Tuesday, February 7, 2017

A Great Weekend with Steve, February 4, 5, 2017

When Tom and I were talking about the four American Bald Eagles we saw a few days ago at Eastwood Lake, Steve said, "I've never seen a bald eagle."  He meant out in the wild because he has seen caged eagles at sancturaries and zoos.

Tom decided we would all go to Eastwood Lake and see if we could find an eagle.  We didn't but we did  see a Brown Creeper working its way up the trunk of a tree. The Brown Creeper was a "Life Bird" for Steve, the first one he had ever seen.

Because we didn't find the eagles, Tom decided to drive to the little county park across from the entrance to C. J. Brown Reservoir.  There are always birds there.

Tom took photos of some of them.  So did Steve with his new ipad.

These are Tom's photos.


Mute Swan
Gadwall
Black Vultures
Ring-billed Gulls standing on ice.

We saw other birds as well.  It turned out to be a fine day for us birdwatchers.

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On Sunday morning Steve and I walked down Shortstep Hill and  across the floodplain  to the swamp at Brukner Nature Center.  We wanted to see if the Skunk Cabbage was blooming.



This Red Fox lives at the top of Shortstep Hill.  For some reason that I don't know he would not be able to live on his own in the wild.

Steve found a blooming Skunk Cabbage.

I showed him these Hepatica leaves and he went on a Hepatica leaves hunt.  There were plenty to be found.

"Look," said Steve.  "These leaves look like gold when the sun shines on them."  (American Beech)


These Common Mullein leaves were as soft as a fleece jacket.

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