Durango Below Zero

I need better gloves for this

Tuesday, January 9, 2024, started out bitterly cold. Weather Underground was reporting -5°F at the downtown Durango station, but I think it was even colder in some areas that morning. So after dropping off my son at school, I thought it would be a great idea to test my equipment and my tolerance for the cold by getting out along the Animas River to capture the "sea smoke" rising into the icy air from the relatively warm flowing water. I got out of my car with the Nikon Z5 and the Z 100-400mm telephoto strapped to my wrist and confidently headed toward the river at Memorial Park.

There was not enough light yet to get good shots of the steam rising off the water, but I did spot various waterfowl in the river acting uncharacteristically active. One Common Merganser, in particular, was being playfully aggressive, likely trying to keep warm as best he could. So I snapped a few images of him until my Apple Watch suddenly decided it needed to activate its emergency siren. I mean, it was pretty damn cold, and my hands were starting to hurt pretty bad. At that point, I decided it was too cold to be out there and gave up much more quickly than I imagined.

When I got home and reviewed my images, they were mostly too dark and noisy because I was trying to capture action shots in insufficient light. But I did find one cool shot with what appears to be a young Common Goldeneye—or possibly a hybrid of Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead—swallowing a fish as the overactive Common Merganser frantically tried to intervene.

A Common Goldeneye—or hybrid Goldeneye and Bufflehead—swallows a fish as a Common Merganser protests on an extremely cold morning.
A Common Goldeneye—or hybrid Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead—swallows a fish as a Common Merganser protests on an extremely cold morning.

A Second Attempt

The next morning brought temperatures similarly below zero, though perhaps a few degrees warmer. I decided to prepare more and make a second attempt to capture some images along the river. This time, I went a little further downriver to Rotary Park.

Snow covers rocks and debris in the river as below-zero temperatures attempt to freeze the flowing water.
Snow covers rocks and debris in the river as below-zero temperatures attempt to freeze the flowing water.

I was able to spend more time, more comfortably, on this outing. There was not as much steam coming off the water, but I captured some images that made me happy. I hope you enjoy them.

The train bridge at Rotary Park was covered with snow in the extreme temperatures.
The train bridge at Rotary Park was covered with snow in the extreme temperatures.
The ice collecting on this broken branch caught my attention.
The ice collecting on this broken branch caught my attention.
Some ducks enjoying the relative warmth of the river in the below-zero air.
Some ducks enjoying the relative warmth of the river in the below-zero air.
Ice was collecting on just about every surface in the below-zero temperatures.
Ice was collecting on just about every surface in the below-zero temperatures.