Join the blue-eyed lake glider for a quiet interlude. As the double-crested cormorant gets closer to its breeding season its eyes will become a brighter deeper blue … a hint that though it is winter now spring will follow in March-April.
Haw River
TagCold Lake, Warm Grayced
It was 22°F, clear, crisp and thankfully almost wind-free just after sunrise this morning. I didn’t see any bald eagles during my nest checks. The lake level is 220.24ft. I got home to find Grayced enjoying a patch of sunshine … I brewed a cup of hot Earl Gray tea and joined him. Am thawing out!
Cold Weather at First Nest
First Nest update… Nope the photo is not of one of the eagles! Yesterday the lake level was still so high that I could not see the nest but I did manage to glimpse one of the parents dashing across the cove and into the tree with the nest and that is good news especially in this cold cold weather. The photo is a little brown-headed nuthatch that was looking at me like “well Doc what are you going to about this cold weather? I have to fluff my feathers all up and you have to bundle all up.” Frigid air indeed.
Quarterly Bald Eagle Count
This morning was the Quarterly Jordan Lake Bald Eagle Count. My group counted 4 bald eagles. The count started at 7 AM. Sunrise was at 7:24AM … I took this photo 15 minutes later. The “real feel temperature” was 27°F. Being in good company, we all chuckled, enjoyed the crispness of the air and the sparkle of the frost and were blessed to see those four eagles. It will be sometime before I know what the total count all over the lake works out to be. Given the flood conditions at a lot of the count sites some people were having trouble getting down to their normal viewing positions. Have a very blessed day and stay warm!
Lake Levels!
Water Levels at Jordan Lake. This morning at 9:00AM the lake was at 225.51 ft … that is 9.51 ft above the normal pool of 216 ft. As the level goes up the water floods the shore line further and further inland. This flooding is keeping me and other Army Corps bald eagle monitors from checking on nests. Sigh. I made the video from my truck at one of several boat ramps that I checked at the lake yesterday. BTW I believe all of the lake’s boat ramps are currently inaccessible for launching boats.
Dad Bard Fidgets
First Nest. Mom Kate had flown in to take her turn in incubating the eggs. Dad Bard had been fidgeting – even while he was incubating – with a stick. So when Mom Kate came in he decided to do something about that stick. It becomes rather comical. Ah the foibles of being parents!
Music is Excusez-moi by Roo Walker.
doc ellen's journey 