Hello Eagle Friends,
I would say today was a "fine feathered day" and then some. Everywhere I turned a feathered friend flew past me, swam, or perched.
I should mention before the new month, some of you may have been reading this every day and maybe are wondering, "Where are all the eagles?" Isn't this story about the eagles?"
It is. It's the continuing story about their territories, the weather, the people, the animals they live by, the plants, encounters, fights, feedings, and the mini worlds in the bigger picture. It's about the relationships we all share.
It's my grandest adventure, renewed each day, to go back out each day and discover the stories that change, or spring forth, and sometimes end on the highway and become the food for the others.
Today it was -8 below when I arrived in my project area, and -15 below with wind chill. The skies were winter blue. In fact it was so picture-perfect, I felt like I was walking into a commerical for a Wintergreen (TM) commercial.
I hiked in to the south area about a 1/4 mile from Daedee and Dancer's nest. I heard the eagles deep in the valley on the river, but I couldn't see them.
When I looked down I was standing in a patch of dried goldenrod plants. There were hundreds of swollen bulbs on the stem. Did you know that inside each of those galls lives a little white grub, about a quarter inch long, and it is spending the winter inside. This is it's winter home. In the spring he will chew a hole and emerge as a tiny moth.
That is if the chickadees and woodpeckers don't discover his hiding place first. I have watched them pounding on the galls for a half hour just to get the tiny grub inside. I thought I'd post a picture of the galls so you can see what I am talking about. The ones with the holes have been
drilled out by a bird.
I amused myself during the long wait by photographing the flood tree decorations. Yesterday I laughed at the flower pot right side up waiting for seeds of spring.
Today I photographed a cornstalk complete with ear of corn that was tangled in the branches, five feet over my head. A corn cob that had become food for the winter birds, and a passing squirrel.
Tonight I am going to remember to pack my snowshoes. Then I can get back deep in the valley, at least as far as I can cover so that I have time to cover my entire project area and be out before dark. Today, I came close to almost snapping my knees as I stepped from one foot of even terrain into the two and half feet of snow covering the flood brush. The snow shoes will keep me on top of the snow.
All the eagle nests were empty today, however, there were eagles everywhere I went. I watched nest six eagles for about an hour. The female perched above the frozen marsh and could see her mate on the north end and she let out a constant string of calls to him. Then he would leave his perch and circle above her.
I watched the trumpeter swans preening, bathing, drying their wings. I wish I could capture the peace and tranquility they offer this project, and I have tried. Every day, in all the different weather, but I can't seem to shoot what I see. I have "photographer's block" and I can't seem to shoot what I feel there, but I see it. Every day they are there giving me another opportunity.
If there was an ark parked half way up the bluff, and the swans were dove's with olive branches, in their beaks instead of plant bulbs, maybe the message I feel in their presence would be easier to shoot. I'm thankful every day when I take the bend before their pond and can see two yellowish-white lumps swimming about, or resting on the ice before I stop to set up my shots.
I found two more trees for my tree book I think you'll find these a good match for the project.
I only have six weeks left to find and shoot the rest of the book.
Last night my daughter and me pulled out the images for our children's book, Silk: Adventures of Jumping Spider. This is a true story of a jumping spider who, well, showed up on the hood of our truck. So we brought it inside and did a late night photo shoot in scenes that I know will make you laugh. So be watching for this book. Maybe, even by this winter, God-willing.
The rest of my day was fishing for birds fishing for berries, and fish.
I finally snuck up on the female belted kingfisher. She found comfort in the drake mallard who was sharing her stream today and didn't fly off when she saw me. Or, maybe she was just too busy trying to eat what appeared to be a frozen sunfish. I don't know what they call them thumblings?
(joking), when the fish isn't even as big as your finger, do you call them fingerlings?
There the belted kingfisher sat on her perch, with a slicked back wet head that Jerry Lewis would be proud of. Over and over, she turned the fish, but the poor bird looked like she was trying to eat one of my favorite food groups, Swedish Fish, only this one was a dull orange and she couldn't figure out how to eat it. So she banged it on the branch, flipped it and then in frustration perhaps, flew off.
Then I found a waxwing racing a robin for a grape on a grapevine. The two birds fought over
who got the grapes. There was a pileated woodpecker who was in the grove of trees but the harder I tried to get a shot, the faster he hid.
It was a fun day in the valley and as I drove out the red tail hawk of pond 3 looked back over his shoulder at me looking up at him. We gave each other our looks and both turned our heads opposite directions, until we meet again, tomorrow, God-willing.
Tonight I had an inkling to go to the bookstore. With dinner almost finished cooking, we took a quick trip over to the used bookstore and picked up some great books. I don't know how it always happens, but every time they ring us up it is about $29 dollars in used books. Em got a handful, Dave got a couple books he'd been wanting, and I guess I found the motherload. About eight books on how to write children's books. Figured that was part of God's timing.
Then we ate a delicious meal of homemade BBQ chicken, homemade, sliced and diced scalloped potatoes, and my pasta with garlic, a dab of butter and feta cheese. Nothing like home-cooked meals. Sorry McDonalds. You're dollar menu is great, but even I can only handle so many $1 double cheeseburgers. Ba-da-ba-ba-ba . . . But, no worries . . . I'll be back in the morning for my sausage bisquit and coffee -- black.
Looking forward to a new month, I would write the end of the week, but I work every day, so I'll write and Day 24.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
P.S. I appreciate your comments. Thanks Alan!
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