Johnny Panther Quests. Ecotours

for those waiting for higher water to go Johnny Panthering on one of my boat tours. The elevated water won't last for long. Marathon trips from Saginaw to St. Charles should be possible for the next few days as we have finally gotten some rain. I have a mid-day trip pencilled in for tomorrow, and hope to get out and rip 'n tear after that. My tour last weekend required a little effort to reach the Bad River, which was kind of refreshing actually. We live for this stuff!

It is always nice to head out on my own and get back to my roots with some true Johnny Panthering. We have had many awesome boat tours lately, but going it on my own allows me to really relax and recharge my batteries. As I zoomed out of Saginaw, a several immature bald eagles took flight above me, then flew parallel to my course. I watched as they playing in flight tag, grappling and rolling through the sky. It was awesome to watch their talons dropped down, as if doing a mock dog fight.
I also had a pair of osprey performing their own little ballet high above me.

Earlier in the day as we returned from a tour, we watched a boat being towed out of the refuge. He apparently had hit one of the submerged "boat eaters". I learn something EVERY time I go out, and I have been doing it for forty years! I am still amazed at the disappearing act the deadheads can do. I know where many of them are, but sometimes you see them, and sometimes you don't. I often brag about how I can find my way around out there at 2am with no moon, but it's really scary. People ask how I do it, and I say, "by brail!"

I always try to be diligent and careful when guiding my clients through the Shiawassee Flats about thirty minutes from Frankenmuth and Birch Run. I took a couple of guests on a "mini-marathon" trip through the Shiawassee National wildlife Refuge and State Game Area. We spotted a large number of great egrets wading in the "wide part". I had to push the boat nearly a half mile to get to the Bad River because the water was so low. It is scary to think how low it will be when they close the flood gates to flood the Flooded Woods.

I encountered a new concern yesterday as we pushed our way up the Shiawassee Cut-off. We had to be careful an immature bald eagle didn't poop on us! We actually pushed right underneath him, within thirty feet. It was incredible! Passing beneath any large bird is not without it's perils, excrement being one of them. We had an awesome trip which was very surreal. The only negative was we needed to head back so I could guide my next tour.

and twenty-seven deer total as I head out of the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. I snuck up over the river bank and watch as the herd move slowly through a farm field. The bucks were in velvet, and a couple of the racks were note worthy. It was amazing to see the different shades of their fur, some light tan, while others were very dark.

I went back out after my afternoon boat tour to try and spot some beaver, and relearn the channel into one of the cuts. Unfortunately, I struck out on the beaver sightings, but it was nice to wade and poke around the delta at the mouth of the cut. I stayed until the rains came, and was please to watch the beginning of the migrations. Some of the flocks of birds created their own wind.

I did a couple of boat tours through the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge with some "students" of SVSU's lifelong learning group. The weather was perfect, and the scenery awesome. Along with bucks in velvet (one of them definitely a trophy rack), we spotted an immature black- crowned night-heron. It was unbelievable how well he camoflauged with the shoreline as he stalked.

Some of my guests had some interesting and enlightening stories of growing up in and around the Shiawassee flats. They reminded me of how blessed I am to be able to show of my playground, and pursue my dream.

This is a really bad picture of some really bad news (for unaware boaters) of some of the piers and pilings that lie just below the surface of the Shiawassee River just below Saginaw. This picture was taken several years ago, please see "water too low, waves too high" post for a recap of that once in a lifetime tour!

A much calmer day, upstream from the previous picture, on the Cass River,which flows from Frankenmuth and points beyond in the Thumb.