Elk Rapids Almanac
Elk Rapids Almanac, March 2026
What is in a name?
March - Named for Mars, the Roman God of War, historically marked the beginning of farming and military campaign seasons; the phrase “mad as a March Hare” refers to the enthusiastic mating rituals during spring breeding season; “the Ides of March” was made famous by Wiliam Shakespeare, associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar, March 15, 44 BC, who was forewarned but continued to a senate meeting, where he was stabbed by 60 coconspirators.
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March 4 - Lead poisoning is a leading cause of illness and death in Bald Eagles. Most cases occur when eagles feed on carcasses or gut piles containing fragments of lead ammunition. Even tiny pieces can cause severe toxicity, affecting the nervous system and often leading to death without treatment. At the Skegemog Raptor Center, we are currently caring for a Bald Eagle with severe lead poisoning. After initial treatment, his lead levels have dropped significantly, but his prognosis remains very guarded and recovery is uncertain. This is preventable. We encourage hunters to switch to non-lead ammunition, such as copper, to help protect wildlife. Learn more at Skegemograptorcenter.org and visit sportingleadfree.org for safe hunting practices. [email protected] 
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March 14 - This is a good time of year to cut back your large ornamental grasses, before they start to grow in mid spring. After cutting down, to about six inches for the larger grasses, clean out the center area which helps keep them from crowning out. The new growth will be free of any old debris, and your grass will remain full and beautiful for years to come! - Linda Veliquette, Pine Hill Nursery
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March 15 - Our bird feeders are directly outside of our kitchen window and recently we have had a bunch of flocking birds because of the weather. In this picture, there are doves, common finches, red wing blackbirds, Pine Siskin, starlings, and grackles. We also have a pair of cardinals that frequent our feeders, not caught in this photo. We may be confusing the Pine Siskin with the female House Finch, as we see male House Finches all the time.
- Blaine Campbell
- Blaine Campbell
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March 18 - We saw a more than average ice buildup in the harbor this winter, had the de-icers (bubblers) running from the last week of December to the first week into March, then turned 5 of them back on during the weekend blizzard. During my time here in Elk Rapids, it was probably the coldest December I've experienced at the Harbor. Around the 26th of December we experienced the first real hard freeze of ice that ended up staying with us throughout the winter. I think January and February were normal/average temps and snow fall for us. This past week brought a blizzard of two and half feet of snow and near impossible travel conditions. The high winds from the blizzard, predominantly out of the North/North West, pushed in a ton of broken plate ice from the open lake, which packed into the harbor and completely refroze into a type of ice called brash ice.
Animal observations: I didn't see the bald eagles as much this winter as in the past. We had some merganser ducks, bufflehead ducks and about a dozen geese return last week, before the blizzard. Throughout the summer of 2025, I have never seen so many salmon caught and landed by fisherman in the East Bay area. There was the usual abundant amount of Lake Trout caught as well. Overall, it was an incredible season for fishermen. Predictions for 2026: The current lake level (long term average) is 11" below normal. The levels of Lake Michigan will continue to rise as we experience warmer temps with the combination of snow melting and rain. Last season, in 2025, we were about 4-7" below long-term average. The projected level this coming season indicates that we will remain below long-term average and lower than the 4-7" of 2025. US Army Corps in Detroit projects 11-12" below the long-term average for 2026. There is no indication or projection of a major rise in lake levels for this season. - Mike Singleton, Harbormaster |
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