Yesterday when I blogged about finally finding out where the turtles go when it gets cold, future Texas governor, Jovan Gonzales, asked if I knew what ducks did when it gets cold.I told Jovan, aka Jovo, that I'd seen the Fosdic Lake ducks huddling in a circle and assumed it was to keep warmer.
Well, today, when I went for a much needed walk, I went to Fosdic Lake at Oakland Lake Park and saw 4 groups of ducks doing their huddle thing, even though it was not all that cold, as in the 50s.
When something startles the huddling ducks, they quickly disperse, like they did when the fisherman, in the picture, moved closer to them. But then the ducks seem to simultaneously realize there is no danger, after which they quickly come back together in their huddle, as if drawn by some magnetic power.
As soon as the ducks get huddled, the group starts to rotate. All the duck huddles I've seen rotate counter-clockwise.
It may have been cold enough for the Fosdic ducks to huddle, but it was warm enough for some of the Fosdic Lake turtles to come out of hibernation mode to get some sun on a log.
I only saw 5 turtles that had de-hibernated. The others must not have yet gotten the word that it was no longer freezing.
Today, Fosdic Lake was being home to more birds than I've seen there before, as in 100s of various types of birds. I think word must be getting spread in Bird World that Fosdic Lake makes a good winter home due to all the people who come with bird food.
They do huddle!!!!!!! Coleman Lake (here in SST) only has like 2 ducks ... so they always look like they're just in love. I'm going to have to find out more about this huddling business. Apparently everyone is noticing the birds in the lakes. DMN just had an article about the birds at White Rock. Birds are so en vogue.
ReplyDeleteJovo---
ReplyDeleteI have been seeing a lot of strange bird action of late. Like the thousands of Grackles who take over my neighborhood Wal-Mart. A couple days ago I was in the pool and looked up to see a phalanx of geese or eagles or some other big winged birds, flying in a huge formation, like a military operation, heading who knows where. And then there are the birds who's chirping in the morning tells me they are celebrating that the sun has once more risen.