Too Cold for Me

Despite the 17 degree forecast, I pedaled over to the cemetery this morning. What was I thinking?

I love cycling, birds and nature (and I'm usually pretty resistant to the cold), but I only lasted about 90 minutes this morning. The inviting sunshine and crystal-clear arctic air had me rushing out the door, but my finger tips began to ache shortly after I stopped riding. I wanted to go home and make some hot chocolate.

I quietly tip-toed around when I was near the owl nest and managed to take a few photos of the sleeping raptor. Whenever I'm near her, I try to be as unobtrusive as possible, so I only stayed for a short time. She looked perfectly comfortable and toasty wrapped in her dense layer of feathers. When the sun peeked out around the edge of the tree, she tipped her face towards the warmth.

While I was in the cemetery, I also took a look at the Red-tailed Hawk nest, to see if they've begun refurbishing for the new season. It looked about the same since my last visit, but they should start work soon.

I still haven't found the perfect gloves for winter birding and cycling. I've been using fingerless gloves with a mitten flap, but they aren't warm enough once it gets down below 25 degrees. I may end up using a lot of hand warmers. If you have any suggestions, my fingers would appreciate it.