Miserable weather, merganser trio completed

Red breasted Merganser, photo by Klemens Gasser

It was simply miserable out there this morning...working a very early shift under freezing rain while pine boughs were breaking from heavy soaked snow resting on them, birding took a holiday .I even lost a boot, casualty of ice and water, with later the best line for humor from my boss when he repeated my line  "I LOST MY SOLE". ( I think you get it..no halo yet for me)

As I mentioned yesterday , with bad weather, the lake might be yielding opportunities with arrivals or rare birds. That happened this mid afternoon.From my distance on lake drive, I saw something in the only remaining open water in Prospect Lake. Obviously, a closer look was needed. Among the close knit waterfowl array, a drake RED BREASTED MERGANSER dove incessantly.This species completes the merg trio seen this past week after Hooded and Common. After a really miserable day with frostbite and backbreaking work, a Red breasted Merganser helps warm the spirit.

Oh, since you might have heard on this blog my cross country skiing adventures in Prospect, during a TV interview yesterday with CUNY with Rob B, Tom S and Bobbi M present, Bobbi snapped this picture of me on the Peninsula, with the lake behind me. This was after work, my unique commute yesterday.Thanks to Bobbi for the great photo.

Stay warm ( & DRY!)