Only a Birder Would Stand There Like That

Long underwear.

I came back to the apartment to put on longjohns under my jeans, and to grab my aviator-style winter hat–the one with ear flaps that clasp under my chin. Feeling better prepared for the icy winds off the lake, I went back to the marina with my binoculars and spotting scope.

Every year between late December and late February we get a lot of interesting waterfowl on the waters between Peche Island and the marinas on the Windsor side.

I’m not very good at identifying all the little divers, but I managed to make out Mute Swan, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, Canvasback, Mallard, Greater (?) Scaup. While I was peering at the water in front of the rocky shore of Peche Island, a little red fox with a white-tipped tail came out of the woods to take a drink. He walked nimbly across the rocks on little black-stocking feet.

Ring-billed Gulls filled the air on the east side of Lakeview Park Marina, while a few Bonaparte’s preferred the quiet water on the west side. Last week I spied a lone Herring Gull walking around the parking lot trying to swallow an old dried piece of fish-jerky he found on the ground.

My morning visit to the marina was an attempt to shake of the sluggishness that has weighted me down ever since Christmas. I think the lethargy is from all the carbohydrates I’ve been eating.

Each morning I’ve been lazing in bed for too long with my Sudoku puzzle book. Normally I have a cup of tea and wait for a surge of energy before doing anything. This time I decided to do something in hopes it would give me energy. It did.

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