Puzzled about Geese

There is one sight this winter that has caught my attention and caused me to muse: Geese.

There are several ponds on the property where I work. During the summer months, these ponds are full of geese, ducks, and a couple swans. They offer the feel of being part of a sanctuary (not considering the copious amounts of poop they leave behind).

But all winter, I see large quantities of geese (for whatever reason have chosen NOT to go south where it is warmer) standing and walking on the frozen ponds, and occasionally swimming in the frigid waters. Here's the question that has me puzzled:

Why do geese choose to spend their day on the ice rather than the ground?

During the coldest months of the year, these geese CHOOSE to sit and sleep on the ice. Why? I mean, there is grass right over there. Wouldn't it be more comfortable to stand or sleep on the ground than on ice? Even if I had a down sleeping bag, the best money could buy, and I had a choice of rolling it out and sleeping on the ground or the ice, I would choose ground. Wouldn't you? If your thinking they want to stay close to the water in case they get thirsty...they have friggin' wings!! They can fly over to the water to get a drink whenever they want. That's no excuse. Wow...maybe they're just lazy.

And what about their feet? Why don't they freeze and die? Have you ever thought about this? First, picture a goose foot. Have you ever seen one? They are skin and bone. They is no real quantifiable amount of meat (muscle) on a goose's foot. It is simply bone wrapped in black skin. So what keeps them from freezing? Our human appendages have more meat on them than geese feet and yet these are the most susceptible parts of our bodies to frostbite and freezing.

And while I am on geese, what's with that one-legged stand they do? I get the sense that they know we think they're rowing with one oar, and it's their way of saying, "Oh yea...take a look at this". I call it "goose antagonism". It's showing off. It really bugs me.

Oops...gotta go. I'm late for my therapist.