The last time I witnessed zero activity at the bird feeder it was wintertime, and the absence of birds was due to a sharp-shinned hawk perched in a nearby tree, awaiting an easy meal.

The recent inactivity of the past week was as eerie, but was easily explained… the birds are just not hungry. My assessment of the numbers in the emergence of the cicadas was off, as our side yard and the surrounding area produced thousands of the noisy little critters and an absolute cicada smorgasbord for the birds. Even a small 18-inch bush in our side yard contained over 20.

I’m predicting a lot of fat birds this summer and an excellent nesting year.

Most swimming pools at state parks open

Hoosiers, get ready to cool off. Most public swimming pools located in Indiana State Parks opened Memorial Day weekend, as did all DNR swimming beaches.

Pools opened are at Clifty Falls, McCormick’s Creek, O’Bannon Woods, Shakamak and Versailles state parks, and at Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber State Recreation Area). In addition, the beach at Indiana Dunes State Park opened on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend with lifeguards on duty.

The water slides and lazy river at Prophetstown State Park’s aquatic center opened Saturday of the Memorial Day Weekend, but the leisure pool will be closed until mid-June. The public pool at Brown County State Park is open, but the wading pool is not in operation. The delays are the result of supply chain issues.

The public pool at Turkey Run State Park will remain closed due to lack of lifeguards; it is expected to open the first weekend in June. The public pool at Spring Mill State Park will remain closed until lifeguard and pool staff positions are filled.

The public pools at Mounds and Harmonie state parks remain closed, as announced earlier this year.

Applications are still being accepted for lifeguards. Positions are open to applicants age 15 and older. For more information, contact the state park property listed above nearest you. Phone numbers are at stateparks.IN.gov under “Find a park.”

Beaches offering swimming with no lifeguards opened at Chain O’Lakes, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Summit Lake and Whitewater Memorial state parks; at Starve Hollow and Deam Lake State Recreation Areas (SRAs); and at Brookville, Cagles Mill (Lieber SRA), Cecil M. Harden (Raccoon SRA), Hardy, Mississinewa, Monroe, Patoka and Salamonie lakes, as well as at Ferdinand State Forest.

The aquatic center at Abe Martin Lodge at Brown County State Park and the pools at Clifty Inn (Clifty Falls State Park), Potawatomi Inn (Pokagon State Park), Spring Mill Inn (Spring Mill State Park), and Turkey Run Inn (Turkey Run State Park) remain open for registered guests at each location.

Patoka Lake invasive species roundup

 Patoka Lake is hosting an invasive species roundup on June 26 from 9-11 a.m. The event will focus on eliminating two invasive shrubs, autumn olive and multiflora rose, from around the Nature Center. Training in plant identification will take place at the beginning of the event. Volunteers should plan to bring thick gloves for protection from thorns and hand-held trimming tools if they have them. Property staff will have some trimming tools available while supplies last.

Advance registration is available for groups by calling the Nature Center at 812-685-2447.

Patoka Lake (on.IN.gov/patokalake) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.

Teen injured in personal-watercraft accident

Indiana conservation officers are investigating a personal-watercraft (PWC) accident that occurred the morning of May 25 at Lynnville Park. At about 9:30 a.m., a 16-year-old female started her PWC on the water. For unknown reasons, the PWC exploded, ejecting her into the water.

A witness, Harrison Raisor, 19, of Evansville, was on shore nearby, witnessed the explosion, and pulled the juvenile out of the water. She was taken by StatFlight to St. Vincent Hospital in Evansville where she was being treated for severe back injuries.

The teen was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Responding agencies included Warrick County EMS, Lynnville Fire, Elberfeld Fire and St. Vincent StatFlight.

Indianapolis man’s body recovered

The morning of May 28, the body of Lynell Harris, 34, of Indianapolis, was recovered from the White River in Indianapolis. Harris’ body was located approximately three-quarters of a mile south of the rock dam south of Washington Street, where he was last seen going under the surface of the water.

His family has been notified. An exact cause of death is pending autopsy results.

Indiana conservation officers searched for the body of a man who went missing the evening of May 25. Harris was last seen attempting to swim to shore after falling from the rock dam.

Indianapolis Fire Department and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police units searched for Harris for several hours before suspending operations due to darkness. Conservation officers resumed the search May 28 using boats and side scan sonar and located the body.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail to jackspaulding@hughes.net. Spaulding’s books, “The Best of Spaulding Outdoors,” and his latest, “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com.