25 Degrees

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Last weekend started of with us still shaking off the snow and cold of previous week.  I went for short paddle.  Most of the snow was gone, but the still air and below freezing temperatures allowed ice to collect in the shallow river channels near the Crescent Islands.  I decided to push into the ice.

Paddling was not too hard.  I liked to hear the sound of the ice breaking underneath.  I was surprised that I seemed to glide along for a long time when I stopped paddling.

It was very quiet.  I cut between the two Crescent Islands out into the main channel.

There was no wind or current.  All was very still.  Just a few patches of snow were left.

I paddled upstream.  I looked for little creeks and pushed into them.  Many were choked with brush.

Given the cold weather, most of these little creeks were still iced-in.  Not much room to turn around - i'd have to paddle backward out of these creeks.

I explored for an hour.  I was getting cold playing about the icy water.  Time to head back.

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The weather continued to warm up. Christmas was coming, but it would not be a white Christmas.  I looked downstream from the dock to see the Bridge Street bridge decorated in lights.

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The temperatures have climbed over 25 degF the last few days.  The sky was mostly sunny and the winds were light.  Time to explore.

I put in at the boat launch on Oak Island. The first lock on the river was very near.

I paddled upstream.  This section of river is a little less urbanized than the stretch by our house.  It leads to the northern end Seneca Lake.

I heard the rattle-like ki-ki-ki-ki of a kingfisher.  One flew into a nearby tree and watched me.  They are active birds and do sit still very long. I was lucky to get a shot (note: it is quite a juggling act to stop paddling, pull the camera out of a vest pocket, power it on, focus and shoot while the boat is gliding across the water - I can't even come close to guessing how many times I missed a shot).

This section of the river has more duck blinds than my section.  I usually hear the pop-pop-pop sound of hunters weekend mornings during waterfowl season.

Up ahead I could see the mouth of Kendig Creek.  This was definitely worth exploring.  I turned into the creek.

I immediately came across 2 beaver lodges.  These were constructed 'bank beaver' style, being built into the bank.

They were active lodges, evidenced by the pile of twigs and branches pulled near the lodge for winter meals.

Just upstream something caught my eye . . .

A mink!  This fellow was busy grooming himself. He did not seem to be bothered by my kayak as I drifted closer and closer.  In a blink, he slipped into the water and was gone,

The creek is slow moving.  It passes under a small bridge and meanders south into farm fields.

The creek continued winding about for a distance.  I was on the lookout for more wildlife.

Fallen trees nearly blocked the creek.  I pulled up the rudder and found a slot to squeeze by.

 I continued upstream for a few minutes. I could see (and smell) a dairy farm just ahead by the West River Road bridge.  The creek was now heading into open land.  I would not expect as much wildlife,  I decided to head back.

These slow waters are nearly perfect mirrors.  I could flip the image of the shoreline upside down in my mind and not tell the difference.

As I headed upstream, I had seen V-shaped waked far ahead.  I guessed there would be quite a few muskrats about.  On my return I slowly drifted down the channel looking for them.  I was note disappointed. I saw one by the shore.

He then slipped into the creek and swam right by me.

Just then a second muskrat swam by.  I really like watching muskrats.  They are always swimming about and foraging.  Their eyesight is not too good, so you can get fairly close to them if you stay still.

Their mound-like dens are found in the cattails.  I have not seen any by the stretch of river near our home, but I am sure they are there inside the stands of cattails.

I paddled back and surprised a few mallards.

Though the numbers of duck and geese are dropping as winter progresses, There are still clusters of birds about.  As I approached Oak Island I came upon dozens of birds.  There a solitary geese . . .

. . . close groups of mallards, . . .

. . .  and hodge-podge collections of mixed species.  My mixed I don't just mean different species, but also hybrid mallard / farm duck birds!

I need to visit Oak Island again and watch the waterfowl from the shore.

The weather will stay warm for the next few days, but will slowly cool.  I will keep paddling while I can!

Black, White and Brown

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The first real snowfall hit last week.  The temperatures were favorable for snow, but not so cold as to freeze the river.  Goose prints in the snow and the honking of geese called to me.  I decided to get in a short paddle and enjoy the scenery.

I felt like an Inuit hunter dragging my boat across the snow to the river.  There was no ice by the shore, so putting the boat in was easy.

The Canadian geese are still abundant.  We can watch them from the house.  They seem to congregate for hours in front of our dock.  As they were on the far bank, they did not fly away when I put in.

There was a cold mist about.  All was still. It felt good to be outside, but I did not feel the need to paddle any direction in particular.

Besides the color of my paddle jacket (yellow) and kayak (orange), the colors were all muted.  The world was black, white and brown.

I paddled up to Sucker Brook.  I could see it was iced-in.

The ice was thick enough to stop me right away.

I paddled around.  My mind seemed to wander, and I spent a lot of time watching my boat wake and peering into the shallow water near the shoreline.

I pass these logs all the time.  This time, I paddled around them and looked into the water.  I realize that these were not some old logs which became lodged in the river bottom, but part of an old dock!

The mist turned into a light rain.  It was so light I could see it, but not hear it or feel it.  I pulled my hood up to try to keep warm, though the air temperature was just above freezing.

The geese were all about.  Sometimes they would tolerate my passing . . .

. . . and sometimes they wouldn't.

Unlike the noisy, gregarious geese, the mallards stayed together in quiet, solitary groups.

I paddled down towards town.  The Bridge Street bridge was traffic free.

I find it interesting to look at the construction of bridges when I pass under them.  I wonder how many are in good shape.  Of course looking up when it is raining is not a good idea as big drops of water drip off the bridge!

The town is also quiet.  Maybe it is the cold drizzle. . .

I paddled back home.  This statue of a warm-weather pelicanlooks a little out of place in the snow!

Try to enjoy the water . . .