The first day of Summer officially arrives on Sunday, June 21st, BUT, so does Father’s Day and I would be remiss in not giving a nod to all the fathers out there on their special day, (even if some of them are fathers with feathers and they waddle and have webbed feet).
So, I hope you like geese as you’ll see more of them next week. 🙂
Here in Southeast Michigan, just like some of you, we had a mini heat wave in mid-May, with a few days in the 90s fueling severe weather …
… and, while I wasn’t longing for Winter, (if I ever do, please feel my forehead), I sure was wishing we could just kind of ease into Spring like we used to do. All that torrential rain, not only put the kibosh on my walking regimen, but it caused the grass to grow like crazy and suddenly everything was green.
When that weather whiplash subsided, in late May/early June we had 12 days in a row of perfectly glorious weather, blue skies, coolish temps and low humidity. It was picture-perfect, so I scrambled to get outside and walk and take photos because inevitably the effects of this Super El Niño we will be having this Summer will not be great for long walks in large parks. We had a preview of such coming attractions last week when we zoomed to the 90s with “real feels” of 100F in between severe weather. If not for several torrential rains that accompanied that severe weather, our lush green grass would look brown and crispy!
Time is zooming by too fast sometimes – on June 21st we begin our slow crawl toward Winter with shorter days. Wow – it seems like just a handful of months before, I was ecstatic to get out of the house for a few Winter walks as you will see below when I rewind to February.
Finally, there was a respite from the wintry weather.
After weeks of snowy and icy roads, brutally cold temps and, having muddled through Winter with a disgruntled mindset directed toward Mother Nature, I seized the day when conditions finally improved, laced up my lug-soled boots and got out with the camera.
Having re-acquainted myself with my furry and feathered friends at Council Point Park the day before, on this Friday the 13th, I made a quick pit stop there, then devoted the rest of the morning/early afternoon to visiting two venues along the Detroit River.
Just one week before, according to several sites with weather cameras that I follow, the entire Detroit River was still iced over, so I was hopeful to get some fun ice floe photos at Dingell Park just as I did on March 13, 2025. On that day there were waterfowl gliding along while perched on ice floes that sparkled as much as the water, due to the sun’s intense rays that day. I even came home with a sunburn.
So I arrived at Dingell Park, the first stop on my mission.
My mission was my official bird count for the Great American Backyard Bird Count, something I participate in every mid-February. I did three “bird counts” over the four-day counting period, one at Bishop Park, one at Council Point Park and this one here at Dingell Park along the Detroit River.
Our Southeast Michigan weather had been all backward and topsy-turvy since our first snowfall in early November. The weather, like this pole light on the Dingell Park Boardwalk, just wasn’t right.
Even though the wind was relatively calm when I left the house, a stiff breeze was blowing.
I didn’t care so much about the breeze – I wasn’t going to tumble into the brink as there are guardrails. I was just happy to be out and about and clicking away, even though at a glance, I knew this venue’s count would not fare so well because there were just too many birds, most which were too far away or on the move.
Unbelievably, there was minimal ice near the Boardwalk, just way across the River, much farther than my camera lens could handle. Well, that was unfortunate as I could see many swans, seagulls and ducks milling about, too numerous to photograph, let alone count.
I first headed to the pavilion area, which, unlike the Boardwalk, was salted and snow-and-ice-free. I was hoping to see waterfowl near the cove-like area. Nope, nothing to see here except the frozen Detroit River, the only large area of ice nearby.
Well, I wished these geese were closer, but they had apparently strayed from the frozen area to the open waters, close enough to count, but too far away for close-up shots.
As I stepped away from the pavilion I turned around when I heard a voice … there had been no one here when I arrived a few minutes earlier. A man hurried over with a flyer in his hand. I recognized him immediately from social media and the news. His son, Tyler Bojanowski, had gone missing; he seemed to have vanished into thin air, his truck abandoned four miles away and his passport found in the pavilion area at Dingell Park a few hours later. He started to show me the flyer and I told him I knew the story and I was sorry but knew nothing of Tyler’s whereabouts. For most of the time I was out and about on this day, the Coast Guard helicopters made a constant hum in their search for Tyler. For nearly two months this story made local and national news while volunteers and search parties scoured the area looking for Tyler and finally his body was recovered on March 30th, once the ice melted, near a dock not far from Dingell Park.
I started walking over to the Boardwalk where the snow was past my ankle-high hiking boots, all of it crunchy, ice-laden and slick. The Ring-billed Seagulls were grouped on ice floes across the River. Using my binoculars I could tell there were a lot of Canvasback and Redhead (Ducks) paddling around the open waters. The many Mute Swans, while larger and easier to count sort of blended in with the ice.
Well, counting these three Mute Swans was easy-peasy, but how many ducks were lurking in the brutally cold water?
Thus, my notations for those species on my bird count are as you see below …
I saw a couple of juvenile Bald Eagles fishing from the ice and trained my binoculars on them to ensure they were indeed eagles – they were. The current was strong. Look how the water seems to appear turquoise in these shots.
I didn’t see the eagles catch any fish, but maybe there was a hole in the ice. I wanted to shout out a suggestion that standing closer to the edge of the ice might yield more fish, but that’s what their parents are for, right?
Surely there was a better place for these Canada Geese to have a snooze then on a frigid ice floe!
There were lots of Canada Geese in the water near the Boardwalk and even that species count became a challenge when a huge group suddenly took flight, spooked by something, perhaps me – it was hard to tell.
They were fitful and loud, some flying over to the ice floe near the cove, but evidently the others were hungry and didn’t go far, just plopping, one by one out of the sky and onto the Boardwalk.
There were scant patches of grass between the icy areas of snow on the Boardwalk – perhaps this delighted the geese, but for this human, the snow was crunchy, icy and dicey, so I picked my way along the Boardwalk, high-stepping over goose poop and I decided to move to the grass for easier walking, but, I was met with disapproving looks and a few pink tongues hissing at me between mouthfuls of grass, so I scooted back over to the Boardwalk. Evidently, pickin’s were slim here unless you liked nibbling grass through the snow and this human was an annoyance!
I’m sure their tender tootsies didn’t enjoy traipsing through the snow for a meager bite to eat either.
I didn’t stay long and was rewarded with better results and close-ups of Canvasbacks and Redheads, a pair of Mute Swans, plus some cooperative and photogenic Seagulls when I drove 2.5 miles (4 km.) down the road to Bishop Park. If you missed that post, you can find it here.
I am joining Terri’s Monthly Color Challenge: Evergreen and Dark Green and Pepper’s One Step at a Time.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
BRRR! 🥶 I wonder why the geese don’t fly south anymore? Surely, they would prefer milder temperatures! Was that lampost knocked askew by gale force winds? Your photos of the geese in flight are fabulous, and not blurry at all. 👌🏻 I always have trouble photographing movement.
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Thank you Debbie – that was just plain luck getting pictures of the geese plopping down one by one and also the one that took flight right over me. When they leave, it is always instantaneous and I’m not usually ready for them. I often come home missing half of the flock, especially when they’re descending. 🙂 I always thought the Canada Geese went South until I started walking at Council Point Park and saw them overwintering – it surprised me because surely there can’t be much to eat, especially during these last two brutal Winters we had. I was surprised they found patches of grass here and at Bishop Park as well. I am guessing the lamp was knocked askew from our many gusty winds we have had this last year. I never remember there being this many gusty wind events in the past. This lamp was the only one like this here, but, if you go to Elizabeth Park where they have the same type of lamp posts, it seems every other one looks like this along the Boardwalk.
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A cool post during a hot time. We had a hot day today or I should say, hot enough for me.
Great shots Linda! Those eagles were hanging about I suppose?
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Thanks Wayne! I think those eagles were trying to fish off the ice. The steel plant, which I think still runs with a skeleton crew, used to have a lot of steam from the plant that melted the ice and the eagles would sit on the ice floes and fish in the dead of Winter. This was usually in mid-February and photographers would go to Dingell Park with their long lenses and take pictures. They were quite far away from me. Brr indeed! I was going to save this post for the Dog Days of Summer, but after our recent hot and sweltering spell, I decided to go ahead and use it. Sorry you’re having a hot spell there – you and I are no fans of the humidity. We had a cold day today and I had the furnace on as it was 71 in the house when I got up and I had an A/C tune-up this afternoon, so I knew it had to get warmer in the house or I’d freeze when the tech turned down the thermostat.
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This snowy landscape is kind of refreshing after the past week of heat and humidity in my area. The shots with the turquoise river water are lovely.
That is such a sad story about Tyler – did they ever figure out what happened to him?
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I agree with you JP and originally I planned to use this post during the Dog Days of Summer, but like you, after sweltering all last week, I decided to use it now. I was surprised how turquoise the water looked that day. The Detroit River has a strong current.
Yes, Tyler’s story is sad and his disappearance came five days after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, so there was a lot of chatter around here comparing these two missing persons. Tyler, 25, had a closed head injury after a car accident in October 2025. He was hospitalized, recovered at home and had just been deemed fit to return to work and begin driving. The surveillance cameras near Dingell Park show him walking into the park, which is four miles from where his truck was found and he seemingly vanished. This was during a brutal cold spell as well. The news reports say there is a toxicology report pending – perhaps that will shed some light on what happened.
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Love the shots of the geese! You captured them perfectly!
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I am glad you liked them Kate, especially since you really like geese! I usually come home with shots missing half the geese when they are in flight, but this time I was lucky, but I was pretty close to them.
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Incredible photos of birds in flight, Linda. Thanks so much for a look back to a few months ago.
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Thank you Pepper! These were lucky shots for me of the geese in flight as they usually take off instantaneously or decide to descend in a haphazard manner and I’m not able to photograph them whole, so I come home with them missing heads, wings, or feet. I’m glad you enjoyed the look back to February. I originally intended to save this post for the Dog Days of Summer, but after the second hot spell I decided the time was right.
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In reality, I think that for most of us there’s a bit of luck involved (or clicking at the right time and right place) when it comes to birds in flight. 😉
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Yes indeed – I took so many photos of squirrels over the years and especially when it was cold and gray, the flash was slow to go off and I came home with a lot of missed shots, so I was pleased that, as cold as it was, the geese in flight came out okay.
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It’s hard to understand why the geese can just lay on the ice floe like that, Linda! I’m sure the snow and ice must bother them a little, but if they are snow geese, well, the name says it all 🙂 Sad story about Tyler. Great wings shots and fun to see the eagles!
The turquoise colors of the water are lovely. Our temps are finally warming up to mid-80s here. And threats of wildfires are buzzing in the news.
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Thanks Terri! I don’t always come home with shots of takeoffs and landings but I was surprised this time. The geese take off in a heartbeat and usually have a messy descent. I was excited seeing the eagles. For many years, a nearby steel plant had a lot of steam drifting over to the pavilion area and the eagles would come to sit on the ice floes and fish from them in the Winter. They’d stay all day, sometimes sitting up in the trees on inhabited Mud Island across from the park. Photographers came from all around to photograph them with their long lenses. The water was especially blue and clear that day. I’m sorry to hear about the wildfires for you. We had three severe weather days last week and we have two this week, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Spring weather has been as erratic as all Winter. Tyler went missing a few days after Nancy Guthrie. A lot of effort was expended by volunteers to find him and it seemed to parallel the Guthrie volunteers’ efforts. He had a car accident in October 2025 and a closed head injury. He had just been given clearance to return to work and drive again, so his parents wonder(ed) if the disappearance is related to that injury – his vehicle was abandoned and he appeared in this park some four miles away per the surveillance cameras.
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You are lucky to have seen bald eagles….I’ve never seen any although I’ve heard they are around riding the ice floes down the river. It all looks so cold compared to now, although today seems a bit chilly compared to what we have been getting.
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I did feel lucky to see the bald eagles Joni, even though they were far away from me – at this park in the Winter, the eagles come to fish from the ice floes because a nearby steel plant is still operating, though a skeleton crew, so the steam melts some of the ice so the eagles can access the water. We used to have photographers come from all over with their long lenses and tripods to take photos of them every Winter. Originally, I planned to save this post for the Dog Days of Summer, but after several heat waves already, I decided to use it. I had the furnace on briefly this morning as it was 71 in the house, but I had a tech coming for an A/C tune-up and figured he would really freeze me out so he could do his testing, so I put it on. I would like it to stay like this all Summer, but no, we have this Super El Nino. After three bouts of severe weather last week, we have more severe weather on Tuesday and Wednesday, both days with high winds, hail and possible tornadoes – I don’t understand that as it is not sickening hot this week. I despair with this weather. I’m not going to make my walking goal as I’m way behind, but that doesn’t matter right now – I just want to get past all this severe weather and to September.
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I enjoyed this icy post while sitting on my warm back porch.
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I’m happy to cool you off a little Anne. I originally was going to keep this post for the Dog Days of Summer, but after last week’s heat wave, I know others were contending with the heat and wacky weather and might enjoy a cool break. We had a lovely day today – tomorrow and Wednesday, severe weather again. I just give up!
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You won’t hear me complaining about the heat or long for snow. This past winter was brutal! A sad story about Tyler. Do they think it was suicide? I love the photos of the geese in flight!
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Ruth, we thought our Winter was never going to end didn’t we? Today was just lovely – perfect in my opinion. With all the torrential rain we’ve been having lately, your pond must be ready for your daily dip, but with the cooler temps guess you’ll have to wait a day or two for that now. I hope this severe weather isn’t too bad Tuesday and Wednesday. Thank you, I was lucky with the geese in flight – I usually cut off some of the geese in my photos as they take off so quickly.
I subscribe to “The News Herald” and have not seen any more info since his body was discovered on March 30th and the story said a toxicology report is pending. He had a vehicle accident last October and had a closed head injury, so he’d been in the hospital, then recovering at his parents’ home and just given the okay to return to work and drive again. At least finding the body gave the parents some closure.
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I agree, yesterday was perfect weather. I don’t think we have had as much rain as you have. We’ve had enough though. I as in the pond on some of the hotter days but this week with it in the 70’s I probably won’t go in. 🙂
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I don’t recall a Spring that was so rainy and/or turbulent. My weather alarm has not gone off yet which makes me happy, but I keep checking and the storm is still moving east, so I’ll hope for the best. I’m more worried for tomorrow’s weather. Yes, you may be putting off your dips this week, maybe just a toe in the water.
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I liked the series of pics where the geese fly over the fence—to get to the other side, naturally!
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Thank you Eilene! I don’t always capture them in flight as they take off instantaneously at times or descend sloppily, so this was lucky for me. This time, they shot out of the water, over the fence, plopping one by one near me and I could tell they were annoyed by my very presence. 🙂
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These photos are a little surreal at a time when our South Carolina “feels-like” temps regularly top 100!
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Oh that’s terrible weather Dave – I am no fan of heat and humidity! First, you dealt with an overabundance of snow in Colorado, now heat and humidity in South Carolina – one extreme to the next. I originally intended to use this post for the Dog Days of Summer, but after last week’s heat, humidity and dew points in the 70s here, plus multiple bouts of severe weather, I decided it was time. No wonder those Southern belles needed smelling salts and pretty fans for when they fainted from wearing those corsets, crinolines and big bonnets all Summer long.
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We moved to the South with eyes wide open. Mid-June to mid-September is rough when the humidity kicks in but you find ways to cope. Get the outside chores done early. Tackle indoor projects. Travel. It’s a small price to pay for the temperate weather of the other nine months 🙂
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I totally “get” that Dave. I am sure your horses are also appreciative of the SC weather. I am no fan of snow and ice. Cold I can deal with until it is like a Polar Vortex outside, then it becomes worrisome. Fall will always be my favorite season – usually perfect temps and beautiful colors.
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I love the pictures of the Canada geese in the air – amazing shots, Linda! (The Tyler Bojanowski story is so sad. Do they think it was an accident or do they suspect foul play? It struck me how the end of winter is a period of rebirth for most, but for this one poor man it only revealed the tragic death of his son.) I often wonder why some geese migrate while the others stick around. Back in Connecticut, there were a few who seemed to fly back and forth over us every day, headed from the creek just east of us to the river just west of us.
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Thank you Barbara! Usually the geese take off so quickly that I miss half of them, so this was lucky for me, especially since it was so cold and that makes the camera battery slower. I always figured the geese migrated but when I started walking at Council Point Park is when I noticed they stay put over the Winter. I was on a hike at the Fair Lane Estate and in a large field I saw a lot of large feathers. The geese usually start molting in June and then paddle to the River as they can’t fly away from predators with no flight feathers. They’ll be flying back by Labor Day. Yes, this Tyler Bojanowski story is sad and he went missing on February 5th, so five days after Nancy Guthrie. I mention that connection as it seemed we had our own version of an adult vanishing in the night. His vehicle was abandoned late at night and he showed up at the Detroit River on a surveillance camera near the park, then his passport was left behind at the pavilion. No other images on the surveillance camera and it was one of our brutal cold spells, so did he walk the four miles to the River and why go there and leave your passport? They had lots of volunteers and search parties every weekend, flyers up everywhere. He had a closed head injury in October 2025 from a vehicle accident, was hospitalized, then released and recovered at his parents’ home, then was just given the okay to return to his job and drive again just before this happened.
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Nice sighting of birds for the bird count. It’s always fun to spot eagles out on the ice, and the swans are beautiful.
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I was pleased to see so many birds Rebecca, especially the eagles, which is rare for me to see. I like seeing the swans and I think they like grouping together like that on the ice floes as its good protection from predators and they can huddle together.
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So many ducks! My heart breaks for Tyler’s family. We are getting the rain now. It has rained every day for the last ten days or so. We currently have a river running through our back yard.
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Yes, hard to count all those ducks Linda. We have had so much rain and are due for a lot of rain the rest of the month. I agree – it is very sad for Tyler’s family. They had already dealt with him being involved in a bad vehicle accident in October 2025 where he had a closed head injury, was hospitalized and recuperated at home and he had just returned to work and was cleared to drive again. Very sad as they don’t know how he got to Dingell Park four miles away from where his truck was abandoned and likely they will never know.
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Wow that’s so sad about that young man. I wonder what happened ☹️ it must have been devastating for his family. I don’t find as many birds, or geese fly south anymore. Maybe our weird weather 🙄
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They have no clue Susan – it was devasting to have him disappear seemingly into thin air and this happened on February 5th, just days after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. So we had local drama going on at the same time. I’m sure you’re right about our weird weather, although our wintry weather started in November last year before the leaves were even off the trees. I want the weather we grew up with. Are you traveling or home – soon you’ll be leaving for Algonquin Park.
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We are traveling home from Indonesia and a couple of days. And then we are heading up to northern Ontario with our trailer.😃
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That was a very long trip! Safe travels home. Soon you’ll be in your favorite Ontario place and can relax on your own turf while on the lookout for loons and moose!
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Yes indeed!
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