PeppyLaRoo
Chirping
It's been pretty cold for a couple of weeks now here in Kentucky. Best I can tell, ice is 3.5-4" thick on my ponds. I use heavy iron bar to keep a small hole open for a pair of black swans on one pond. [1st picture] On the other pond a male black neck swan keeps a large 10' diameter hole open. The ice is so thick you can walk right up to the edge with no fear of breaking through.
There are two other black swans on the pond with the black neck, but I think he is the one keeping the hole thawed. I did have a nice pair of black necks on the pond, but a snapper killed my female this summer. So it goes.