The magic of ice

I love the patterns and textures created when our local creek freezes. Such a beautiful contrast between the smooth, rounded edges and the spiky frost (ice?) crystals on top. Taken at Votier's Flats, Fish Creek Park, on 22 November 2012.

Couldn't resist adding the following, especially for birder friends. A friend sent it to me via e-mail and I thought others might find it interesting : )

"I heard that they found about 200 dead crows near Halifax, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. They had a Bird Pathologist examine the remains of all the crows, and
he confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu, to everyone's relief.

However, he determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, and only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.

The Province then hired an Ornithological Behaviourist to determine the disproportionate percentages for truck versus car kill. The Ornithological Behaviourist determined the cause in short order.

When crows eat road kill, they always set-up a look-out Crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. His conclusion was that the lookout crow could say "Cah", but he could
not say "Truck." Have a nice day...." Sorry, I don't know who the author was.