-1 degrees

I am in the lab today mixing crazy potions in which I will later store small samples of bird blood. Working mind you, but not out catching birds. And yet, the million dollar question today seems to be, "You're not out catching birds?" Um, kids, CNN has called this flesh-searing and skin-burning weather. Why then would I be out there? I already have issues with one toe from my adventures last winter and a recurring numbness problem in my fingers whenever the temperature drops below freezing and you want me to go out when it's minus 1 ?!?! I refuse to kill myself in the name of research. Okay not true, I refuse to freeze to death in the name of research. I'm willing to fall down a mountain side to my death, skid off icy roads in fiery crashes, be eaten by a bear, or shot by a hunter but I draw the line at freezing to death. Besides it would all be in vain, the juncos don't even come out in this weather. Sure you may see a handful at your feeder but my bait piles will be barren. Trust me, I tried this last winter and the winter before that (yes I needed two tries to learn this lesson) and I have learned that when the temps drop in the single digits the juncos disappear.

So the answer to the million dollar question: As my presence in front of you indicates, I'm not out catching birds.