SWANS NESTING IN LEXINGTON
by Tony Taton

Through the years the large swans have traveled the airways to and from their wintering grounds, up and down the shore by the Lake Huron villages. Occasionally a pair, or perhaps more, will stay out from the beaches and nest and eat along the way.

This year of 2006 in early March, a male and female stopped in at the harbor of refuge in Lexington, and decided the area harbor and conditions were just right to build a nest and have their little ones. We had ice out in early March, and they built this large nest of various items: sand, gravel, reeds, feathers and whatever.

For the first time in years, the yellow-bellied perch were in the harbor in numbers, and the fishermen fished every day and watched the two large graceful birds swim, seek the vegetation of the lake and watch over the eight or nine eggs, which were in the nest. Few people were aware of the presence of the swans until a picture was placed in the local Jeffersonian newspaper. People then began to come and take pictures of the family, and come by daily to watch them.

Of course, there are always some young boys who come to harass the birds, however, they have been told not to bother them so all is well as of this third day of May.

The powers who watch over them (DNR) believe the actual hatch will take place on or about May 15th, however, we will have to watch and see if this happens on time. Having lived in the village since 1930, I believe these are the first swans to nest in this vicinity.

Down in the flats water area of Algonac and Marine City, there are areas where the swans nest each year by the hundreds.

Another visitor in our area during the winter and spring months are a pair of bald eagles. They have been seen throughout the Thumb area. During this first week of May they were seen by many golfers at Lakeview Hills Golf Course at Lexington.

Incidentally, the wild turkeys are in great amounts in the area as are groundhogs, Punxsutawney Phil, if you like.

Also the coyotes are on the rise, and there are many young hunters with dogs hunting them. I was on Brown Road and Aitken Road during the winter on a Saturday morning when I met some hunters, and they had large coyotes in their pickup and were having a cup of coffee while they waited for their dogs to return.

Having hunted and fished all of my life, I appreciate the outdoors, all that Mother Nature has gifted us with her beauty and gifts from the Maker. My bride of 54 years went out yesterday with a group of women and watched the birds and came home tired but very happy. It is good to get out and stretch your legs, breathe in the fresh air and thank the Lord for providing it for us.