Apex Lake is Birdwatcher’s Paradise

Sun-kissed at sunrise, Canada geese take flight over Apex Lake.
Sun-kissed at sunrise, Canada geese take flight over Apex Lake.
Photo by: Jonathan Fredin
A great blue heron is silhouetted in the shallows on a foggy morning on Apex Lake.
A great blue heron is silhouetted in the shallows on a foggy morning on Apex Lake.
After spending the night at Apex Community Park, Canada geese take flight at the start of a new day.
After spending the night at Apex Community Park, Canada geese take flight at the start of a new day.
A skein of Canada geese fly into the sun.
A skein of Canada geese fly into the sun.
A red-shouldered hawk perches above the water.
A red-shouldered hawk perches above the water.
An American bald eagle flies into the blue sky over Apex Lake.
An American bald eagle flies into the blue sky over Apex Lake.
Light from the rising sun highlights the head feathers of a hooded merganser.
Light from the rising sun highlights the head feathers of a hooded merganser.
A great blue heron shows its plumage.
A great blue heron shows its plumage.
Head throws and upward stretches are courting behaviors of the male hooded merganser.
Head throws and upward stretches are courting behaviors of the male hooded merganser.
A cormorant surfaces with a fish.
A cormorant surfaces with a fish.
Canada geese make a splashing take off.
Canada geese make a splashing take off.
The breath of a great blue heron is seen on a chilly morning at Apex Lake.
The breath of a great blue heron is seen on a chilly morning at Apex Lake.
A great blue heron stalks its prey in the predawn light.
A great blue heron stalks its prey in the predawn light.
A cormorant skips into flight over Lake Apex.
A cormorant skips into flight over Lake Apex.
A pair of great blue herons fight over fishing territory.
A pair of great blue herons fight over fishing territory.
A cormorant applies the brakes with its tail -- as it lands on Apex Lake. The migratory birds are only seen here during the winter.
A cormorant applies the brakes with its tail -- as it lands on Apex Lake. The migratory birds are only seen here during the winter.
A gaggle of Canada geese honk, flap and splash while flying out into the morning.
A gaggle of Canada geese honk, flap and splash while flying out into the morning.
Fresh catch in its beak, a cormorant takes flight at Apex Lake.
Fresh catch in its beak, a cormorant takes flight at Apex Lake.
A male hooded merganser prepares to swallow a fish it caught for breakfast.
A male hooded merganser prepares to swallow a fish it caught for breakfast.
Backlit by the rising sun, a great blue heron chomps on a fresh catch.
Backlit by the rising sun, a great blue heron chomps on a fresh catch.
The golden light of sunrise graces the underside feathers of a great blue heron as it flies into the morning.
The golden light of sunrise graces the underside feathers of a great blue heron as it flies into the morning.
A Canada goose takes a bath.
A Canada goose takes a bath.

Dawn is an active time at Apex Lake, especially in the winter.

Many early-risers walk or jog the 2-mile loop around the 50-acre lake within Apex Community Park.

But local and migratory birds are stirring even before the golden light of sunrise greets the day. If you stand still and quietly watch and listen, you will see Canada geese, cormorants, hawks, great blue herons, hooded mergansers and even American bald eagles waking and feeding, before flying off into the new day.