Green-winged Teal with Northern Shovelers in the surf of the Great Salt Lake – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
I came across this photo of a Green-winged Teal with Northern Shovelers in the surf of the Great Salt Lake that I took in December of 2011 yesterday. It was a punch in the gut.
I have excellent memory skills. I can recall each and every time I spot a bird, who I pointed them out to, where they were, and what they were doing. The day I photographed these ducks in the surf of the Great Salt Lake it was icy cold and very windy and the wind had whipped up waves on the lake.
This location is several miles west of the entrance to Antelope Island State Park and several miles east of the island. This image was taken at about the halfway point of the 7 mile causeway when there was enough water in the lake to have waves and surf when the north wind blew in.
You might wonder why I felt like I had been gut punched when I viewed this photo of the ducks in the surf yesterday.
It is because there hasn’t been enough water at this location on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake in years for waves to form. From this spot it might be a mile, two miles, or more before there is sufficient water for even a tiny wave to form in a cold north wind now.
I don’t see ducks in this spot any more and we may never see them there again unless we protect the Great Salt Lake.
Will we though? Will we save this global treasure? That remains to be seen.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Green-winged Teal photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to see more of my Northern Shoveler photos plus facts and information about this species.
What will we protect? We do our small bit though little is in our personal control. I hope we protect not only the lake but the our blue planet as well. I remember the winter when the lake flooded and Salt Air was barely accessible, oh so many years ago. 30 years ago??? Maybe more. Thank you for your
photos and the comments.
I was there at Antelope Island last month and there was NO water in the marina at the end of the causeway !! NONE!!! I couldn’t believe the change I am seeing year to year when I visit !!
Aaaargh.
October was looking good but now we are back in the higher temps and drier again! I loved riding my bike along the causeway those years, but I only did October through February otherwise the bugs are bad, I look like I have a bug coat with all the midges and brine flies that can stick to me other times.
We should be doing our utmost to practice water conservation. Every drop precious.
I notice you didn’t add your “Life is good” which I’m guessing is an indication that your are thoroughly ticked at the state of the Great Salt Lake. And so you should be. That is only 10 years that it has gone from enough water to form waves to so little water. That is not a long time at all.