4/26/20 – The ice is clocking in at 23″ from top to bottom this morning, but all of it is not frozen. There are three distinct layers of ice separated by 2-3″ pockets of water. Each day the open water near the mouth of Sawbill Creek creeps a little closer to the canoe landing, so we are certainly making progress toward ice out.

This time of year I always haul around my binoculars in the off chance I see a critter out on the ice, or an unknown bird flitting about. This morning it payed off as I was happy to find three male hooded mergansers and one female soaking up the morning sun. Also of note, I heard my first loon call of the season. If I had to guess I would say it was hanging out on a small pond on the west side of Sawbill lake where water flowing in from Alton lake keeps things free of ice. -Jessica