As warm weather returns to the Colorado Front Range, the ponds and lakes are re-opening. This morning, at South Platte Park, I was serenaded by ice music, a varied chorus of cracks, pings and vibratory sounds.
At times, the breakup mimicked the sounds of wildlife, suggesting the squawk of a heron, the croak of a frog or the shriek of a hawk. Then there were the musical warbles, the linear "zings" or the sound of a metal sheet unraveling.
To the inexperienced, the "booming" of ice can be haunting or even disturbing. But, for those of us who understand its source, it is a welcome collage of sound, a sign that seasonal change is underway. Of course, the lakes may refreeze and re-thaw several times before spring takes hold but, for now, we can enjoy the music and hope for the best.
