With all the rain we’ve had, the vernal ponds and marshes are waterlogged, making them a perfect habitat for nesting geese and ducks. But what I enjoy most when I drive next to these roadside wetlands is the sound of spring peepers. It’s hard to believe a chorus of one-inch frogs could make these loud, high-pitched songs. Listen up.
I was out Monday afternoon, hoping to take pictures of hawks in flight, when an unexpected snow squall kicked up, bringing whiteout conditions. The wind was so strong that waves on this vernal pool bounced around a pair of buffleheads. The best I got was a seagull in flight.
The sun came out yesterday afternoon, and I went looking for more of those sweet early spring flowers I’d seen at the Lakeshore. The snow was mostly gone, and vernal ponds and wetlands were saturated from the heavy rains and snowmelt. I saw a flock of fifteen sandhill cranes and caught a ruffed grouse high in a tree. No flowers, though. The closest I got was the hint of green in some of the fields.
When I went to the Lakeshore last week, I saw three beautiful red barns on the back roads I didn’t photograph. I decided to return to get them on Monday, or maybe it was just an excuse to return to the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan at Empire Beach. As I left the village, I spotted a yard full of tiny yellow flowers. Wow! Real, blooming flowers! They were such a welcome sight before today’s wintry ick returned.
These raptors are monogamous and mate for life. I’d never seen a pair together before. The female is the larger of the birds. I knew they’d be flighty, and it only took seconds before the male took to the air, but it gave me a good look at its beautiful red tail.
