Hello Eagle Friends,
Today was awesome. The weather was 24 degrees above zero today, that's something to write about. The skies were blue and orange by the time I arrived, on the edge of dusk, I had all I could do to cover my beat and get back at a reasonable time.
Straight out of the truck I found a buck laying in the snow watching me, listening to something I couldn't hear. He didn't bother
getting up to run off. I don't think he thought I saw him.
I hiked out half way to Daedee and Dancer's nest, and I saw up on the nest sitting on the west perch looking towards the river.
I know I'm only two weeks, maybe three away from sitting closer, watching them incubate their year four babies.
This is about the time I started the second year project, back two years ago. I was thinking back to my starting early this year, wondering if it would be worth my time spent. I smile as I write--yes--it was worth every second.
When I think about all the creatures I've had the opportunity to study, document, and record I thank God for every second he
nudged me on and whispered, "For you child, I have plans to keep you busy, in a race with eagles in a field of many."
I took my parting daily shot of Daedee and hiked out.
Judy the nest 2 female was up on her nest arranging sticks again. No sign of The Mayor, her mate.
Further up the road I came up on a red-tailed hawk who bids his time sitting in the Nest 6 eagles nest area. Linda, the Nest 6 female eagle was sitting across the river looking down on it, and glancing occasionally at me. I kept hearing Dick, her mate, but at first I thought it was a lost cat, with such a hint of "meow" to the vocalizations.
Then I spotted him, he was sitting on the tallest tree at the foot of the bluff. He was watching every move I made. Maybe that is why Linda wasn't worried. Still, I have learned that all of the female eagles have a little higher level of trust in people, at least in me. Many times I'll walk right by them and not even see them, but the mates will call and let me know.
I then moved up to shoot the trumpeter swans that have been here 54 days now, and almost all the rivers are open in the valley, but still they seem to prefer this pond.
Then all of sudden I saw Dick fly past with a huge stick in his talons. I shot his image flying the forked stick against the blended purple, pink and orange colors of dusk. Then he did something I least expected, he dropped his legs down, looking down at the same time. I think it looks like an eagle skiing on the sky, take a look at the shot above--is he flying or skiing?
Nest 5 was empty, and as I approached the Nest 3 and Nest 4 area I found Sweetie, the red-tailed hawk perched high to catch the last sunlight of the day. Both eagle nests were empty.
No worries. That will change this next couple weeks as the snow turns to sleet and then that lovely rain.
I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the cave rabbit, but I wasn't expecting him to be outside sitting partially up on the hill.
He watched me as I snapped his pictures. I watched him, and his little nose rise up, sniffing the air, and twitching back and forth.
I finished the rest of my beat, and found an eaglet sitting where I used to see an adult eagle sitting, and it made me wonder if it was a nest 5 eaglet. Could be, but I'll never know.
By now the sun was long gone and those lovely slate blue shadows across the snow offset the creamy blue light that spread across a field full of twelve bucks, does, yearlings, and two year olds.
I took several pictures, and if you are a photographer shooting a fast-moving subject in low light, then you already know
how difficult it is to get a descent shot. I personally love panning the deer in low light. That shot above is two deer running from the herd.
It was already a half hour past dark when I figured I better get back before my husband started worrying. I always tell him, "Don't worry about me unless I'm not home an hour past sundown."
Then I saw this twinkling star in the sky, and thinking about it, I never even made a wish. However, it was blinking and flashing and I thought it might be a plane, or just a really bright shining star.
So I photographed it. I photographed it several times, and kept getting very unusual results. So, I slowed my shutter and shot a series, and sped up my shutter and shot a rapid series, and the star kept giving unusual results. It wasn't like shooting the lunar eclipse. The other stars didn't appear like this one. Then I found a couple long tube things going through space.
I got back home and Dave and Em were all worried, "What delayed you?"
"You don't want to know."
"What."
So I showed them my starry night shots.
Dave said, "It's probably satellite debris from the one they shot down from space with the missile yesterday."
"Maybe."
I'm going to keep my eye on that star. One eye staring through my celestial lens, the biggest one I can rig up with duct tape.
A poor girls night lens.
We added another radio station to our growing lists of radio station affiliates yesterday for my Lisa's Walk The Talk Show.
Which reminds me to give one more shameless plug for my eagle project: Rochester friends and eagle fans can listen in to my interview tomorrow morning on The Big Wild outdoor show aired on KOLM 1520 AM from 6-7 AM.
Here are their affiliate station times in other areas:
ESPN 1070 AM Madison, WI Saturdays 8-9 a.m. WNBI 980 AM Park Falls, WI Saturdays 8-9 a.m. WKLJ 1290 AM Sparta, WI Saturdays 8-9 a.m. WSAU 550 AM Wausau, WI Saturdays 6-7 p.m. WRPN 1600 AM Ripon, WI Saturdays 6-7 a.m. WQCC106 FM LaCrosse, WI Sundays 8-9 a.m. WGLR 1280 AM Lancaster, WI Fridays 3-4 p.m. WMBD 1470 AM Peoria, IL Sunday 7-8a.m. KRWC 1250 AM Minneapolis, MN Saturdays 7-8 a.m.
WNFL 1440 AM Green Bay, WI Saturdays 9-10a.m. 3WI 95.9 FM Brainerd, MN Saturdays 7-8a.m. Sunday 7-8p.m.
WYRQ 92.1 FM Little Falls, MN Saturdays 7-8a.m. KAUS 1480 AM Austin, MN Saturdays 11a.m.-12p.m. KOLM 1520 AM Rochester, MN Saturdays 6-7a.m. KATE 14.50 AM Albert Lea, MN Saturday 5a.m. Sunday 6 a.m. WPVL 1590 AM Platteville, WI Fridays 3-4 p.m. KHUB 1340 AM Fremont, NE 8-9 AM Saturday
I'll be speaking at The National Eagle Center March 8 and 9th, Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM, hope you'll come visit!
I'm looking forward to Day 46!
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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