When nighttime temperatures dip down to the minus 20’s and 30’s all but the swiftest and most protected waters freeze over.
The sub-zero weather causes steam to rise from any unfrozen water. From across an ice covered lake fast flowing streams almost look like they might be on fire. Backlit by the rising sun the steam slowly lifting from the waters surface gives the illusion of warmth and is probably a welcome sight to any passing waterfowl.
Since the Fish Pond is one of the only bodies of water still unfrozen here in the area it is a welcome refuge for the ducks that are hardy enough to still be hanging around.
When I first arrived it looked like the pond was covered in a heavy fog and I only occasionally caught a glimpse of one or two ducks. They would appear out of the steam as they swam about looking for small food to dive after.
As the sunlight inched its way onto the surface of the pond the ducks seemed to follow it. The diving ducks would plunge down in search of breakfast while the Mallards followed in flocks each hoping to grab any bits of food that the underwater escapades might stir up.
I don’t know where the eagles go when it gets this cold. If they make an appearance at all it isn’t until later when temps are at the daytime high.
The land creatures that live near the pond seem to hunker down and stay close to their bedding areas leaving their trails filled with blowing snow. Unnecessary moving about this time of year burns precious energy they will need to survive the rest of the winter. It is why it is so important if you are going to be out in the woods that you avoid any areas you know animals are wintering.
Well if you feel like layering up and venturing out into the cold remember to take it easy. Move slowly and don’t wander to far. Like all times of year there is always something new to see and discover in the great outdoors.Have a great one.
Kevin
With smaller lakes in the area already frozen and the larger lakes beginning to ice up many more ducks are sure to start appearing at the Fish Pond. The pond and streams that run through it will soon be some of the only open water in the north.
While Mallards are a year round sight at the pond the other species that summer and breed here are long gone. Mergansers and Common Goldeneye are now regulars here and several other types that are migrating ahead of the ice have been randomly appearing.
The Common Goldeneye is one of the heartiest of ducks. They are usually the last to migrate south in the fall and the first to head north again in the spring. I was surprised to read that they prefer lakes and ponds that have little or no fish in them. Since their diet consists of many of the same items as fish lakes where there are fewer of them means it is easier for the ducks to find food.
As with all ducks it is very hard to get a good in flight picture of them here at the pond. The topography and plant life limit the light for most of the day. It amazes me that a moderate shutter speed will freeze the motion of the wheel on a 180 mph racecar but won’t capture a clear picture of a ducks wing in motion. Those feathers truly do fly.
This winter I think I will try to get pictures of as many different kinds of ducks as I can. Who knows what might show up after Lake Michigan freezes over.
So put on your winter best and get outside. See if you can find something that only visits or occurs in the winter. You might be surprised at what you discover.
Since the list of reasons I haven’t been out to shoot for my blog is as long as the average NBA players arm I won’t bore you with them. I will say that I have still been visiting the pond on a regular basis. Just not with a camera.
This time of year the eagles seem to stick pretty close together. During today’s visit the distinctly larger female flew in directly over my head but did not stop. She is much less tolerant of people and since I was out in the open she saw me quite easily and flew an unwavering path across the pond and over the trees on the far bank.
He flew out over the pond on almost the same course as his partner and after shooting me quick glance he took up a perch in a tall Poplar tree opposite my spot.
He stayed there for a couple of minutes, half watching the pond, half looking off in the direction that the female had disappeared before again taking flight.
He lifted off and circled the perimeter of the pond not even looking down at me as he passed over my head. This time when he reached the far side of the pond he landed in one of the trees that overhangs the inlet stream. After losing interest in the stream he repeated his “once around the pond” flight path then disappeared in the direction that female had ten minutes earlier.
In addition to the eagles there were lots of other birds around. A Kingfisher buzzed the pond a couple of times and there were several groups of small perching birds flittering from cedar tree to cedar tree.
Over course the ponds open water also draws in the ducks. Today’s guests included Mallards, Mergansers, Common Golden Eyes and I even spotted one Wood Duck when he took to the air.
All in all it wasn't to bad considering I only had twenty minutes to shoot.
Many thanks to those who attended the wildlife and nature photography presentation I got the chance to give this past weekend. I really appreciated the opportunity to meet you and would enjoy hearing what you thought about presentation.
My plan had been to take a short walk before speaking to grab a few quick shots to show how easy it is to get decent images of the short color season. Unfortunately I was running late and didn't get a chance to use them at the presentation.
Until next time, take an hour for yourself to get outside and enjoy Mother Nature's last blast.
After a run of great weather the chill of fall is beginning to settle in. The trees are starting to turn and once again the birds around the pond seem to be very busy preparing for the inevitable coming of winter.
Large numbers of songbirds seem to be passing through. Smaller groups make their way around the waters edge leap-frogging each other as they feed and harass larger birds. They never seem to sit still for more than a second or two so they are very difficult to photograph. Drives me nuts trying to focus on them when they briefly land in the tangles of cedar branches near my photo blind.
No matter how much time I spend at the pond the Kingfishers always seem to be one of my favorite aimals to watch. Their plumage and inability to remain quiet for long make them easy to find and they are always busy doing something.
The male that calls the pond home was around a lot today and while he seemed to be accustomed to the rain showers that were passing through didn’t appear to enjoy them. The large moth, some sort of underwing variety, that fell into the water during one downpour certainly didn't like them. 
Of course the thing he really didn’t like was the young Kingfisher that took up a perch in one of the trees across the pond. When it first showed up the older bird got so loud I would have sworn that someone was plucking out his tail feathers. All the noise didn’t seem to affect the younger bird though. It stayed put for fifteen or twenty minutes before disappearing into the woods.
In one of my previous posts I asked if anyone knew what had made the hole in the picture above. Since I know the suspense has been killing many of you (wink, wink) ....
It is indeed a great season to be outside. There is nothing like a hour or so of quiet time in the great outdoors to help relieve a little stress.
The first splashes of color in the trees are a bright and cheerful reminder that summer will soon be at an end. The shorter days and cooler overnight temperatures have sent life at the Fish Pond into the feeding mode as the animals begin to prepare for winter.
The Great Blue Herons are certainly out in full force. There is always at least one to be found somewhere near the pond. There were three that spent time at the pond today. The first arrived shortly after I did and it took it only a few moments for it to find a potential lunch. It made a great stab between the branches of a submerged tree to grab the large trout but pulling it through the tangle of sticks proved to be much more difficult than catching it was.
Unfortunately the arrival of a second bird meant the delay in getting the meal into its mouth meant it was not going to be able to enjoy the fruits of its labors.
While I’m not sure if the first was an immature bird or a female the new arrival definitely appeared to be a male. After driving the first heron to the far shore of the pond he spent several minutes strutting his stuff around the area near the inlet stream and letting everyone know just who’s hunting spot it was.
The third arrived while the ruckus between the first two was taking place and it quietly perched on a branch overlooking the scene. All of the strutting and puffing up his feathers must have made the intended point. The first bird opted to leave and as much as the third wanted to jump in and have lunch it didn’t.
Number three must have decided to try to get to the disputed fish by flying into the woods to the upper portion of the pond’s inlet stream. Perhaps it thought it could sneak in from the back side if the new king of the pond let his guard down.
The king wasn’t going to give an inch though. Defending his hunting spot was even more important to him than eating. He moved back and forth along the shore keeping the challenger at bay. After watching them squabble along the bank and up into the stream for almost an hour and a half they both flew up the stream and off through the woods arguing over the hunting spot that they both seemed to have forgotten about.
There has been a new bird around for the last couple of weeks. I believe it is a Solitary Sandpiper and this is the second time in the last three years I have been able to photograph one here at, or near the pond. My bird books are all older editions and they do not show my area as being within the normal breeding area for this bird so maybe I’m just lucky and have been fortunate enough to see a couple who are migrating.
Even if they are just migrating through the area they are still fun to see and photograph. Seeing new animals and plants is always a treat. They bring out the excitement that you can only get when you make a new discovery and to me the best part of spending time outdoors are the almost unending number if new things to find and learn about.
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