WIND, HEAVY WATER AND A BARN OWL

I had to drive up to the tailrace of Cherokee Lake this morning before putting a boat on Douglas Lake for the afternoon run.  I needed to get some fishing data from anglers as well as temperature readings for the weekly fishing report I prepare.  The route took me right past the bald eagle's nest near the river.  Guess what --

 One of the babies has actually left the nest and is venturing out on limbs.  How cool is that?

 He is standing up against the tree trunk where his dad normally stands.  In another week the youngsters will be flying but not quite on their own.  There are lessons to be taught by the parents,  usually the father.  But, they won't be around for very much longer.  It's been, and is a real privilege watching this eagle family.

 Great Blue Heron

So there I went up the river along the shoreline when I passed a hole high up in the cliff that didn't look quite right.  Don't ask me how I see this stuff.  I just do.  I banked the boat around and came up in front of the cliff for a quick look.  I saw what looked like a Martian or some sort of space creature hiding back in a hole in the rock.

 

 There was something in there and it didn't look friendly.  I expected to receive a blast from a Martian ray gun at any moment.  What the heck is that?

 It's a barn owl, I think, with it's eyes shut.  This guy is sleeping the day away back in this cave in the cliff.

The pictures were very shaded and I couldn't see any image until I got home and worked on the pictures with the computer. 

Ah, look at em back in there

 He is sound asleep, eyes tight shut.  Cute as a bug.

.As I left the upper French Broad River section and headed down stream I noticed some kayaks moving across the water and was on a collision course with them so just drifted right up to em.

These three ladies were doing an excellent job of handling those boats in this wind and rough water.  They're boats weren't the usual Waldomart boats either.  We had a conversation about canoes, kayaks and herons and I decided right then that I liked each one of them and hoped to see them again.  That's odd for me.  I bid them good day and watched as we all drifted apart.

That's how the afternoon went for me and I think it was a really nice one.  I'm off tomorrow and have a doctor appointment for a check-up and then I believe I'll take the bike out for a spin to Hot Springs, North Carolina.  See you then I hope.