AN OSPREY STUDY

Beyond Magnificence  

I just had to include the shot below of the mallards.  They are gorgeous in flight.

Most of these shots are of ospreys in flight.  They are dynamic raptors and amazing to watch,  and they seem to enjoy watching me.  Notice where their eyes are focused on many of the shots.  

The water is really getting low on Douglas Lake.  

 I'll never understand the answer to the mystery of why folks will spend entire life savings to build a house on a lake side that has water five months out of the year and mud, rocks, rip rap and garbage are present when the water recedes.  The dock above is fifty feet up on a mud embankment.  Why even have a dock?  Just me I guess.  The water belongs up at the green foliage line on that shoreline.  Pretty, isn't it?  I also will never understand why these flood control lakes are drained to the degree they are so early in the year.  I mean, it isn't like there is some large snow mass up in Pennsylvania, Vermont or Canada that may melt at any time and flow down the French Broad River and flood the Tennessee Valley.  So, why lower the lakes so early?  Oh well.......

Below is a pretty piece of rock I found today.  This is getting pretty bad when I have to photograph rocks.

I've said some things with tongue in cheek here on this entry but, what I'm going to say now is no joke.  It is a damn shame what has been done to the rivers and streams in the entire state of Tennessee.  There are dams on every river and numerous dams on some.  The wildlife habitat is practically ruined and it exists only where a dollar can be made from hunting, trapping and fishing.  The real crime is that it was done with the consent of the citizens of the entire state except for dams created for the war effort.  Ask yourself why TVA has no competition.  Ever wonder about that.  While your at it, ask yourself why Tellico Reservoir exists beside Ft Loudon Reservoir.  It is not flood control and it has nothing to do with making hydroelectric power yet it is a TVA lake.    Real Estate ring a bell?  OK, I'll shut up.  Hope you liked the Osprey....