neighdoctor

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By My Friend Needs Help…

Jordan Dam, Haw River: I had seen the black vulture flock come into the parking lot earlier.  They are always looking for left over hotdogs and fried chicken pieces. They are quite adept at taking the lids off the trashcans and helping themselves to the human throw-aways that are inside.  My attention was drawn back to the vultures when I heard the lid of the trashcan hit the pavement.  I started photographing as one of the younger vultures noticed the sign … I could almost hear him thinking, “my friend is stuck in the trashcan, he needs help, and well, just how am I supposed to dial 911 when I don’t have an iPhone?”.  I put my camera down, quietly walked up on the flock, gently tipped the trashcan over on its side freeing the vulture inside of it. The flock chirred their thanks and we watched the embarrassed vulture walk away.  Sometimes, you just never know what will happen at the lake…

By Blue Air, Water, Heron

Jordan Lake, Haw River: Great blue herons are actually gray, until, just until you see them, literally in the right light. Such as finding this fledgling great blue heron this morning in the shadows of the banks of the riprap as the sun had fully cleared the horizon. Azure blue air, water and heron!

By Burnished River Sunrise

Jordan Lake Dam, Haw River, Wednesday, July 8, 2020. Sometimes, sometimes something magical happens. And by luck or grace I get to photograph a river burnished by the rising sun. An ornament appears, a summer cloud brought to earth and soundlessly flying above the water. This is a great egret. It came in from the lake and up over the dam and floated past me as I stood at the riprap on the Haw River. Magic! Take care, be safe and oh, be well.

By Doc Ellen’s Natural Minute 07/07/2020

Jordan Lake Dam, Haw River, Tuesday, July 7, 2020. The lake is down almost to normal pool of 216ft. Right now the lake is at 216.17 feet. But we have a lot of rain forecast to come in so I imagine those levels will change as the lake and dam set about doing their flood control work. This morning the great blue herons argued with each other and a pair of fish crows had a chat. Have a blessed day, stay safe. Oh please do stay well!

By Jordan Lake: Not 1, But 2 Fish at the Same Time!

Not One but TWO! Yes, two fish at the same time. One in each talon. The osprey tried hard to hold onto both fish, but, one got away; you can see the fish drop away. I believe this is a subadult male – about 2-years-old – and still without a mate. As strong and determined as he is, he probably won’t have trouble finding a suitable mate late next winter. WOW! Two at Once!!!