I call several beaches in the Lakeshore favorites but all for different reasons. Tiesma Beach is one of them due to its seclusion and spectacular view of Empire Bluffs. It’s off an unmarked dirt road near Platte Point and has no toilets or running water. It’s also off limits to dogs beginning April 15, when Piping Plovers begin to nest. It’s where to go when you really want to be alone.
A beautiful, old barn sits at the far north edge of Grand Traverse County along US-31 North. Drivers get different perspectives depending on whether they’re headed north or south. The barn wood is weathered and shows just enough red to make it interesting. As I photographed the barn from all angles, I spotted a turkey vulture hanging out the partially boarded opening. Old barns are always full of surprises.
Located in the northern half of Benzie County, the Platte River Watershed is fourteen miles long with 90 miles of river and connecting streams. I followed it to Platte Point on a recent sunny day, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.
Last Wednesday and Thursday were sunny and dry, inviting me back outdoors again. I put many miles on my Subaru those two days traveling from Elk Rapids to TC to Kingsley and finally to the Lakeshore to take advantage of the good weather. One stop was an early morning photoshoot at East Bay Park to catch the sunrise. The clouds made for interesting pictures.
Farm country wetlands and ponds are opening up with snowmelt…a gift that seems to keep on giving. Geese, mallards, and gulls were busy preening, feeding, and gathering nesting material under yesterday’s blue skies. A pair of Trumpeter Swans overwintering in the area floated on one of the smaller ponds. Two sandhill cranes also stuck to themselves, feasting on dregs left in the corn fields.
That describes both the weather and the pictures for today’s post. I was out last week in sunshine, rain, and snow trying my new camera system in all kinds of light and with a variety of subjects. So far, I’m delighted with the results. It’s a keeper.
And so have the Sandhill Cranes. Five of them came to their regular spot to feed on the corn dregs. I tried to figure out the family units. Was the foursome the parents and last year’s twins, plus a singleton? Or did the five include the parents with one colt plus a non-breeding pair? When they joined voices in their rattling, bugle call, I left them to their feeding. So good to see they’ve safely returned.
My friends Diana and Don are both cripped up with broken ankles. She is wheelchair-bound, but he is more mobile with a walking cast. I picked him up Friday afternoon, and we headed to the Lakeshore. The weather was partly sunny, somewhat hazy, and in the low 70s, a day meant to be spent outdoors. With the car windows down, we drove between Empire and Glen Haven, telling stories and snapping pictures of the beach and dunes. And then Sunday arrived, bringing back winter. You know how March is, don’t you?
I saw two Bald Eagles in a tree near Kingsley farm country. They weren’t very active, mostly just looking around for prey. It’s always exciting, though, to see these majestic birds. No Sandhill Cranes yet.
