Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Warmer temps and tracks on the snow

Crow
While on a morning walk around the pond flocks of crows were roosting and moving around in the trees and across the grounds.  They seemed a bit skittish, flying away when visitors got within 30 yards or so.

On the pond there were many tracks of what appeared to be made by pheasants.  It also appeared the park's fox visited this opportune hunting grounds.
Track crossing
Prey and predator tracks
(pheasant and fox) 

Pheasant tracks
It was an unseasonably warm 52 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday in Minneapolis.  This was a record high temperature for December 26th.  In addition to the warm weather it was also windy throughout the afternoon. It felt a lot like global weirding. The temperature in the Twin Cities this December is running about 6 degrees above average, according to the Weather Service.

Unless things change soon, it could be a tough winter for all of the plants and animals that rely upon snow cover.  Also not so great for outdoor winter sports either, such as nordic and downhill skiing, snow boarding, snow shoeing, skating, hockey, broom ball, boot hockey, skijorning, ice fishing, snowmobiling, etc...

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