Frost

The temperature touched 32°F in places - I saw a frozen puddle in the shadow of an underpass and frost on grass at the neighborhood park.  I left for a meeting at dawn and when I returned, I stopped at the park.  There were geese in the playground and on the lake, hooded mergansers and mallards. It was still very cold despite the bright sun. 

At home I discovered the moonflower was freeze damaged - yesterday it had a fresh bud, today it was gone.  There was no bird activity till after lunch when the downy showed up for some suet.

Then a great blue heron appeared under the bulkhead across the creek.  It behaved very oddly, promenading back and forth over about three yards at low tide.  All the while it held its beak pointed straight up and it did a little waltz when it turned to go the other way.  Some of the time it held its wings half out too.  It did pause once for a quick bite at something in the water. All About Birds says, "Great Blue Herons defend feeding territories from other herons with dramatic displays in which the birds approach intruders with their head thrown back, wings outstretched, and bill pointing skyward. Gulls and even humans may also be a target of this defensive maneuver."

The nearly full moon lit the night sky.