Belle Isle to start 2024

Bird of the morning:  Hooded Merganser.  I think I eBirded 78, and that may be a slight undercount.

A walk around the nature trail, now called the the Iron Belle (?) trail, was eerily quiet.  I saw one American goldfinch and a pair of mallards and heard one downy woodpecker.  This means no seen woodpeckers, no blue jays, no cardinals and no robins.  

I put a (?) following Iron Belle because I have absolutely no idea where that name comes from.  Maybe it has to do with being an industrial city park?

These signposts are new since my last visit and are spread all along the trail.  The red one on the bottom - No Bikes.  I couldn't believe, but was so happy, to see it.  Long overdue.  I'm sure people will still sneak their bikes on, but at least now something can be said.  I have had so many close shaves with cyclists on the trail.  Looking up with bins and suddenly hear, "ON YOUR LEFT; ON YOUR LEFT".  That kind of shouting really startles.  All those bike lanes all around the park and they had to ride on the nature trail.  No more - at least not legally.

Belle Isle has been under construction since at least 2017.  As I watched the birds and other wildlife disappear, I was highly critical.  However, it appears that they have enlarged wildlife habitat and it seems that much of it will be inaccessible to the casual visitor.  That's a good change.  Hopefully the birds and other wildlife will return. 

During my last visit the muddy area beyond the yellow pole (another addition to the entrances of the nature trail) was full of construction debris.  It has all been removed and is now neatly plowed over.

This piece remained behind hidden in the grass at the edge of the trail.  I thought there could be a good chance it would remain there for the rest of its natural life.  I tested the weight and found that it was not too heavy.  So I pulled it out of the grass and dragged it to lean against a nearby utility pole.  Will see if it's still there when I next visit.  I think it will be.

Mallards

This might be the beaver den.  I have never seen it look like this but I can't think what else it could be.

The second bridge is gone.

The main bridge is unchanged.

Blue Jay

Canada Geese in the softball fields.

Hooded merganser is such an attractive bird.

The starlings were driving into the trash can and popping out again.

Above and below: Ring-billed gull

Female hooded merg.

The botanical gardens glasshouse is completely covered with some kind of protective scaffolding.  It appears to be more for protection - perhaps for cleaning and repair.  This will be beautiful when completed.

I drove all around the park and, for the first time since 2017, I did not see one piece of earth-moving or other construction machinery.  With the car race now run elsewhere for the first time is so many years we may finally have our jewel of a park returned to visitors.  On this cold January morning there were quite a few visitors.  A great place to get outdoors on New Year's Day.