Well, at least the sun peeked out from behind the cloud cover this morning, so I was able to leave a little earlier for a walk and to brave the near-frosty temps. I had to layer up a little more, but luckily, we are heading into a warming trend over the next week. Today’s jaunt took me to the Harrison Street bridge at the other end of Lincoln Park. I was chatting with a jogger at Council Point Park about a month ago after he spied me sharing some withered-looking apples with the squirrels along the trail. We were talking about feeding the critters at the Park and he mentioned going to this particular bridge if I wanted to see where all the ducks congregate. I told him I had been searching for them since Spring when they all vanished and I presumed they had not survived our brutal Winter. Since our conversation I discovered a handful of ducks roosting on an old wooden log near the original alcove, but that’s it – there had been a daily gathering of at least 50 male and female mallards all last year. So, I trudged over to the borderline of Wyandotte and Lincoln Park via the bridge over part of the Ecorse Creek this morning to have a look. From nearly a block away, and even before I arrived, a cacophony of quacking filled the still morning air, so I knew I was in the right place. Despite the frosty air, most of the ducks were nose-diving into the chilly water, shaking their wings and tail feathers, then preening themselves right afterward. It made me shiver just watching them, but for them, it’s no big deal as the oil in their feathers keeps that cold air from seeping through to their skin and ending up getting soaked through. They were just happy to be paddling around with their brethren and enjoying a quick dip. I watched for awhile as they splashed away thinking of the expression “it’s just water running off a duck’s back”. I know I’ll make a return trip, but next time with a bag of bread in tow, to throw out to them once the air is much colder and that water gets a thin veil of ice on it. Some bread will be a welcome sight when they can’t feed on the usual Creek fare. So, I’ve found a second go-to place for my morning nature infusion, hopefully through the Winter months as well.