Even though last week was consistently warmer than the weeks before, it still took a long time to turn the lakefront from ice to water. Some smaller bodies of water are still frozen, but Lake Michigan, at least on the Chicago shore, is now open to ducks. However, as soon as they leave, if not before — although I’m sure the presence of ducks is not the trigger for this event — the yacht club will start putting out the buoys for the boats.
Below is a little photographic ice check timeline.
Of course the light was great on the days when there was not much to photograph but ice.
And even as the ice seemed to be melting steadily all week, on Friday the 13th, as luck would have it, the ice was right up to the shoreline again. I suspect that all the ice that was farther out had floated in to the harbor.
After the warming weekend, though, ducks were beginning to show up close enough to look at, even if the light wasn’t so wonderful.
And Ring-Billed Gulls have started coming back in droves.
By the middle of the week there were some more ducks in the harbor.
I’ve taken better photos of Red-Breasted Mergansers but I like these guys so much I can’t resist posting this one anyway. After all, I’ve likely never taken his picture before.
The Ring-Billed Gulls are getting ready for the tourist season.
And on land the only newcomer I saw last week was a Common Grackle, but all returns are welcome.
I haven’t been able to get out every day this week but I’ll continue to go when I can and I look forward to documenting whatever arrives..