Open Water in Winter

     During a severe cold snap early this January, most waterways and impoundments in southeastern Pennsylvania were frozen shut.  But a few, perhaps spring-fed ponds, and flowing waterways had places of open water in spite of the frigid temperatures.  Waterfowl, particularly many hundreds of Canada geese and scores of mallard ducks, both common and adaptable species, congregated on the open water that was left, even in spots where they usually are not seen.  Many of those geese and ducks floated and swam on those waters surrounded by ice, while others of their two species stood or sat on the ice around the open water.
     In my travels around Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, I saw a few places where Canada geese and mallard ducks gathered on the open water that remained.  All those places were along roadways and could be seen by anyone who looked, even casually, at the countryside as they walked or road along.
     The first open water I noticed in my travels was a hundred yard stretch of gently flowing water in the middle of the Conestoga River where it closely parallels a rural road.  The Conestoga is a small river, allowing close-up views of any water birds on it.  Many hundreds of handsome Canada geese were resting and digesting on the water and on the bordering ice.  Those geese were noisy with their constant honking.  But when they become hungry, the geese will leave the water and ice, flock after bugling flock in their excitement, to fly out to a meadow to graze on grass or a harvested corn field to pick up kernels of corn from the ground.  And when full, the geese will lift off, group after group, and fly back to that same part of the Conestoga that has open water to land on.
     I also came upon an open pond with about 20 beautiful mallard ducks on it, each gender attractive in its own way.  This pond might be spring-fed with water from the warmer ground, thus not allowing that water to freeze.  Many of the mallards were already paired and engaged in courting activities, which strengthen the bonding of each pair.  But, like the geese, when those ducks become hungry, off they go on whistling wings to corn fields to eat corn kernels.
     There is a stream in an overgrown pasture near my home in New Holland where up to 60 mallards often congregate in winter.  But this January that slow-moving part of the stream froze shut.  I saw many of those pretty mallards on another, running section of that stream, surrounded by thickets, where I had never seen them before.          
     But the most interesting place I noticed lots of waterfowl during the deep freeze was in a 40 yard by 20 yard patch of open water surrounded by ice on a frozen lake.  A couple thousand Canada geese, three cackling geese, around 60 mallards, a couple dozen black ducks and eight common mergansers were crowded together on that water, and the ice around it, all near the road I was on.  Cold wind poured across the lake and over those birds that had only their feather blankets to protect them.  Some geese and ducks swam and bathed in the water, while others of each kind walked across the ice, or sat on it to rest, amid unending honking from the geese.  The mergansers dove under water to catch small fish.  I've seen and heard these beautiful water birds many times before, but I never tire of experiencing them, including these so close to me. 
     Suddenly, a magnificent adult bald eagle soared over the geese and ducks and swooped low toward them, causing ducks on the ice to fly, all at once, to the open water where they could dive under if they had to.  But after a few low, raking passes over the waterfowl, the eagle soared away without catching any ducks or geese.
     Meanwhile, many Canada geese were feeding on short grass on the large lawn of a tree-studded golf course bordering the nearly frozen-shut lake.  The geese merely take off from the lake, fly over a row of tall white pine trees edging that impoundment, and sail down to the golf course lawn.  The Canadas, mallards and black ducks also feed on corn kernels in harvested fields.
     It's interesting to watch the adaptable geese and ducks shift around to find the open water where they feel most safe from predators.  Nature is dynamic.  There's always something new and intriguing to experience.