Ten days have raced by since snow blanked Oakland County, and the mercury plunged to ten degrees below zero. Spring has accelerated her annual duel with winter, and no matter how long it takes, spring always wins. The sights, signs, and sounds of nature’s way in February’s last days are everywhere.
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The Bald Eagle is in a word, majestic. When it’s seen in flight against a clear blue sky in a pristine wilderness setting, the image is stunning. One need not travel to the wilds of Alaska or the rugged lakeshores of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to encounter bald eagles; more than a few winter right here in our midst.
Sightings of bald eagles in Oakland County are no longer rare events, and they are not restricted to the “wilder side” of our county. Close encounters may even occur in highly developed areas with significant human intrusion. During the winter months in northern climates, it’s all about available food. Where the food is, the eagles are. The favorite food of the bald eagle is fish, and that takes us to nearby Monroe County, home of one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the nation.
The Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail presents a seven mile, nature-embracing, Oakland County stretch that takes paddlers from Holly to Fenton through woodlands, meadows, and farmlands. Nearby, Great Blue Heron’s stalk their prey, around sunning turtles and over very small rapids. Paddlers also have the pulse-raising excitement of slipping over a small beaver dam, passing through large culverts that go under an active railway, and perhaps spying a passing Bald Eagle. Continue reading
