Fish Heads

Yesterday's trip to Magee Marsh proved to be wonderful for bird-watching, and the nearby shores of Lake Erie didn't disappoint in the dead fish department, either. Not only had there been a recent mass die-off of alewives (their dry carcasses and skeletons littered the beach, and were almost as numerous as the zebra mussels), there were also several dozen large fish that had washed up (or were in the process of washing up) onto the sand. Quite a number of different species were present, though I could only identify a few.

Despite the beautiful weather and perfect temperatures, the sunny conditions were simply not good for photography. I worked with what I had, but the shadows were dark and the bones and scales of the fish reflected the sunlight right back into my camera.

Many of the bodies were fresh, and others were soggy skeletons; some had been picked at by gulls, and still others were gradually being covered by sand, to become a part of Lake Erie once more.