MOVIE CLIPS AND RIVER SCENES

Well - they're wildlife too

The day was a mix of bright sun and dark, dreary, cold.  you'll be able to see it in the pictures.  I've been posting shots from this river very frequently and I think it might be time to give it a break, at least until March when the birds return and the beavers and otters start to play again - if there are any left when the trapper gets done with them..  Today was uneventful for the most part so I tried to make a few movie clips that will show up later.  It puts "you" right on the water.  There are some good shots of ducks and even turkeys too so I hope you enjoy something in the post.

All the birds seem to be pairing up these days.  They were in flocks through the winter but now, they can be seen in pairs - especially the geese.

There is a large population of resident coots on this river and it will be interesting to see their young.  I've never witnessed coots with young.  Ought to be cute.

Even the great blue herons are standing on their nests.  They will pair up soon.  The signs of procreation are everywhere.

I am assuming that this metal bird box (can) is a wood duck box.  I've seen the first wood ducks today that I've seen on this lake since I've visited here.  This is going to be a colorful springtime as far as ducks go.  Teal, mallards, coots, great herons, canvasbacks, wood ducks and many more will have their young back in the rich green water grasses that reach out into the water from the shore line in March and April..

 Sharing the field

I pointed the Gheenoe upstream, kicked back and cruised along about ten miles per hour and enjoyed the scenery.

I can safely say I'm a river man.   The rivers have it over the reservoirs hands down.  Reservoirs are nice too but they lack the wildlife populations that the rivers enjoy.  When I think reservoir I think humans.  I think river if I want to find habitat and wildlife.

 Notice how the color in the shots has improved.  The sun has become brighter.

I saw a little indentation in the right bank that was alluring.  I was compelled to put the Gheenoe in there and shut it down just for the heck of it.  All was very quiet and soothing on the river, for a few moments anyway.

   The little cove was quiet and it was neat to look out toward the river and watch the water rush past my little cove's opening.

I was getting pretty far up the river by this time and would be approaching that horizontal line that separates the fast water from the smooth water.  The old, rusty railroad bridge came into view ahead.

The best clip wouldn't upload.  It showed some pretty mean water up against that horizontal line or shoal that crossed the river.  Oh well.

I let the boat drift sideways a bit.  Then, dropped down to that big island I passed earlier and went around it on the back side through some shallow water.  Interesting.

During duck hunting season the ducks disappeared.  I guess the motor boats and all the movement on the river by hunters scared them off.  The season ended and the ducks are returning by the billions.  Funny!  I can't wait until spring to see the different chicks that will be swimming along the shorelines and through the water grass.

I messes up a sweet shot on a pair of wood ducks.  They took me by surprise.  They are the first I've seen on this river.  Great to see them here!

I drove back down toward the boat ramp and decided to take the boat out of the water.  I looked over in the farmers field and saw cattle feeding area full of turkeys.  This area up here is just unbelievable! 

 The turkey below is a gobbler.  He is very young.  Notice his beard hanging down from his neck.

And finally, the pictures below are of a turkey of a different ilk.  He is the reason there are no more beavers or otters on the lower end of the river.  He is the trapper who took the otters I photographed a month ago.  They are gone.  They are no more.  He discovered the only two beaver lodges on the left shoreline sitting on a small, narrow creek.  He has his traps and trap stakes in his bag and he's heading on up the bank to the lodges.  I don't want to talk about trapping here.  Not now.  But, some things upset me so bad I think I'm going to lose my mind and trapping is one of them.  This guy has taken away a lot of super critters off the water in the most cowardly and despicable manner.

He disgusts me even looking at these pictures