TENNESSEE RIVER CRITTERS

This is Otto. I found him sunning himself right in the middle of a road leading to the boat ramp. It took some hard work to get him moved into the surrounding brush adjacent to a marsh area. Snapping Turtles are correctly named for sure. Otto latched onto a length of rope I dangled in front of his nose and held on for dear live. Snappers can extend their necks and put their mouth pretty much right at the rear of their shell. That is where the average layman tries to grab a turtle. Don't do it with a Snapper. Otto has very powerful jaws. He was nearly the size of a basketball. Another shot of Otto. He was getting really peaved at me for trying to get him off the road. I have a thing for eagles. They are magnificent. This adult Ospry has a fish clutched in its tallons. It rested here and quickly flew off to the nest to feed a rather large fledgling that waited there. The young eagle is below. This young Ospry has not flown yet. Within a day or two he will be pronging up and down on the limb testing his wings. A Sandpiper makes his way along the waters edge searching for bugs. I keep going back to the Tennessee River, located just below Watts Bar Dam". I guess its because the banks of the river are not strewn with human habitation. A day in a boat on that river works wonders for the soul. There are countless critters there. I have photographed just a few for your enjoyment. \