A small package, um, bird was a great surprise today.
I found this yellow-throated warbler up high in the canopy at the lake.
This species is uncommon here, but sure a lot of colorful fun.
photography
CategoryCreator’s forefinger
creator’s forefinger
dipped in enamel orange
drew for me glowing globe
hues showed spent night fleeing
full moon, setting,
so…
memories shimmering
drawn from consoling lake
heart touched by aching hope
too soon yet too long known
breath sighs, letting,
go…
poetry hungering
soul hurt lingering soft
song reft by chances gone
life sought wrapped well within
friendship, netting,
oh…
I was wrong!
It is a rare day at the lake when I don’t hear a pileated woodpecker and its partner.
What is also rare is to actually see one of these large and secretive birds.
Then today, after seeing not one, but two, I found out that I have been repeating a myth about these birds:
I had thought the cartoon character Woody the Woodpecker was modeled on a pileated woodpecker.
Alas, I was wrong. The real bird was an acorn woodpecker.
See the NPR story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101665227
nobody won
This time it was an adult eagle that pursued the immature osprey.
The osprey made several swoops, dives and tight turns, but ended up dropping the fish.
It flashed past the eagle who chased it all the way to the lake’s surface.
The eagle never caught up to the fish.
Neither bird got to have a meal.
The catfish can be seen just below the bow of the eagle’s right wing.
empty talons
From down the hill, through the trees, I heard an osprey scream and then it flashed past the branches.
There was an immature bald eagle in aggressive pursuit of the fledgling osprey.
Frantically I followed the action, trying to get down the boat ramp.
I watched the eagle smack into the osprey, I missed that shot…
but the eagle didn’t miss the fish the osprey had just dropped.
The osprey’s empty talons says it all as the triumphant eagle bows away with its prize.
Wish the photo was clearer, but, alas…
surprise swimmer
I had been intently watching an immature osprey attempting to fish, toward the middle of the lake.
Something pulled my eye toward the far shore to my left.
I watched as an animal, I thought a large dog, jumped into the lake. Not an unusual sight.
Looking back at the osprey, something at the back of my mind urged me to check on the dog.
It wasn’t a dog at all, but was a large doe, calmly swimming toward me!
She crossed the large cove, got to my side, jumped up on the bank and disappeared.
I just never know what mother nature will send my way! There is a very, very short video below the photo. Enjoy!
doc ellen's journey 