Outdoor Adventures with Gary Lee - Vol. 292
Some folks got more snow than others when the lake effect snow came across the state. It had a bead in the Utica- Rome area and to the south of there where many received up to three feet of snow. Locally we only got about six inches from that storm. With the snow we got a couple of days before there was about a foot of powder on the ground which made good x-country skiing. Many of the local x-country trails are groomed both in Inlet at Fern Park and Old Forge at McCauley Mountain. The downhill trails are open using just the T-bar for access to the top and rope tows for other runs. The new chair lift is not yet open, but they hope to have it open soon. New this year at the mountain you can walk to the top with skins on your skis, take off the skins and ski back down. This is popular at other mountains in the Adirondacks and out west.
The Inlet Golf Course property is not open to X-country skiing as it was explained as being open in the In the Snow paper. It was not open last year either.
There were three iced-in Loons rescued from Paradox Lake, two on Christmas Eve and one the day after Christmas. At Paradox there were three Loons in one hole and a single Loon in another spot. Two iced-in Loons were also found in Brant Lake at the same time. One of those was seen taking off out the hole in the ice and getting airborne while it was being watched and the next day the other Loon had also gotten out, so they did not need to be rescued. A team from the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation in a news release by Denise Silfee ACLC Education and Communication Director explains the rescues. Dr. Nina Schoch ACLC Director of Conservation and Science, volunteers Dell Jeffery, Joe Poliquin, Glen and Malinda Chapman, Gene Ohman-Leone, and Cal George with Ellie George photographing the rescues when they caught three. On Christmas Eve at the first hole on Paradox Lake where there were now just two Loons as one had gotten out and flown away. Three rescuers put on Gumby suits as the ice was not very thick around these iced-in Loons. They took out a jon boat and put that in the open hole, deployed a gill net across the hole and caught one of the three the first day in that hole. They moved to the second hole which was smaller and caught a second Loon. These Loons were taken to Lake Champlain, banded, blood and feathers taken and released by the Essex Ferry Dock.
Then on the day after Christmas the team went back to Paradox where one Loon remained iced in. They again deployed the gill net across the hole and caught the Loon, another juvenile. They processed this Loon and again took it to the open waters of Lake Champlain.
Dr. Nina Schoch explains that these rescued Loons may live thirty to forty years and produce many young to the population which they would not have if not saved by the team and released in open water. They will migrate to the ocean and live there three to four years before returning to an area lake mate on a territory and hopefully have young.
With climate change, many Loons, even adults, have not been able to predict the weather and stay too long in these area lakes and get frozen in. So, saving them gives them another chance at life and adds to some valuable information by taking blood and feather samples, plus they are banded, and they can be identified in the future when they return.
Some wanted to see my wig at the Christmas party, so my daughter sent me a picture of my orange hair.
The Christmas tree has been put out by the bird feeders as protection and a place for the little birds to hide from predators. I have not seen a hawk or Northern Shrike, but I am sure there are some in the area.
The over forty nutcrackers who had taken up posts throughout the house through the Christmas season have been wrapped in bubble wrap and put to rest in their plastic bins for another year. The Advent Calendar and nativity pieces have also been packed away in the closet. The pretty cat painting is back on the wall greeting all that come through the door. Hope you all have a great New Year!
Even with all the freezing weather there are still some dangerous places on the lakes so make sure before you go out on them but that’s another story. See ya.
Photo above: Crating Loon - Joe, Nina, and Dell by Ellie George
