Jordan Lake State Park

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By Chipping Sparrow Family Breakfast

Jordan Lake, August 10, 2021. Doc Ellen‘s Natural Minute. It is a Minute of watching the parent chipping sparrow – that’s the bird on the left – gathering up insects to feed to his chick – it’s on the right. The parent is very vigorous and very good at catching the insects and promptly feeding his offspring. The baby tries to catch an insect a couple of times. Then the parent dashes off to look for insects elsewhere. The fledgling says well I guess I better go back to trying on my own before it decides maybe it’s easier food to go find the parent. Enjoy the breakfast of the chipping sparrows this morning! Take care, be safe. Stay well.

By Toe Puzzle

Jordan Lake: Captain Doug and I had thought that the bald eagle was standing a little awkwardly because maybe she was standing on a fish. But, no, a fish wasn’t involved in the stance at all … nope, there was an embarrassing toe problem…

By Noticed…

Jordan Lake, Monday, August 2, 2021. Lake level was at 216.09 ft. I was talking with one of the Rangers this morning, when this three-year-old bald eagle showed up. She glanced over at us. Didn’t see anything about us that seemed to worry her and so she turned her head away and kept right on flying. She is carrying what appears to be a very small catfish for her breakfast.

By Osprey and Bluegill

Jordan Lake: Osprey don’t often fish in the reedy/grassy shallow areas of the lake. Osprey will take just about any species of fish but seem to prefer the longer-bodied fish (bass, catfish) over the more round-bodied fish such as this bluegill. That may be a factor of what fish species are found here in Jordan Lake or it may be that it is easier for the Osprey to actually physically grab the longer bodied fish. Note that the Osprey has his foot wrapped totally around the bluegill. By the way this is a dad Osprey who took this bluegill back to his three fledglings who met him at the nest and each demanded the fish for its own meal. His daughter won the fish.

By Watching

Jordan Lake: as we have all sensed and endured of late, the heat and humidity is just about unbearable. But something other than heat was on this bald eagle’s mind. He was watching something way out of our human sight. Then he launched, gathered the hot humid air under his wings and left we humans behind.