Day 22, Wednesday, 1/30/08, Year Four Dancer & Daedee: Snow Falling on Eagles

Hello Eagle Friends,

Today was a wonderful day. The schools were canceled again due to the dangerous wind chills.
Exposed skin can and will freeze in about ten minutes in this weather. We had windchill advisories out all day. It was -34 below zero when I headed out this early morning, I expected to see sun dogs as I headed out onto the highway, but I didn't see any dogs, let alone sun dogs. The sun was shining and that was a real treat after the scenes from yesterday. I loved the contast of the bright blue skies set against pristine white snow drifts of every height.

When I arrived in my project area I met a flock of cardinals crossing the highway. So I pulled over and sat roadside for a bit, but didn't get a single shot of them. Then I watched a male downey woodpecker. He was so busy tapping a thumb-sized hole in a sapling that he never noticed me. I watched him with an deep curiousity. He would hammer his beak into the tree and stop for a moment. It was like he was waiting for something. Then suddenly, he would thrust his long tongue into the sap of the tree and lap it up. Then he would tap it again, and stick his beak deeper into the tree for a drink. I've tasted sap, (curiosity got the best of me) and I'm happy to report that it's nothing I would stick my tongue in. Yuck!

After this "Animal Planet" moment, I was all ready to climb a mountain, slay a dragon, conquor a photo opportunity that would be waiting for my arrival. I geared up quickly, double-layering my head and neck so only my eyes were exposed to the biting air. I hiked out south of the eagle nest area. I had seen Dancer when I was sitting up with the woodpecker. Upon my arrival in the field, Dancer flew over me and I nodded up to him. I sometimes wonder if he expects me.

While I was there I heard a coyote yipping three different times. He wasnt' any threat so I remained.

As I stood and watched the wildlife in the area, I kept looking for the golden eagle to rise from the deafening caws of a dozen or more crows, but that didn't happen either. Not far from me, eight or nine blue jays darted from one tree to another and I enjoyed listening to their chatter.

I didn't want to stand still too long, less I would freeze, so I kept busy and I photographed dead plants, snow drifts, and even my shadow just to amuse myself while I waited for the eagles to come in.

while I was standing there I started thinking how much I wanted my McDonalds coffee that I left in the truck. I could almost taste the sweet coffee running across my tastebuds. From experience I knew by this time of day, it would be luke warm at best when I returned for it. Once I returned to my vehicle I would sip it all day, every time I returned to my vehicle until it was ice cold.

The last thing I expected was a McDonald's mirage out there in the middle of a snowdrift. As I looked down on the ground, I chuckled at the sight of the golden arches right there in front of me. So I photographed them. Two dried grasses, plants arched over sun-drenched in the McDonald's golden yellow hues.

I hiked out shortly after this and you can bet your egg McMuffin that I savored that first sip of coffee when I reached my truck. Even if it was luke warm.

I moved on. I found all the eagle nests empty today. At least not one eagle was working on them while I watched anyways. I moved on to the trumpeter swans. I sat with them, a silent observer, for a least a half hour watching them take turns diving into deeper water. I had not in the air for whatever they were eating below the water.

I photographed the swans while they dipped and rose back to the air, I photographed them as the
-30 winds blew across their winter scene and I was thankful to get to spend that time there with them.

I found a red tail hawk up in my old marsh project and he sat for a spell and I photographed him.

Further up the road I found a handful of bluebirds perched above me. So I stopped to photograph the one who remained, and he kept tilting his head at me, posing for the camera.

I found a couple dozen bohemian waxwings stirring about the grapevines. They would stir up the robins into flight, and a handful of cardinals. I watched the bohemian waxwings, two of them fly to a snow-covered branch, and the one closer to me dipped his beak into the snow, and then he licked off the water. Then the other bird did the same.

Following their behavior, the robins did the same. I got the impression that gorging themselves on the frozen and half-dehydrated, sour grapes and sweet purple fruits that were dangling from almost every branch, made this entire flock thirsty.

I had some extra time so I worked on my tree book for about an hour, hiking up small hills looking for just the right trees. Before I was ready to call it a day, the sun already made its descent on the bluff line.

I couldn't believe it was already 5 PM. Where had my day gone?

As I headed past the last part of my project I caught the movement of a doe and her twin fawns creeping into the cornfield. Of course, they can't really be called fawns anymore. I wanted to shoot their pictures, but with the dim light, I wouldn't get a very good shot anyway. I also knew the clicking of my camera shutter would surely scare them into bolting right out of this picturesque scene.

Instead, I reached for my video camera and zoomed in on the mom who was aware of my presence. I knew that because she was shifting her head right, then left, then right again trying to figure out if I was a friend or foe.

Then I turned the camera to the twins. Both were huddled together, and both were intently watching me with every slow move I made. I got about a minute of footage before the darker twin bolted and behind him the mom and the sibling followed. They stopped on the edge of the cornfield and stared looking back at me. I could still see them, but I left so they could feed.

It's only supposed to be about -15 below tomorrow. I'm looking forward to Day 23.

I'll see you on the journey--

Lisa


www.i-Lisa.com or www.LISALC.com