A Rare Sight - Seldom Seen - Watershed #19

This past weekend a group of us took a hike along the western shore of Lake Michigan north of the Gardens at Waters East.  Not a warm day – for sure 20F that is (-6.6C)!  However it was forecasted as the warmest day that will be here for the next week.  Thus it was now or never to check out the rumors regarding the sightings of two very seldom seen ducks in this area.

Hiking along the rock face escarpment walls that drop straight down into the cold waters of Lake Michigan, we found a number of arctic ducks that are here feeding.  For them, this is their winter break to the warm sunny South!  Coming from the Arctic, this must seem to them like it does for me when I go south to Florida to find the “good life” during winter.

Fellow Bird-watchers for the Day

The Long-tailed Duck lives and breeds in the Arctic but flies South during the winter.  The vast majority of these ducks winter in the Baltic Sea area but can also be found along both US coasts.  They are the deepest diving ducks in the world, reaching depths of 200 feet.  An interesting fact is that, unlike many other ducks that use their feet, the Long-tailed Duck uses its wings to propel and move under water.

photo above from web archives

Notice the bird-watcher on the bluff of ice

gives an idea of the height

A second rare duck we spotted was the White-winged Scoter.  It too is an Arctic duck that has made its way here for some “warm season” feeding.  The interesting aspect about this duck is the shape of its bill.  Notice the hump at its base.

photo above from web archive - showing the unique bill formation

There were plenty of other duck spotted along the shore cliffs such as the Greater Scaup and Goldeneye, but to find the very rare Long-tailed Duck and the White-winged Scoter made it a day well worth the cold hike.

 Your's truly - on a cold bird watcher's day

 Long-tail in flight

Note of Interest:

Every photo, repeat, every photo posted on this Blog has been and will continue to be only photos taken on the property of Gardens at Waters East.

The exception will be those posted in this series – Watershed.  For important facts, details, and an overview of the watershed, refer to the posting of July 2, 2011 and the many other “Watershed” postings that follow.  The information there will place all the photos in this special series in a proper context.

 The Watershed - Gardens at Waters East

Clouds - What do you see?

There are times when “looking up” rivals the beauty of “looking down” while walking the garden paths here on the shores of Lake Michigan in the Gardens at Waters East.  The forms, textures, colors, moods of the many and varied clouds moving overhead creates a beauty that for the most part only last moments – then changes – then vanishes – then becomes new again.

Remember as a child lying down on the soft grass and looking up at all those clouds  passing overhead?  Your mind was young and free and full of creativity.  It was so easy to imagine that the clouds were shaped like animals, birds or even looked like people you knew.  The clouds stimulated creativity, imagination, even dreams.

Well the clouds are still here, though different than all those from years ago.  They can and will make your mind dream and wonder like a child once again – just look up.  So many moods, so many forms, so much to see.

Here are two dozen photos taken over the year of the clouds floating above the gardens.

Dream on – enjoy.

 Cold January 7, 2014 Sunrise

-17F  that is  -27.2 C

 August Afternoon

Portholes from Ferry Boat

 June - mid day

 July - Storm Forming

 Evening Iris

 February Sunset

Looking East over Lake Michigan

 August Storm

passing overhead

 Do you see what I see?

 Pink Clouds

evening

January

evening clouds

 Clouds

with red Autumn Engleman Ivy

 Looking East

Lake Michigan

October Afternoon

June Sunset

looking East

 January Sky

 A bright sunny day

 What do you see in these clouds?

 July Sunset

 October Morning

 Cloud Patterns

Hole in the Clouds

 September Clouds

 Love Over the Fence

celebrating the clouds

 January Snow

 Sunset

May 25, 2013

Plus One More

Sunset Colors

NOTE:   Since this Blog is meant to be an accurate journal of the gardens;

no photos are “staged”, “arranged”, or ”photo-shopped” in anyway.

What is posted – is what it here.  It is what it is.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden

please do that through this Blog site or with an email to:

www.gardensatwaterseast@Yahoo.com

Want a "Quickie" Today 2.19.14

(All “Quickies” are photos taken and posted the same day)

These photos were taken this morning at the Gardens at Waters East. - - 2.19.14

Notice all the wonderful patterns formed by the snow on plants, sculptures, and stone.   - - -   A feast for the eyes in design.

This is a day between storms.  Lots of snow on the way.  So it is nice to see the sun and feel the warmth.  Take a walk with me around the gardens.

Enjoy

NOTE:   Since this Blog is meant to be an accurate journal of the gardens;

no photos are “staged”, “arranged”, or ”photo-shopped” in anyway.

What is posted – is what it here.  It is what it is.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden

please do that through this Blog site or with an email to:

www.gardensatwaterseast@Yahoo.com

Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design plus the special “Golden Principle of Design” used throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010 and May 2, 2011.

Sturgeon Bay Canal Preserve - Watershed #18

This posting shows photos of one of the newest nature preserves in the area.  It is located along the Sturgeon Bay shipping canal about 25 miles north of the Gardens at Waters East.  It was a very cold day for walking in the forest, yet that was the day to see the Winter beauty of this preserve.  This watershed nature preserve is all part of the same watershed which cradles the Gardens at Waters East.  To learn more about the watershed – check out any of the series titled “Watershed” in the archives. Lots of interesting facts and photos.

Enjoy your hike.

 Overview of the Watershed for Gardens at Waters East

NOTE:   All photos use in this posting were taken within the Watershed land and water area of

Gardens at Waters East

NOTE:   For a basic understanding of “watershed” – check out the archives beginning with the first posting on this topic dated – July 2, 2011 and the many subsequent postings in that series.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden

please do that through this Blog site or with an email to:

www.gardensatwaterseast@Yahoo.com