A red-bellied woodpecker is shown. (Scot Stewart photo)
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson
It seems as though winter is just starting with a few snow storms and lots of temperatures cold enough to begin sealing up the largest lake in the world. But there is already to hope for the quick arrival of Spring! The official first day of spring is just over a month away, but in the Upper Peninsula, it has been known to come a little later. None-the-less there is hope it will come sooner than later, especially after this past week’s treatment of life, not just here, but across a major part of the country!
“Cold is merciless. It shows you where you are. What you are.” Wim Hof
Birds and humans alike have recognized the dangers of the extreme cold. More food and shelter from the wind will help tremendously.
But the cold is showing. It has had an immediate and dramatic effect on the open waters around Marquette.
Before last weekend was over, ice had completely closed off much of the open water where more than 500 mallards and a smattering of American black ducks and an American wigeon lounged through the afternoons on the Dead River.
The lower reaches of the river followed quickly behind freezing out to just past the Lakeshore Boulevard bridge, leaving just over 100 of open river before reaching Lake Superior. Over half the ducks, including the wigeon and a male green-winged teal headed out onto Lake Superior near Hawley Street earlier this week, but it too all but closed up by Wednesday.
“If you make listening and observation your occupation, you will gain much more than you can by talk.” Robert Baden-Powell Birders learn that listening
A purple finch is shown. (Scot Stewart photo)
“Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people’s legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.” Sarah Addiall
Snow flurries seems to be all winter can muster so far this winter. Snowfall totals have continued below the yearly average for this time of year. Foresters and wildlife monitors have begun to worry even now, in January, about spring and summer droughts. It has been a seriously dry winter so far. Homeowners have been surprised to see large patches of bare concrete and asphalt of their driveways still devoid of anything white not even salt dust!