As we move closer to the spring equinox this Saturday, March 20th, here are some wintertime photos to enjoy from the Lake as well as some of early signs of spring!
It was a beautiful winter at Lake Wingra. The weather was great for ice skating. Here, an early December sunset provided the perfect setting for enjoying ice skating on the lagoon at Vilas Park, especially with smooth and glossy ice conditions like this!For wintertime wetland views of muskrat dens like this, the conditions were great for walking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing on Lake Wingra. New this winter, there were snowshoes available at Vilas Park (along with the usual figure and hockey skate rentals).Here’s a photo taken along Vilas Park Drive before the Shared Streets program ended on December 21, 2020, the winter solstice. The Lake Wingra shoreline blossomed with early wintertime activity after the first snow. For a short period of time, after the lagoon froze and before it snowed again, people skated on the eastern portion of the lagoon near Henry Vilas Zoo. See if you can spot the skating marks!Morning frost in February along Vilas Park Drive.A welcome sign of spring: sun-dappled ripples on the Lake. On March 9th, after several days of warm spring-like weather, the ice across the lake began to recede.Only to return overnight!
Keep your eyes and ears open for further signs of spring around the Lake. There are many opportunities now for spotting and hearing the sandhill cranes and red-winged blackbirds, especially around the wetlands area near Edgewood. This is a favorite spot for the male red-winged blackbirds to stake out their mating territories. Let us know what you see and hear around Lake Wingra!
