With the ice out, the lake is now starting to get back into Summer mode. The water is still ice cold, well it might be up to 40 degrees but many birds have come to enjoy the lake. Loons are back, and ducks are swimming around. Some of the shore birds are here and the eagles are here but there is no word on whether they are nesting yet.
Below is a picture of East Bay and part of Mink Island. No green leaves yet but they really don’t come out until the middle of May.
I believe that this is the male eagle sitting in the old nest tree.
Below is a song sparrow and there seem to be quite a few along the shores. They sing a variation of “quick, quick Madge, bring me the rain check quick”. They always seem quite cheery.
Below are the common mergansers. The males are very hansom with their black heads and white bodies. The females are drag so they can hide when they sit on their eggs. By mid may, the males have left the lake so summer residents often don’t ever see them.
Along the west shore of Stamp Act, a rock is out of water that is barely covered at the summer water levels. In the distance is Gunstock Ski area, still with snow but no skiing for the last three weeks or so. On the last day that they were open, it was beautiful snow, sunny and warm.
Below are little bugs that seem to congregate where water comes into the lake. Even little streams seem to attract them. They are quite active and are probably a kind of mayfly.
And finally, as a note, when you now drive into Wolfeboro from the south, a sign says something like: If you are coming to Wolfeboro to stay, please self quarantine yourselves for 14 days.
Also, the governor has said that there are to be no AirBNB rentals for other than people in the area who need to self quarantine or are escaping from family violence. Times are different. Damn virus…….