister lives. 💕
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Really? Oh they must be beautiful! I don’t think I have ever seen black swans in real life!
We are not having winter in NYS this year apparently. It has felt like spring for the entire month of January. I count on ticks being dormant in July so I can get some gardening done, but this year I come inside crawling with them. I sure wish we had snow like this! I miss the crisp air.
Love the photos. Those sunbeams in the first two are spectacular.
Lucky you.
Oh my gosh, really? You are dealing with ticks? That’s terrible. And it must be sad not to get your normal winter weather! I hope you get some snow yet.
Seeing your gorgeous photography in cold region helps me cool down imagining the outdoor temperatures. Lovely swans to finish the perfect picture, pity about the eagle spotting @jayna
!tip
Your turn will come to cool down, and then we will be complaining of the heat! 😁
When I see such a lake I want to go ice skating we need to move the snow a bit and make a perfect track hahah
And that one photo is a great shadow entry or @melinda010100 shadow contest dear!
Glad that Shadow Photos make you think of me, @brittandjosie! ❤️
Oh thank you for the tip on @melinda010100’s shadow contest, @brittandjosie. I will check that out!
I have never walked on a frozen lake. The temperatures here have not come so low. It seems that there was not much wind either. Swans? I don't think they are around, but I know that they are beautiful creatures that have inspired many to make stories and cartoons. I liked your post, @jayna.
Congratulations.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment, @oneray!
Thanks for taking me along on that winter's walk. Beautiful snowy scenes, brooks flowing, ice melting, wildlife frolicking, and some lady with my camera!! tell her to give it back! lol. I have a canon rebel as well. I purchased a telephoto lens, but its hard to keep the shots crisp without a tripod. I see she didn't have one. I get better shots with it. Awesome post @jayna! keep up the great work :-)
Wow, that two people in one week with a Canon Rebel! It’s a sign. I need one! 😁
That does make sense about the tripod, especially if you drink a lot of coffee like I do. Ha ha.
Oh yeah! Coffee shakes will do it. They make a monopod that works well too. Just enough to steady it. I often use a remote release with mine to make sure I don't shake the camera as I press the shutter release. GET ONE GET ONE!! haha.
Been awhile since I walked on a lake. Remember we used to go ice fishing a lot :)
Cool! Yes that is a very popular sport here! People set up ice houses for the whole winter on some lakes.
Incredible photographs. Frozen bodies of water are about the most amazing of winter sceneries.
Every single picture here is a post card.
Thanks so much, @hlezama! That is a lovely compliment.
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We had a lagoon near us in Calgary ("Bowness Park") that would completely freeze over in the winter as well, to the point that not only could we ice skate on it, but the park management had a zamboni they could use to clean it! Now that's frozen.
I sure hope those swans were finding some good munchies!
That’s awesome about the Zamboni! We have a lot of skating ponds here. Some people clear a rink on the lake near their house. But also many public parks have enclosed rinks that they flood in the winter so the kids can skate. Needless to say, hockey is huge here!
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Everyone of your images features a breathtaking view! @jayna There's nothing more beautiful in the winter than contrasting colors of the blue sky, ochre toned trees/grass/foliage, and sunlight glistening on the snow. The swans (and eagles) appeared to be having business as usual! 🦢
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Awesome photograph. Captures the winter.
Congratulations @jayna!
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Well I think it's a beautiful watercolor painting and it very much reminds me of work by Claude Monet! 🎨🖌🖼
Don't be so hard on yourself. Watercoloring is difficult, almost as hard as doing portraits (that's my most challenging category) @bdmillergallery
These are two sketches I did for a Steemit contest a few years ago. Not watercolors though.
My son
https://steemit.com/drawingchallenge/@ninahaskin/drawing-challenge-6-looking-back-to-my-son-at-age-three-original-content
Self portrait - haha!
https://steemit.com/selfportrait-contest/@ninahaskin/self-portrait-drawing-contest-self-portrait-original-content
You did a lot of walking!! Seeing your pictures reminded me so much of the winters in Germany...
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I love that you were rewarded for traveling into the snow.
What a wonderful walk jayna! So many great shots, well done! I guess swans stay the whole winter up there?