On Saturday, I headed up to the reservoir to get some more paddling in. It was a beautiful day. The water was nice and calm.
I paddled over to the little islands to see what was there:
The carp were active, which ... yuck. I am not a fan. They're so BIG, for one thing, and they have those great big mouths and those great big scales ... erg. Oh, they're harmless and all, but they just look so ... prehistoric. I paddled over to another mini island:
Mama ducks were out with their broods:
I was paddling along the shoreline when I rounded a point and saw:
Holy F*CK!, I said under my breath. I grabbed the camera and guided the kayak closer.
I grew up in the sixties, when bald eagles had been all but eradicated from New York State thanks to the use of DDT. I remember when eagles were first re-introduced to the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge back in the seventies, and how exciting it was when they started to reproduce. Eagles are kind of a big deal, around here.
That dude was just hanging out. Watching the water, waiting for fish. I hung out nearby for quite a while, and finally paddled on, to leave him to his peace and quiet.
Yeah, I won't be forgetting THAT anytime soon.
2 comments:
That is such a thrill. I've only seen one in the wild once...it buzzed over me as it was flying up a creek bed in the ADK.
Very cool, profbridgett. Next on my wish list is osprey; I haven't seen one in years.
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