Crunch, Crunch

We had a beach walk today. Due to the weather (very cold and not easy walking), there were very few people out. As we walked the length of the beach, it was very sunny, though well below freezing. After the 6 or 8 inch snowfall followed by rain and then freezing temperatures, the snowfall was compacted to about 5 inches and frozen solid. We walked on top of the snow with ease. It certainly was easier to walk on the smooth, crusty surface than where people had sunk several inches into the snow leaving frozen sunken footprints making walking treacherous with the landmines that could break ankles. I noted black and white ducks scattered in the lake instead of in their usual bunched together positions. I assumed that they were Lesser Scaups. But, when we reached the ship channel, ice flows were moving fairly rapidly out to the lake. The longtails could not float in peace in the channel. They were the ducks dotted over the lake. As we started a loop back, I spied a purple and white “ball” ahead. Fortunately, Guinness didn’t see it or it would have been in his mouth. It was a beautiful head of a duck, but I don’t know what duck has a purple head with white stripes. By the time we were back on the snowy beach, the sun had begun to melt the frozen snow so that our feet sunk an inch or more with every step, and our previous silent steps now crackled . It is fascinating to observe the changes in nature.