This resident 'dabbling ducks' couple temporarily suspended their daily dabblings this morning hunkering down instead under the oppressive 18°F wind chill, while hastily deconstructing their strategic decision to stay in the Park instead of migrating further south. They showed no concern about the approaching camera lens, (Notice the male's left foot anchored, against the stiff wind, to an underwater branch.) That's, Anas platyrhynous.
+24°F (-4°C) last night, dashed to the Park early. Located a patch of hexagonal ice columns, still nurtured by water vapor deposition.
“This particular crystal habit of ice is characterized by hexagonal cross section in a plane perpendicular to the long direction of the columns. Growth by vapor deposition at temperatures of from -3° to about -8°C leads to growth of columnar crystals, though other crystal features (needles, scrolls) also appear in this temperature interval, depending on the degree of water vapor super saturation.” American Meteorological Society.