UPPER END OF DOUGLAS LAKE ON THE FRENCH BROAD

I'm so embarrassed by not posting anything on here in so long.  Its difficult keeping up to Facebook, working and photographing wildlife but its fun too.  Most of this stuff has been submitted to my Facebook page so its not new those friends but I know there are others who read my blog and are missing the posts.  So, here goes.

 I've just started to polish on the 1955, 12 foot Crestliner I affectionately call the SS Minnow and the laborsome task is slow, but then I'm not in a hurry.  The blue paint will be removed next week and that area polished and made ready to accept the new boat numbers and stickers.

 You can see the sparkle start to show through after hours and hours of polishing by hand and with an orbital buffer.  I usually spend an hour or two each evening just before dark polishing as it is too hot when the sun is up.  Storms are here today, my day off, but tomorrow I think I'll take this beauty for a spin on Cherokee Lake.

I was on the upper end of Douglas Lake yesterday and did finally run into some interesting critters to photograph.  The afternoon was super hot and there were no fishermen on the water - only pleasure boaters and jet skiers and not too many of them.. The surface temperature was 86.4 degrees.  Wow!

 The shoreline of most lakes contains a habitat that is full of diverse plants and animals of all sizes.  Insects are numerous and uncountable in their variety.  I use a 500mm telephoto lens and I shoot pictures of plants and critters without stopping the boat.  Of course the boat is only travelling about 8 miles per hour so there is ample time to take the pictures.  There is a butterfly in the shot above.

 And, I'm a flower nut.  These trumpet flowers are a real treat to see when the day becomes long.  They brighten up an overcast day just fine.

 I absolutely adore butterflies, as you can see.  The Canon 7D camera with that 500 mm lens is an awsome tool to catch wildlife with.  Its a wow camera.  I'm tickled with it..

 Above and below are sort of duplications of effort but I like the shots.

 Spotted Sandpiper.  He's checking the rocks for water bugs

Then the green heron appeared.  Rather I ran up onto him.  These guys are humorous to watch, but they are very successful hunters.

 I wasn't ready for his take off and nearly missed it.  Getting careless.

 Almost missed the landing too.  Man!

I think I get lackadaisical when I'm on Douglas and Cherokee Lakes because they don't have the wildlife populations that the lakes west of here have.  I get lazy with the camera and become startled when something worthy of camera action happens and I'm late on the shutter.  Doc Holliday was never late on the shutter I bet.....

 What would a wildlife entry be without ospreys?  These are wow pictures taken with a wow camera.

 Looking straight at you.  

 I'm so delighted with this Canon 7D camera.  Oh, I already said that.  Sorry.

 What a magnificent animal!

 And, last but not least the great egret.  I'm really interested in this bird as I found them nesting on Cherokee Lake in a rookery.  I've never seen them roost in East Tennessee.  Got to watch them close now.

I have to go put tape on a crack in the bedroom window now.  A fast, hard hitting storm blew through here an hour ago and had some serious hailstones that slammed against the back of the house.  Video is below.  See ya later.