A Big Meeting On Seneca Lake

Well sort of - but it wasn't about fracking, or lp gas storage or hydrilla or other invasive species entering the lake. It wasn't about the fish or the depth of the water.

No, this was a huge meeting of birds and ducks. A raft of ducks that had to number close to five hundred mixed with a smaller number of geese, loons and seagulls. Lots of diving, feeding, squawking, short bursts of flight, pushing and pulling. I couldn't help but be reminded of the US Congress as I watched this somewhat organized but bickering group. The ducks were a mixed bunch and the largest group looking a lot like the House of Representatives. Diving and swimming in circles here and there. They were making the most noise and fighting and back biting broke out now and then. The Loons were fewer in number, maybe eight at the most. They seemed to represent an independent streak and are therefore aptly named I guess. They stuck together, went about their business and sometimes dove for minutes on end, seemingly to get away from a particular group of ducks. When they returned to the surface, it was always among some new and different group, trying to negotiate with someone else. The Geese numbered between 50 and 60 and were a good representation of the Senate. Noisy and proud, for the most part they stuck together. There were a few who were prominently noisier then the rest, trying to turn the others around. The last group were the Seagulls, flying low overhead, diving for food and dropping some along the way. Lobbyists I suppose.

It was fascinating to watch with all of that in mind. In the end, they made a lot of noise, caused a ruckus, got themselves well fed but otherwise didn't seem to get a lot done.

But there was something else that was quite unusual. As I looked out beyond the ducks, perhaps 100' from shore, there was a glimmer that cut across the lake. It looked odd. I grabbed my binoculars to see if I could make out what I thought I saw. There it was, a thin coat of ice across Seneca Lake almost entirely to the other side. Now for those of you who don't know Seneca, you're probably wondering "what's the big deal?". Well Seneca Lake doesn't freeze very often. Hardly ever for that matter.

February of 1912 is the last time Seneca Lake froze over its entire surface according to an article from the Finger Lakes Times. Seneca is one of the longest of the Finger Lakes at 38 miles. Its surface covers about 66 square miles and in many places, including in front of my house, the depth is well over 600'. Areas along the shore sometimes freeze but not the main surface of the lake. Winds from all directions keep the surface moving which discourages a surface freeze. There are four recorded histories of an entire freeze: 1855, 1875, 1885 and 1912. There have been some other freezes of portions of the lake at the north and south ends.

So what I saw was a pretty big deal for me. This morning's temperature was -4 or -5 degrees and the lake was completely still. All of this allowed for the beginning of the freeze that I saw. Things that happen seldom, seem to be more beautiful and more important then everyday occurances, and this was certainly one of those instances. I couldn't take my eyes off the shine of the light film of ice. And there on the edge were my 500 or so ducks and birds, still diving, making noise and breaking up the edges of the forming ice. I'll look again tomorrow and as I do with Congress, hope for something good and beautiful.