Almost every year, Marsh Warden Mike Limatola and I wait for Lake Appert to freeze solid, and then we head out on the ice and clean out the many Wood Duck nesting boxes in preparation for the following spring.

It's cold but fun, and there are often surprises along the way, including unhatched Wood Duck eggs, various feathers, and occasionally a sleeping bird or two.

This winter we thought we'd invite folks and families to join us in the fun.

The trick, of course, is that we can't really schedule the event because we don't know when the lake will be frozen.

So we plan to do the work on the first Saturday that Lake Appert is frozen solid (think ice-skating). If you would like to receive an email so you can join us for this free event, please email me at [email protected]. We'll try to give you 24 hours notice.

We'll share some hot chocolate and doughnuts afterward on the Warden's Watch or nearby.