The wonderful thing about a typical northern Michigan spring thaw is that it reassures us that sooner or later the snow will melt and the world will once again turn green. It certainly doesn’t mean that winter has come to an end. There is plenty of snow and cold in the forecast.

The thaw at the Fish Pond means that the ice begins to retreat, the taller grasses start to reappear, and the wildlife begins to “get in the mood” so to speak. There are lots of ducks around now. Suddenly it seems like there are four or five drakes for every hen. This means there are almost continuous squabbles between the males who chase each other away from hens who look as if they would rather just stay away from the whole mess.

Many of the types of ducks that do not summer here will soon disappear as the larger lakes begin to open up. I actually saw my first Canada Goose of season while driving to town this afternoon. That’s either a sign that temperatures south of here are getting warmer or one mixed up goose.

The neighborhoods new eagles don’t seem to be too worried about hunting these days. Adding to their new nest seems to be their primary concern. This might be a sign that they will soon be sitting on eggs.

Like with every season, there are always loads of new details around the Fish Pond to photograph and enjoy. The kind of things you only notice if you stop and look for them. Interesting formations in the melting ice, and plants beginning to sprout up through the snow.

Don’t put away the winter coat just yet, but feel free to get outside and enjoy the weather. A good brisk walk is a sure cure for cabin fever.

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO:
NOLA SUE SNOW PERKINS - Cancer Victim - Diagnosed June 10, 2010

About the only thing that seems to remain the same at the fish pond is the constant flow of water that makes its way from the hillside springs and stream. Other than the steady sound of water making its way into and out of the pond everything else seems to be in a constant state of evolution and change.

While most change around the pond happens slowly every once in awhile something sudden happens that adds just the right amount of excitement and creates a new opportunity to learn and explore. Sometimes it’s a little thing like the falling of a tree that adds an interesting new light pattern in the woods or provides a new perching spot for the birds. Sometimes it can be something out of the ordinary and unexpected that takes you completely by surprise and adds new life and interest to the entire area. The newest excitement at the pond these days, which falls into the unexpected category, is the appearance of a new set of birds. Eagles to be exact.

Late last fall a new pair of Bald Eagles decided to stake a claim to the area surrounding the Fish Pond. They are not the same pair that I have photographed here in the past. Neither of them appear to be banded like the pair that visits here from their nest 3 or 4 miles away and they are noticeably different in size from that pair. The female of this set is significantly larger than her mate and although I am making my comparisons based on my memory of the older pair I would say she is probably larger than any of the eagles I have seen frequenting here over the years.

Over the winter they have been building a nest near the pond. Whether they actually try to use it remains to be seen and will probably depend on how much can be done to protect them from being disturbed. If they can tolerate the human traffic in the area and if the older pair doesn’t return and drive them off it will be very interesting to watch and study them as they make the fish pond their home and raise their young.

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO:

LOIS B. LUEB - Fighting Cancer - Diagnosed April 24, 2006

Yeah, yeah I know, you’ve heard me say I plan to update more often and I haven’t actually done so, so I won’t say it again. Sorry about that but to be quite honest I was getting pretty bored with the whole blogging thing. I had three or four of them going at one time, there was very little feedback from readers and newer things seemed to required my attention.

That doesn’t mean that I haven’t visited the pond, I have, on quite a regular basis just not with a camera. It is a place that continues to amaze me almost every time I visit.

Recent events in life have forced me to re-examine many things including the work I do on my blogs. More specifically, my wonderful wife has been diagnosed with lung cancer. I am dedicating the entirety of this blog to her and her very brave and inspiring fight to conquer this disease.

I could probably sit here for hours sharing with you all of the things I’ve learned over the last several months but I’m not a physician and nothing I could say would come close to accurately describing just how devastating and terrible this disease is. The most important things I have learned really have nothing to do with the disease itself. They are lessons about the wonderful and incredibly brave people who fight it, both as patients and as caregivers.

I have no idea of when or how often I will be able do add to this blog in the future but each time I do I will be dedicating each post to a person who is bravely battling, has survived or has fallen victim to cancer.

If there is someone you would like to have included in this blog by way of a post dedication please let me know. I only ask that you have their (or their families) permission to publish their name in the post and that you provide, in addition to their name, their current status and if known date of diagnosis. Dedications will be made in three catagories - Fighting Cancer, Cancer Survivor, Cancer Victim.


THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO:
LENORA JOHNSTON - Fighting Cancer - Diagnosed October 1st, 2010