Largest Watershed in the Great Lakes

February 15

February 24

Most people who live outside our region have never heard of the Maumee River.  Perhaps because of this, they often do not believe that it is the greatest source of water to any of the Great Lakes.

The warmer weather last weekend melted much snow and ice in that large watershed, swelling the banks and breaking up the river ice.  It is difficult to see, but the current is swift on the far side of the river.  It has not slowed with the frigid temperatures the last two days.

The open water has brought back the Canada Geese and Seagulls.  It seems such a long time since I've heard their calls.  

They are so very welcome.

Working for Peanuts

Raccoons spend much of the winter sleeping.  They wake up periodically - generally during warm spells - and look for food.  Our relative heat wave the last few days must have prompted these two to see what was available.

Unfortunately, they stopped by in the morning.  There was slim pickings.  The deer and rabbits had already cleaned up most of what the birds left on the ground, forcing the more adventurous (or just more hungry) one to work for the peanuts in the hanging feeder.  He ignored the safflower on the other side.

Arctic air due this week will likely find them snoozing in their dens.

Snow Piles

This has been one of the snowiest winters in Toledo.  It's also been one of the coldest and almost all of the snow has stayed with us.

We are due for a warming trend later in the week, so I thought I would document the piles in our front yard. 

One of the driveway lights

Our front door.  

There are two lion statues in there somewhere.

The west side of the driveway

The mailbox

It is snowing now - big, beautiful flakes.

Pile them on!

Freezing Fog

I have a lot to learn about weather.  My understanding has always been that the warmer air is, the more moisture it can hold.  I've always thought the opposite would be true - the colder air became, the less moisture it could hold.

This morning at 6 am the official NOAA temperature for Toledo was -14 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was a whopping 94%.  As unlikely as these measurements are, they are the perfect condition for something called freezing fog.  There are six types of fog according to NOAA.  Freezing fog occurs when the water droplets are supercooled, freezing when coming in contact with solid objects.

I didn't attempt to take a photograph of fog at 6am, but there was still some layered over the frozen river around 8am.

An hour later, the sun was sparkling in the frosted trees.

I'll add this to my other weather lessons learned this winter about the Polar Vortex and Thundersnow.

Snowy Nose

The member of our household who likes snow the most.

He likes to eat it. 

The crustier the better.

The trouble is his large surface area to body mass ratio. It makes him get cold fast.

Knucklehead.

Growing Bolder

As winter wears on, the deer have come earlier and earlier each evening to clean out any left over bird seed.

Last week, someone had cleaned the feeders out by mid afternoon.

This morning, a likely mother and daughter arrived about 10 minutes after I put out the seed.  The mother was wary and bolted as I entered the sun room.  

It was interesting how the squirrel on the tree just behind didn't wait for her to leave.  At one point he tried going in between her legs.  It must have tickled and he scrambled back to safety when she shook her leg.  The birds gathered in the trees and hanging feeders, but waited to go to ground until she scampered off.

Waiting...

…for birdseed.

It's no use filling the feeders until the snow has ended.  

Soon, little doves, soon.

If only my wait for Spring were as short.