I took these pictures on a chilly, overcast day, as two pelicans were swimming between the bands of shadow cast by the walls of a canal. I like their serenity in the midst of "troubled" waters.
Showing posts with label Lock and Dam 14. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lock and Dam 14. Show all posts
May 21, 2015
Pelican Serenity
I took these pictures on a chilly, overcast day, as two pelicans were swimming between the bands of shadow cast by the walls of a canal. I like their serenity in the midst of "troubled" waters.
November 18, 2014
November 17, 2014
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November 15, 2014
Look At Me!
It would be hard not to notice the big personality that male red-winged blackbirds have, with their flashy shoulders and loud, constant calls.
They crave standing out in the crowd, and love perching on elevated vantage points where they can SEE, and BE SEEN.
Not much slips past them as the take commanding positions overlooking their domains, and letting everyone else in the vicinity know that it IS their domain.
They are unaware of how little they are, compared to most other creatures on the earth. They simply feel that everything is theirs and they will tell you all about it, especially if you get too close.
These photos were taken in the spring, when the males are rounding up females to mate with.
They are clearly saying, "NOTICE MEEE!"
Their scientific name is Agelaius phoeniceus. The first part indicates belonging to a flock of birds, and the second part means "red". There you have it!
They crave standing out in the crowd, and love perching on elevated vantage points where they can SEE, and BE SEEN.
Not much slips past them as the take commanding positions overlooking their domains, and letting everyone else in the vicinity know that it IS their domain.
They are unaware of how little they are, compared to most other creatures on the earth. They simply feel that everything is theirs and they will tell you all about it, especially if you get too close.
These photos were taken in the spring, when the males are rounding up females to mate with.
They are clearly saying, "NOTICE MEEE!"
Their scientific name is Agelaius phoeniceus. The first part indicates belonging to a flock of birds, and the second part means "red". There you have it!
November 2, 2014
Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfishers have been on my bucket list for a long time. They are such fast birds, racing up and down the river banks, that I had never gotten one on film. I've had three confirmed sightings that I can recall, but they've but they all darted away before I could even raise my camera.
But now I have finally photographed one. All I have to share with you is this photo:
That is a kingfisher. You can tell from the silhouette. It has an over-large head with a crest, long pointed beak, and a kind of protruding, barrel chest. It has a wide band of white around its neck - hence the term "belted". It alighted on this channel buoy down from Lock & Dam 14, and was off again in a flash.
Interesting facts:
Their scientific name is Megaceryle alcyon. Remind you of any words you already know? Mega, of course, means huge. Here's the rest of the story.
"Ceryle" comes from Ceyx, a minor god in Greek mythology, He was married to Alcyon, who lends her name to this bird species as well. They angered Zeus by calling each other by the pet names of Zeus and Hera. Zeus blasted Ceyx's boat at sea. When Alcyon heard of her husband's death, she cast herself into the ocean. Other gods took pity on them and turned them into the mythological halcyon birds, who built floating nests on the sea during the two weeks period of calm at the winter solstices.
When you break halcyon down further, "hal" is related to the sea and salt, as in halite (rock salt), while "kyon" is related to the idea of conception.
But now I have finally photographed one. All I have to share with you is this photo:
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| Kingfishers view their pray from perches above the water |
That is a kingfisher. You can tell from the silhouette. It has an over-large head with a crest, long pointed beak, and a kind of protruding, barrel chest. It has a wide band of white around its neck - hence the term "belted". It alighted on this channel buoy down from Lock & Dam 14, and was off again in a flash.
Interesting facts:
- They burrow in the ground
- They regurgitate pellets, similar to owls
- Females are more brightly-colored than males
Their scientific name is Megaceryle alcyon. Remind you of any words you already know? Mega, of course, means huge. Here's the rest of the story.
"Ceryle" comes from Ceyx, a minor god in Greek mythology, He was married to Alcyon, who lends her name to this bird species as well. They angered Zeus by calling each other by the pet names of Zeus and Hera. Zeus blasted Ceyx's boat at sea. When Alcyon heard of her husband's death, she cast herself into the ocean. Other gods took pity on them and turned them into the mythological halcyon birds, who built floating nests on the sea during the two weeks period of calm at the winter solstices.
When you break halcyon down further, "hal" is related to the sea and salt, as in halite (rock salt), while "kyon" is related to the idea of conception.
October 21, 2014
October 13, 2014
October 9, 2014
Flying High
I took a glorious river walk after work and was treated to the sight of this eagle:
I believe this is a year-round resident and one that I've seen before.
I was walking along the shore when I heard a rustling overhead. I looked up and it flew over my head and up over the river.
I believe this is a year-round resident and one that I've seen before.
I was walking along the shore when I heard a rustling overhead. I looked up and it flew over my head and up over the river.
September 24, 2014
Light Makes All the Difference
The evening light on the river makes all the difference for these strands of river weeds, turning them from something ordinary to something spectacular:
So too it is in my life. The light of Jesus Christ transforms me and helps me to be more than I am. I am thankful for His power to change me!
So too it is in my life. The light of Jesus Christ transforms me and helps me to be more than I am. I am thankful for His power to change me!
March 27, 2014
Big Gulp!
I had fun photographing pelicans the other day. This one was trying to swallow a fish:
You can see the fish clearly in the first picture, above.
In the next picture, you can see the fish's tail fins sticking out of the pelican's bill. The rest of the fish can be seen in silhouette through the opaque bill. (Notice the refraction!)
The pelican began tipping its head back in an effort to swallow it. Look at the amazing detail of the blood vessels in the bill!
As he tips his head back a little further, you can still see the fish silhouetted in the bottom of the pelican's bill. You can even see the fish's tail fins!
I wonder how the pelicans avoid having the flexible material of their bills torn by the sharp fins of the fish they eat?
The pelican tried to get the fish headed down its gullet, but it took three or four tries of trying to throw it back down its throat before he managed it. It was quite the display.
You can see the fish clearly in the first picture, above.
In the next picture, you can see the fish's tail fins sticking out of the pelican's bill. The rest of the fish can be seen in silhouette through the opaque bill. (Notice the refraction!)
The pelican began tipping its head back in an effort to swallow it. Look at the amazing detail of the blood vessels in the bill!
As he tips his head back a little further, you can still see the fish silhouetted in the bottom of the pelican's bill. You can even see the fish's tail fins!
I wonder how the pelicans avoid having the flexible material of their bills torn by the sharp fins of the fish they eat?
The pelican tried to get the fish headed down its gullet, but it took three or four tries of trying to throw it back down its throat before he managed it. It was quite the display.
March 21, 2014
Caught in a Rut
There are some areas here where the eagles come to live through the winter. These places (one is a park) are clearly marked off with signs, asking people to stay out of them during the height of eagle season. Here is one:
Hard to miss a sign like that.
There are dozens and dozens of places up and down the river here to view eagles, so if a couple of areas get marked off, it's not a huge deal. You just choose some other spot. There are plenty nearby.
And yet, just five days after the end of the time restriction, I found this:
On the other side of that snowbank is a trail head near the river. That big sign on the left is the same one shown earlier in this post. It clearly asks people to stay out of the woods here. And yet, from this picture it is plain to see that many people were obviously taking this trail for many days prior to March 15. So many people ignored the sign that they cut a deep path through the snowbank.
How many people did it take to make that cut? I don't know, but I do know one thing. It was made one person at a time - each one making a choice to ignore the sign.
Will there be long-term, lasting damage to the eagle population? Maybe. Maybe not. That is not really what gets me here. What gets me is the fact that so many people felt that they were the exception to the rule. That mentality is a real problem.
Hard to miss a sign like that.
There are dozens and dozens of places up and down the river here to view eagles, so if a couple of areas get marked off, it's not a huge deal. You just choose some other spot. There are plenty nearby.
And yet, just five days after the end of the time restriction, I found this:
On the other side of that snowbank is a trail head near the river. That big sign on the left is the same one shown earlier in this post. It clearly asks people to stay out of the woods here. And yet, from this picture it is plain to see that many people were obviously taking this trail for many days prior to March 15. So many people ignored the sign that they cut a deep path through the snowbank.
How many people did it take to make that cut? I don't know, but I do know one thing. It was made one person at a time - each one making a choice to ignore the sign.
Will there be long-term, lasting damage to the eagle population? Maybe. Maybe not. That is not really what gets me here. What gets me is the fact that so many people felt that they were the exception to the rule. That mentality is a real problem.
February 27, 2014
Icy Chambers
These Canada geese were lounging in their icy chambers when I photographed them. These are some tough birds, I can tell you!
December 29, 2013
November 21, 2013
Cold Feet
I have always wondered how it is that birds don't have their feet frozen off in the winter, from the frigid temperatures in the air or water, or from the metallic objects upon which they sometimes perch.
As it turns out, their legs and feet have special scales that help conserve heat loss. Also, sometimes the veins and arteries in a bird's legs sit side by side, transferring heat from one to another.
Of course sometimes a bird can just sit on their feet to help warm them as well.
November 7, 2013
My Heart Is There
Today's post is dedicated to the poem "Tadoussac" by Charles Bancroft. It expresses so well my never-ending delight with the woods, and the hunger in my soul to be there when I must be other places instead.
I've wandered in Toronto,
Climbed the "Mount" at Montreal;
Run the great St. Lawrence rapids,
Where the waters swirl and fall.
I've slept up in the Chateau,
At Quebec; and known the thrill
Of rambling through the "Old Town"
And the fort upon the hill.
I've felt the sacred beauty
Of the splendor on Sag'nay;
The warmth of homespun blankets
That were made at Murray Bay.
But in my soul's a hunger
Once again for Tadoussac;
The endless fascination
Of its quaintness draws me back.
I hear again the mission bell
That calls the folks to prayer;
And as I walk the city streets
My heart is with them there.
I've seen the Thousand Islands
In the beauty of the dawn;
And sailed on lake Ontario,
When the shades of night were drawn,
I've wandered in Toronto,
Climbed the "Mount" at Montreal;
Run the great St. Lawrence rapids,
Where the waters swirl and fall.
I've slept up in the Chateau,
At Quebec; and known the thrill
Of rambling through the "Old Town"
And the fort upon the hill.
I've felt the sacred beauty
Of the splendor on Sag'nay;
The warmth of homespun blankets
That were made at Murray Bay.
But in my soul's a hunger
Once again for Tadoussac;
The endless fascination
Of its quaintness draws me back.
I hear again the mission bell
That calls the folks to prayer;
And as I walk the city streets
My heart is with them there.
November 4, 2013
Sycamore Leaves
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| Gigantic sycamore leaves are littering the forest floor right now. |
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| The come in a variety of colors. |
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| Some are as big as dinner plates! |
October 31, 2013
What Does the Fox Say?
"Big blue eyes
Pointy nose....
Chasing mice
And digging holes.
Tiny paws
Up the hill
Suddenly you're standing still."*
"But there's one sound
That no one knows...
What does the fox say?"*
"The secret of the fox
ancient mystery
Somewhere deep in the woods
I know you're hiding
What is your sound?
Will we ever know?
Will always be a mystery
What do you say?"*
"Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!"*
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| Rare view of my favorite fox! |
*These lyrics are excerpted from the wildly popular - we might even say viral - song, "What Does the Fox Say" by Ylvis, which became a YouTube sensation in September 2013.
October 29, 2013
Pennies from Heaven
I was walking along the river last month and came across a bright, shiny penny just laying on the sand. It was inches from the water, and there were no footprints around it - only some animal tracks.
This was at an undeveloped stretch of river, far from sidewalks and parking lots. It is a place where I have never seen another hiker, although I have come across their footprints every now and then.
I wondered if it had it been buried there before, and only just now come to light due to erosion. But no, that could not be. It was too clean, and was not partially buried.
When I told people about it, one person suggest that maybe a crow had dropped it there. They are said to like shiny things. Maybe that could be, but there wasn't an indentation in the sand, as if it had been dropped.
It was resting on the top grains of sand - a shiny, new 2013 penny.
I picked it up, and have carried it with my in my camera bag ever since. It wasn't a part of the natural world, and it wasn't an artifact from history, so I believe this was in keeping with Leave No Trace principles. Plus, I liked it. It was unusual. And I felt that it meant something, but I didn't know what.
Then, last week, a friend mentioned to me something about angels from heaven leaving pennies for people. I had never heard about this before, but the idea is that angels watch over us, and sometimes show their presence by leaving pennies in our paths.
I believe in angels, and I think that they might often be family members who have passed on before us. I don't know if they leave pennies for sure, but I believe that God can speak to us in many ways. And once I heard that story, I thought of my mom who passed away last year. I don't know if she left that penny for me to find, but I do like to think that she looks in on me now and then.
This was at an undeveloped stretch of river, far from sidewalks and parking lots. It is a place where I have never seen another hiker, although I have come across their footprints every now and then.
I wondered if it had it been buried there before, and only just now come to light due to erosion. But no, that could not be. It was too clean, and was not partially buried.
When I told people about it, one person suggest that maybe a crow had dropped it there. They are said to like shiny things. Maybe that could be, but there wasn't an indentation in the sand, as if it had been dropped.
It was resting on the top grains of sand - a shiny, new 2013 penny.
I picked it up, and have carried it with my in my camera bag ever since. It wasn't a part of the natural world, and it wasn't an artifact from history, so I believe this was in keeping with Leave No Trace principles. Plus, I liked it. It was unusual. And I felt that it meant something, but I didn't know what.
Then, last week, a friend mentioned to me something about angels from heaven leaving pennies for people. I had never heard about this before, but the idea is that angels watch over us, and sometimes show their presence by leaving pennies in our paths.
I believe in angels, and I think that they might often be family members who have passed on before us. I don't know if they leave pennies for sure, but I believe that God can speak to us in many ways. And once I heard that story, I thought of my mom who passed away last year. I don't know if she left that penny for me to find, but I do like to think that she looks in on me now and then.
October 24, 2013
Sunrise on the River
I only had forty-five minutes yesterday, to get in a walk. I was a woman with a mission! I hurried to a nearby park and jumped out of the car. Brrrr! I threw my coat on, grabbed my camera, and hustled into the woods.
It was so dark, my camera didn't want to take good pictures. I switched it to its "night" setting but I knew that wouldn't last. Once the sun decides to come up, it races over the edge of the world.
Two rabbits flashed across my path, only visible by their tails.
Coming into a cleaning, I looked back and saw the sun lighting up the sky with a beautiful display of color.
The river slapped noisily against some downed trees on the shore. It was either that, or some unseen monster schlepping its way out of the water. I went with the first idea, and moved on.
I found a new campfire along the trail. Someone had built rocks up in a half circle to protect their fire from the wind off the river. A tin cans remained among the ashes. And mysteriously, a yellow rag hung in the trees.
As I walked back along the shore, that magical moment happened where the day changed from early dawn to daylight. The river was flooded with a perfect, golden light - the kind that makes all your photographs beautiful! I rejoiced in the moment.
It was so dark, my camera didn't want to take good pictures. I switched it to its "night" setting but I knew that wouldn't last. Once the sun decides to come up, it races over the edge of the world.
Two rabbits flashed across my path, only visible by their tails.
Coming into a cleaning, I looked back and saw the sun lighting up the sky with a beautiful display of color.
The river slapped noisily against some downed trees on the shore. It was either that, or some unseen monster schlepping its way out of the water. I went with the first idea, and moved on.
I found a new campfire along the trail. Someone had built rocks up in a half circle to protect their fire from the wind off the river. A tin cans remained among the ashes. And mysteriously, a yellow rag hung in the trees.
As I walked back along the shore, that magical moment happened where the day changed from early dawn to daylight. The river was flooded with a perfect, golden light - the kind that makes all your photographs beautiful! I rejoiced in the moment.
October 22, 2013
Rusty Waterfowl
Nature-inspired art always draws my attention (no pun intended).
Here's some I found last week at Lock & Dam 14.
Here's some I found last week at Lock & Dam 14.
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| Chasing the bokeh |
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| Among the cattails |
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| Hurrying to cover |
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