Mute Swans

Last Saturday, I went to Holland State Park for the Lakeshore Bird Count. This is done in two one-hour segments, from 0730 to 0830 and then from 0830 to 0930. It is done periodically throughout the year, up and down the shoreline. I had never participated before so wasn't quite sure how it was done.

There was a strong, cold east wind. About 6 or 7 of us persevered, although I was absolutely no help at all. Two people had nice spotting scopes and would call out the mergansers, loons, gulls and ducks that I could barely see even as specks through my binoculars. Still, I learned how flight patterns help sort out flying waterfowl. I do see a scope in my future as birds continue to seduce me.

We stayed at the end of the pier for the first hour and then huddled behind the little brick NOAA weather station on the shore. My fingers and toes were pretty numb when 0930 finally arrived.

The highlight for me was two mute swans which came from the west and were flying low and straight east down the channel toward Lake Macatawa. As they approached and passed over, we could easily hear the lovely wild noise of their wings beating the air.