It Was So Cold Birds Literally Froze To The Ground Across The Great Lakes
Listen, me and waterfowl haven't always been the best of friends. I make it no secret that geese, in particular, are my mortal enemies - Honking Murder Chickens who will attack me given any opportunity. Never fails.
BUT, that said, I still never wish harm on them, let alone exposure to the crazy cold temperatures we had over Christmas Weekend in the Great Lakes. And there were a couple of birds who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time right during the temperature plunge.
First, in Oakland County, just north/northwest of Detroit. This was actually a swan, not a goose... but if you ask me, just a LARGER honking murder chicken.
Authorities responded to reports of a swan stuck to Voorheis Lake on Thursday. (Notice, I said "TO" the lake...) Lake Orion Fire Department responded with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office to help it out, bringing in a hovercraft to circle around the (likely) horrified swan, and break up the ice so it could escape.
Problem is... it was frozen TO THE LAKE. Breaking up the ice around it wasn't going to help. So, they moved up on it, got it unstuck, and took it in for treatment of an injury to one of its legs (which I'm SURE was not sustained while the swan struggled to get away as a FREAKIN' HOVERCRAFT was circling it on the lake!)
Thankfully, the swan will be fine, and let loose when conditions are favorable.
Now, the SECOND instance of birds freezing to the ground is a little stranger.
A goose in Indiana landed on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan (likely with its full flock) and settled down for a bit of rest before heading to a warmer destination. The problem is, this particular goose, sat his happy butt down on the wet sand RIGHT as the front was coming through... and froze to the sandy shores at the Indiana Dunes.
(By the way, LOVE the photo they got of this goose, who is STILL frozen to the ground, staring DIRECTLY at the dude taking the photo like... seriously?)
Authorities were able to free the bird and it was taken to a local vet office for evaluation. Understandably, it looked a little worse for the wear. I mean, you're a pretty decent-sized bird STUCK to the ground, and you've been stuck there for quite a while.
Again, thankfully, the birds are gonna be OK, but it's WILD how things got SO cold, SO fast, that these guys literally FROZE to the things they landed on.