River Pictures

Spring Thunder - 04/27/11 - Written by Mike LaDue

Rumblings of thunder drew me to my front porch, to enjoy the lightening show last evening. At 6:45 a ship was passing, going down river towards Clayton. She was well lit and appeared to be slowing down in anticipation of encountering the pending storm. A great gust of wind preceded a heavy down pour of rain and the ship all but disappeared into the pelting sheets of rain.

The lightening was limited to the upper atmosphere and I did not get to see the usual bolts striking the land mass across river. A flash would light the darkened sky above, highlighting the persistent down pour. I counted after the flash, anticipating the loud looming boom that followed; it was a count of 1/ 4,000. It is said that by counting by 1/1,000 a person can measure the approximate distance of the lightening in miles from its origin. Judging by the bright light that I witnessed above, the event was four away!

The west wind took a sudden shift and edged in from the north, sending me post haste back into the cabin. Even before I reached my front door my sneakers were soaked and the porch was awash with a stream of water. The rain splattered against the windows looking out on the River (that was no longer visible). In the stillness of comfortable surroundings I could hear the distinct sound of dripping water by my fireplace. It appears that my “professionally” installed fireplace has to have a new coating of caulk applied to the chimney on the roof.

By 7:00 PM the river came into view as the sun began to poke through the yet raining clouds. Near Kingston the horizon became apparent with streaks of sunlight nipping at the storms conclusion. It was an enjoyable event and with the lightening held high in the sky our electric remained intact. The rapidly moving system lifted the clouds enough to see Carleton Island and then Wolfe Islands shore line. I knew that a rainbow had to form soon, so I grabbed my camera and ventured out on the saturated earth.

The ship that I had lost in the canopy of rain, sat moored in a safe place, near the channel. A soft fog cast about her with suspended fluffy clouds sweeping above her hull. Indeed, a wonderful double rainbow grew over the mainland and formed a semicircle well into the dark clouds. I could feel the warmth of the sun as it overtook the skyline. Birds cheerfully sang songs of cleansing, morning doves cooed, robins chirped and chickadees flitted about with renewed vigor. I too felt the sense of a new beginning from the sweetened spring air, the flavor and smell of which is unique and remarkable on the St. Lawrence.

Mike LaDue, April 27, 2011

The first day of May showed a marked improvement in the weather…no rain! I was up and out of bed by 3 AM preparing to go listen for some “gobbling” of tom turkeys. The moonless sky was full of stars and the temperature was just above freezing. My cousin and I were in the woods and settled well before first light. It surprised me how active the song birds became, even before the first rays of light took to the sky. Songs cascaded from the dark silhouetted pines and an occasional bird flew past. All I could see was a flash of a shadow followed, by the whipping wings leaving a trail of sound.

I sat amongst some blown down beech trees over looking an open field. The sun seemed to take its sweet time in over taking the darkness and I waited impatiently. An animal appeared in the open field as if it was trying to out run a banshee! It had a yellow colored buff coat and grunted as it fled to safer ground. I have not a clue as to the identity of the animal, perhaps a coyote?

Daylight began to over take the shadows and as it did a chorus of song birds was joined by the distinct sounds of roosted toms… sounding off. I heard at least three tom turkeys near one another, sending a shrill of gobbles into the cool morning air. I can’t tell you of all of the early mornings that I have sat in silence hoping to hear just one tom! I have been an avid spring turkey hunter for forty years and how times have changed. When I started turkeys were just in the southern reaches of the state, now they are everywhere. The sound of a tom sending a distinct gobble from high in a roost is haunting, almost primeval and well worth giving up some sleep over.

 A number of hen turkeys replied with long pleading yelps, to show the boys where to find them. This all went on for a good half hour and then I heard the birds fly down from the roost. That is another sound that you never forget once you hear it. They leave the high trees with a few long wing beats, to glide to the ground with a soft thud. The hens will continue to plead for directions and the toms will only give them a short volley of gobbles to follow. You see the “boys” expect the girls to seek them out and they are very leery of those that don’t. That’s where the challenge comes in and the reason I get out of bed, well ahead of the sun in May.

Turkeys have both excellent eyesight and hearing. The slightest move or an unusual sound will cause them to vanish into thin air. There are times when it seems too easy to fool one, but most times it’s the other way around… and I’m the fool.