Bees flying in the cold?!?!? (Feb 12)

Christin and I stopped by the bee yard today (Sunday, Feb 12).  The temperature reading was 39 degrees at 2pm and the winds were about 10mph.  To our amazement, bees were flying!  Typically bees fly when temps are 52 degrees or higher.  My hive was active, Christin's hive was not.  I saw only one bee enter her hive but no bees left.

I decided to put the bucket feeder on.  That’s 2 parts sugar to 1 part water (also called thick syrup).  This acts as a temporary supplement to nectar during a dearth period.  Recently, we've had above normal temps so the bees have been out flying looking for pollen and nectar.  Since it's still too early to find a good pollen and nectar source, the bees are using more energy than what they can find to replenish.  By doing this, they return to the hive and consume their honey stores that are supposed to get them through the winter.  If they eat through their reserves before the nectar flow starts, they starve to death.