"Ice cube" in the bay. Cocktails anyone? coldh2o?

10 minutes after I took this photo this "ice cube" broke up and wash to the shore. Notice the white caps in the photo and the "reddish" color of the water. It is common for the bay to turn red from the spring thaw run off of the red clay in this area.

Contrary to the foreground...it is ice out 2008.

We were away this past weekend so we missed the ice out event. Reports from knowledgeable sources (friends) tell us that this years official date was April 26, 2008.

Great Blue Heron. Short Bridge.

The weekend project continues......

Song Birds at Long Bridge.

Raptors over Long Bridge / Head of the Bay.

Immature Bald Eagle.


Immature Bald Eagle.


Immature Bald Eagle.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Adult male.


Northern Harrier. Juvenile.

Scaup.

Lesser Scaup would be my "slightly" educated guess. Adult breeding male.


Two adult breeding males and a single adult breeding female.


Sleeping position.

Baywatch!

Here we are April 23, 2008 and the ice is still in the bay. At least 2 days late. It's usually out by April 21.


There is some open water which is a welcome site.


Push ice as it's called in these parts.


Push ice is a common sight at this time of the year near Westend beach. As the ice breaks up in the bay it moves in and out depending on the wind direction. If the wind is from the north, northeast it pushes the ice to the south shore of the bay where it piles up.

First long bike ride of 2008. Boy did it feel great.

A new section of the bike path has been finished. This new section is in front of the "Round House Well" It's great! With this section completed it leaves only the section in front of the Chequamegon Hotel undone. Hopefully this last section will be completed during the summer construction season. I took these photos with my cellphone camera.



With the new section there is also a new bridge.

This first ride was a slight milestone for me. This past October I had heart surgery. For several months I have looked forward to getting out on my mountain bike yet I worried about how long it would take to be able to manage the 10+ mile rides. Well today it was 11.5 miles along the Ashland City bike path and it felt great. I will have to see how my butt feels tommorrow. Slightly sore I would guess.

Some more Spring highlights.

What a great day in the northwoods. Sunny and warm with a slightly cool breeze from the West. What a difference 11 days make. Eleven days ago we had a major winter storm that closed schools. Today all the snow is gone and it really feels like Spring.

A trip to the lumber yard.

My "buddy" and I went to the lumberyard today. While there he decided to get on the forklift to "move" some lumber to help out the yard crews. I was glad to have my cellphone camera along to capture the moment.

It's official Dave finished the 2008 Boston Marathon

Congratulations Dave. Single click on the photo for larger version.



Dave(L). Training photo.

No ice out yet this year.

There are squirrels..... then there are Red Squirrels.

This guy has been hanging out in our backyard and my workshop this winter. Red Squirrels are pests they chew holes in walls and generally just make pests of themselves.

In this photo he / she has just arrived at it's "new" summer home compliments of Havahart and a short road trip compliments of yours truly.

The yard was ok the workshop however bought this guy the ticket.

Still a great 2 wheel ride some 30 years later.

This little red two wheeler has been the first two wheeler for over a dozen kids over the last 30 years. Scott was the first. Today it made it's way to the Black Cat. Good job Ella.

2008 Sandhill Crane Count.

Today was the annual Sandhill Crane count. My wife and I spent two hours at the same location we watched last year. This years the count was Sandhill Cranes (0)(2007 was 2), Turkeys (3), Deer (6), Sea Gulls (10+), Crows (6). The local land owner did stop by and report that he had seen five Sandhills in the field two days earlier.



Three turkeys and whitetail deer.


Turkeys on the march.


Turkeys.


Turkey tracks.


Five deer at the back of the "watch" field.