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Long January weekend

johngregsite Posted on by

sam_17011412090489zEarlier this month we had accumulated about thirty inches of snow. This past week we had 40F-50F degrees with rain. The snow is now compacted and very icy in spots.

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The pile of snow at the end of the driveway at its peak


The snow mobiles have carved out a trail around the bog as is usual but the number of vehicles has been constrained by the trail to the nearby pond being blocked due to a housing development in progress.

There are numerous tracks from the deer living in the local woods.

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Roadside detritus following a storm


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More deer tracks

MI bird count addenda

johngregsite Posted on by

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D81_4722_zxThe most recent official Audubon bird count was conducted on Mason Isl. on Saturday, Dec. 31 according to a Yacht Club news item.
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While they reported seeing 51 different species, they did not report seeing gadwall ducks, which I am identifying from my photos on the left here. By coincidence, these photos and my previous ones showing the heron, were taken on the same day as the bird count.
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This pair of birds (shown departing the Poggy Bay marsh to the south) is shown after gaining some height and right after take-off. While they could be identified as scoters, I think their gray coloring and white bellies match the gadwall descriptions.

The thirty minutes we spent looking out over Poggy Bay that day turned into a personal bird count event. After the gadwalls departed, a squadron of hooded mergansers cruised down the bay and landed on the Poggy Bay marsh channel right in front of us (third image).

Then we thought we saw an ospry but we now say it is a turkey vulture (see below left).