LOONOLOGY

wildlife shots taken with 150 -500 mm telephoto

"Fatha - Oh Fatha -- did you bring the good Foster and Smith biscuits Fatha?"

Cherokee Lake doesn't have much wildlife diversity to choose from but, one thing the lake does provide is a stop over place for common loons when they're migrating North for breeding purposes.  These birds are sensational to watch.  They appear a gray/brown in color through the summer months but when the time comes to migrate North for breeding purposes - their plumage changes to a pattern and color unique to the loon and no other bird.  Even their eyes turn red and the plumage on their heads changes from drab gray to rich black.   Loonguistically speaking - they are one of the most spectacular birds we have in North America.  The birds I photographed today will be leaving the lake on their long flights to points located in remote areas in our Northern states and Canada.  It's rare for me to happen onto so many loons on the lake in one spot and I took advantage of the opportunity.  Hope you don't get bored.  Seems I over post critter pictures sometimes and so it must be with the loons.  

Isn't he beautiful?  We are so fortunate to have these fantastic birds to see.  They will spend almost their entire life in the water, only coming to shore to nest.  In flight they appear elongated with their feet extending back behind their short tail.  The legs have been placed very far back on their body by evolution making it almost impossible for the loon to walk on land.

The only reason I captured these images is because there were so many birds on the water.  I cut the engine and allowed the boat to just move silently with the current.  Some of the birds, not all, ignored my presence and approached closer than they normally would.

You've got to remember that I'm not searching for any critters you see on this blog unless I'm in my personal boat or on foot.  They appear in front or beside my boat or land in trees beside the waterway.  The incident with these loons today is nothing more than pure luck.  I may never have this opportunity present itself again.  Sometimes I have better luck finding wildlife by not looking for it than I do when I search intently.  That's life I guess.  These birds are gathered here to forage for fish and I doubt they will be here for more than a day.

I sometimes get "looney" over loons.  Hope I didn't bore you too badly.

"Hey Shade - when you get done rolling on that dead catfish over there, come on over here.  There's a dead bluegill I'd hate for you to miss."

"At a girl."

She sat there staring out across the lake all quiet and still.

I spoke out loud to myself, "I'm gonna wash yer ass when we get home."

She instantly jerked around and gave me the most astonished look!

Love her!

I don't understand.  Just don't.

So, that's it for today.  We'll be back up on the river tomorrow morning and that's a good thing.  See ya.

ANOTHER FOGGY RIVER MORNING

A double crested cormorant rockets down the river through the dense fog.  How can he see?

The river is fogged in but the temperature is great!  Hopefully, the weather will hold this time.  The fog is so thick that I can't even see the ramp to back the boat onto.  I'll just have to wait it out.

Things started to clear a bit around 9 AM.  I launched the boat and was off.

I really don't mind driving the river in fog.  I'd rather do the river than a reservoir because there are a lot of boats on the lakes with high horsepower that I don't trust.  The river is a lot calmer.

This morning is very pretty but, not as pretty as the morning I posted on the blog called "Misty River".  Now, that was a gorgeous morning.  This one's not bad though.

I moved slowly down Beech Creek headed for the Holston River.  It lay just ahead.  I would go upstream at the confluence.

The fog was lifting pretty fast.  Soon, I would be able to up the speed and cover some water.  I wanted to traverse the water upstream and get it out of the way as I felt that anglers would visit the lake down by the John Sevier Steam Plant.

Trees are most beautiful in shrouded in fog.  They appear wispy and mysterious.  I love it!

For the first time in months - I could feel the warmth on my hands and face.  It felt really nice.  Up until now its always been the cold.  Everything was cold.  This morning on the water was delightful comfort.

The shorelines were coming into view and they were beautiful.  The colors are starting to overpower the browns of Winter.  I can't wait until the water grasses start to grow adding vibrant green color to the edges of the water.

The sun finally burned off the last remnants of fog and the brightness were welcomed.

An enormous log lay on the shoreline and it was obvious that the beavers have been stripping it bare.  If you look closely you can see the vertical marks left by their sharp teeth.  Amazing creatures!

Then I saw my favorite duck.  A male and a female wood duck were paddling along slowly close to the river bank.  This was a sweet situation.

I've said it before and I'll repeat it.  These little ducks are the most spectacular duck on the water.  They are gorgeous!

I did the best I could with the camera considering I'm on a rickety, rocking and rolling tin can.  These ducks have absolutely no patience or tolerance for humans with a camera.  They took flight quickly.

Wood ducks are the rocket ships of the duck world.  They are faaast!  They cut hard left and headed across the river right into and between two cormorants that were just flying downstream minding their own business.  The cormorants really slowed the wood ducks down causing them to fly between the cormorants for about a hundred yards.   The ducks appeared as fighter planes escorting two light bombers across enemy territory.  I wish I would have had more light for a faster shutter speed.  Things worked out though.

That was pretty cool.  Actually it was way cool!
My turtle friends were starting to climb up onto the logs to sun themselves.  Some were covered in algie from their long Winter sleep in the mud.  They are a welcome sight as they seal the fate of Winter into the past.

That marked the end of a really nice morning.  I've got a strong urge to visit Indian Boundary Lake in the canoe.  That's coming up soon.  The camping urge is settling in too.  Tomorrow will be spent on the stone quarry, Cherokee Lake.  Yuk.  Have to take the bad with the good.  Tee hee.  See ya.