One of the first signs of winter (or a cold night) is ice forming on Lake Appert. The surface of the ice was mostly frozen this a.m., causing the ducks to congregate in one spot.

We saw Northern Shovelers and Green-winged Teals among the Mallards.  We are told a coot made the scene a bit earlier.

I have four "Ghosts of Allendale" and "Duck Enough To Fly" book events over the next two weeks.

(Profits from "Ghosts" -- which is set in the Celery Farm -- go to Fyke Nature Association's Stiles & Lillian Thomas Scholarship at Northern Highlands and to the restoration of Allendale's historic Fell House.)

* Sunday, Nov. 2, 1- 3 p.m., Holiday History Book Fair at the Fell House. "Ghosts of Allendale," Duck Enough To Fly" will be available..

* Thursday Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., "Ghosts of Allendale" slide show and talk at Lee Memorial Library, Crescent Ave., Allendale.

* Sunday, Dec. 5, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m., Book signing at Rohsler's Nursery on Franklin Turnpike. I'll be signing and inscribing all my books.

* Thursday, Dec. 9, 6:30 to 8 p.m., "Duck Enough To Fly" book signing with Jerry Barrack and Doug Goodell, Wild Birds Unlimited, Route 17 South, Paramus.

Perfect personalized gifts for the holidays, for two great causes! Hope to see you soon.

I did not find the Mandarin Duck at the CF on Thanksgiving but I did find the remains of what he had for dinner.

John Pastore got this shot of the Mandarin Duck at the CF on a dreary Thanksgiving Eve. I'll be darned if I could find that duck.

John writes: "I stopped it at the Celery Farm Wednesday afternoon, as I got out of work early.  Making my usual first stop at Warden's Watch, there were a large number of mallards assembled.  Then I saw a duck that I knew I had never seen at the Celery Farm. 

"It was sitting on a log, just at the end of the peninsula, to the left of Warden's Watch, as to look out to the water.  It did not seem to mind when many mallards came close, and even shared it's perch on the log.  Unfortunately the light was not great, and I didn't have my largest zoom."

(Thanks, John!)

These ducks are non-native escapees/releasees, and they  pop up in the region from time to time. (And they are beautiful.)

Here are links to the Meadowlands Blog, which posted a few items about a Mandarin Duck in North Bergen earlier this year. Links are here and here.

For Thanksgiving I wrote my latest "Bird Watcher" column in The Record about the most unforgettable moments I've experienced in nature -- like the time Jerry Barrack and I saw baby Wood Ducks leave their nesting box at the Celery Farm -- the inspiration for "Duck Enough To Fly."

What's your most amazing moment in the wild?

Please tell me, and I will share the best in a future column. (Of course, if you have photos that captured that moment....)

E-mail me here.

The link is here.

Happy Thanksgiving!