Snowy Saturday

View at Port Lambton towards Algonac State Park (note new security tower!)

Today was a typical weekend day with dull and dreary conditions. No chance for good photography! After yesterday's storm, I decided not to go far, so I checked out the St. Clair River to Courtright.
On the way out there, I noticed many Horned Larks on the roadway. They are in big numbers right now.
The river has finally cleared out and is flowing normally. Most of the ducks were at Sombra, with a few thousand Redhead in mid-river. Five Long-tailed Ducks were at Port Lambton. Two were males in breeding plumage. Another bunch was off LGS.

At the Sombra ferry dock, the usual wintering group of Mallards, etc. was beside the causeway. People feed the ducks here, and the water is usually open on the downstream side of the causeway all winter. There are quite a few Mallards plus a few Black Ducks. Last week a female Wood Duck was here, but I did not spot it today. Other ducks include Ring-necked (one seen standing on the ice above).

In some winters you will find a Wigeon or two here, but none are around this winter. One year, a Harlequin Duck spent a few days in this spot.

Ice piled up at the head of Fawn Island

The American Coot was still at Lambton Generating Station, and the Gadwall were just downstream. The coot was too far away to attempt to photograph.

The Sombra ferry (Daldean) is running once again after a lengthy layup due to ice.

I thought I would throw in this old photo of the Daldean stuck in ice. The date on the back is April 19, 1958. It must have been a long winter!

The Daldean was built in 1951 in Erieau for my grandfather.