Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Winter Counts
I toil through the shallows of the east marsh, made worse by the absurdly low level that the dam keepers have chosen to hold the lake at during the winter. Just as I reach the open water of the bay with its light, cold and raw north wind in my face, it begins to snow. This is a treat for me, a Minnesota boy who misses winter more than anything, and to have it snow while I am canoeing warms my very core more than I can say.
The flapping of wings on the far side of the bay, and a wide line of flapping that it is, signals that there is likely an eagle in the area. When I am about 1/2 way across, I spot two eagles in the railroad island perch. It should be the residents from the north nest, as they would not tolerate any others in that spot. I paddle in, keeping my distance so as not to disturb them, but I overestimate my stealth and they fly off to another part of the bay. They are in hunting mode and will not leave until they have caught a coot, which I am sure they will do. I've watched these two before and they are exceptionally skilled hunters.Below - beginning the brief hover before attacking.
I pause out of the wind along the north marsh, and when I continue, nearing the north point, I find myself on the edge of an eagle's hunting circle. It has just forced two coots to dive not 10 yards from me and so the eagle circles and hovers over my head. The coots escape, my accidental presence just enough of a distraction to the hunter.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
The Season of Winter Cattails
Starting in the south lagoon, the absence of ducks is remarkable. I'm about to turn the corner of the little island and head into the east channel of the burial island when a whistle takes my eye north just in time to catch the silhouette of an eagle as it lands on a perch. So, I change course toward the eagle, which is also the most likely reason for no ducks in the area. More whistling signals the arrival of the mate. They have both been hunting the south lagoon this morning.
The ducks are scattered out in mid bay and as I reach the railroad island I find the coots, a dense and dark crescent in the water leading out to the east. They have put 3/4 of a mile between themselves and the eagles.
I visit the NE lagoon, which is quiet today. It is gray, calm and sprinkling lightly. Not a good day for photography, so, I take a photo while exiting, just to prove to myself that anyone can get a good photo at this spot no matter what. This time, I head back into the east channel of the burial island, but detouring to explore some of the passages in the marsh that I haven't been able to get into while the lake level was down. It is the onset of the season of winter cattails. They are just beginning to collapse and fall down, dried and with no spring left in them.
I spot a raccoon in the channel. We watch each other.
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