Mission Accomplished.

The  weatherman said that when we get up today the clouds would still be present but would clear out rather fast by mid morning. Wrong, without prejudice!  There was only a thin strip of cloud in the western sky and the rest was that "make me feel happy blue sky". Oh, what a relief to see that. As I have mentioned before, at one point I didn't mind cloudy skies, but as time has ticked away...I want all the blue sky that I can get.

By lunch time, my normal routine was complete and I sat down to watch the news and see what kind of mess Donald had gotten himself into over night tweeting. Really, though, I love that guy. He is misunderstood by the vast majority because the mainstream establishment have never been around a guy like our current president. It the same thing as people up north not understanding the southern culture and then there are regions like Pacific Northwest , California, Florida, Upstate New York, Vermont, and Maine; all regions with cultures so different that most just don't get it. Take the Water People of Maryland on the East side of the Chesapeake Bay. That's a culture in both language and work that would confuse most Americans, yet don't give them the crabs and shell fish that the Water People harvest every day to satisfy their taste buds and listen to them yell.

Here's the Big Boy in a Residential Neighborhood

Just when he was getting ready to change position, a guy comes out of one of the houses, gets into his truck and roars right past me just as he took flight. My dad always said, "There's always one".

The last of the Christmas Decor although, this one just struck me as so,"Charles Dickens". I love this image with the ghostly tree branches, sky and that Holiday Theme.

 

Donald is a Construction Trade Guy. One that is also locked into the New York System that do everything for the benefit of the trades and the bosses. Dock workers, Freight Handlers, Fashion Districts, Fish Markets, Importers of wine and booze. Taxis. Hotels.  You name a trade--New York has one that is a total different world than you would think it to be. But, things get done. Business gets done. Money is made, Food hits the table when it is time.

To me---it's the old adage: There are those that want to see you fail. That's what the fake news and all that garbage set out to do. At any rate... I had my morning laughs and watched another congress go about business as normal, even though the American People had said that if you don't get it right after we clean house, we are going to clean house even better at the next election. And--I truly hope that the American People go back to the polls and wipe the second and third  terms totally clean

But, my goal of late is to keep watch on the nesting pairs of hawks and owls. Activity is picking up and I was talking to a couple of park workers today that I see routinely and they are trying to get all the wood up off the floor. There has been so many branches and whole trees that have fallen this past year and while some can be returned to nature on their own, other need human help to get rid of the wood and the damage it caused.

Much to my surprise, today, as I made my way around to check on the birds that I have not seen in the pat two to three days, still, none were found for the third day, but I did score  a major find. My Osprey was cited again. This is the fourth time that I have seen him in as many weeks. Yet, today was the fulfillment of getting images of all four bird of prey; the eagles, the red shoulders/ red tails, the barred owls and now the osprey! Mission Accomplished.

My first citing of an osprey was years ago at Pauly's Island, South Carolina. Ever since, that is the one bird that I cannot get enough of. They are populated on 6 of the 7 continents and they eat only fish. But they are  totally interesting to see, watch and bring hope that you get to see them again.  There are some great HD cams of Ospreys. They are interesting to see how they care for their mates and their chicks. Three years ago I saw my first Osprey at White Rock that I had ever seen there. Last year, I didn't see them at all, but around September, I had heard that  one had been cited. I kept watching and looking at spots where I know that they favor in a territory. Then, at the end of  November, I saw the big guy for the first time last year--now, in this nesting season he is hanging out at all the right places. I'm hopeful to spot a big nest soon. Time will tell if he hangs out at White Rock or goes to one of the bigger and more rural lakes.

Inside Yesterday--Had To Get Out Today

The rain and gray clouds and cold were closing in inch by inch by inch. By noon time, it was out the door with the bumper shoot  in one hand and the camera bag and tote in the other. Just at Love Field, already, we have picked up an inch and a half of rain. The snow went north to soon.So, to be positive about the matter, we got liquid snow instead.

For a bit, I had the wipers on intermittent. The drizzle was just enough to have them on. When I got to the lake, it was clear that the water levels were even higher than they had been with the most recent flooding on the parking lots and roadway. The dock at one of the boat club marinas had been smashed and rearranged by logs floating down stream and striking the under carriage, raising sections out of the water. So with that siting, it was a full sweep of the lake to see what else might be amiss, all- the- while looking for the pairs of hawks that are getting ready to nest. Not one hawk did I see. Not one. This is the second day and it somewhat worries me. The weather can cause hawks to go elsewhere.

What I did discover was that the pelican's island was totally under water for the second time in less than two weeks and what was worse was the the logs that they like to nap upon and preen their feathers were totally gone. None!! Even the ones out father into the bay area were missing. I also noted that the number of pelicans were  much less than what normally hangs out there. There were only a dozen more on the lake drifting and none down by the dam when I was there. It was on the way home when I made a sweep over the  top of Flag Pole Hill and down to Goforth along White Rock Creek when I discovered about thirty pelicans on the creek bank between Northwest Highway and the cross road that runs east and west behind Flag Pole Hill. There were even many more Great White Egrets and a few more Great Blue Herons that I have never seen all together hanging out like today.

It will be interesting to see how the return goes when the lake levels drop a bit and the creeks flood stage currents lower and slow down . Will the group of pelicans stay there or return to  Sunset Bay? The Park Superintendent told me about a month ago in his office that he can't put logs back into the water. Environmental control factors, nor can he take them out unless they wash ashore like the ones did along the lake shore and the marina docks. I fully understand that process. And there is a lot of loss limbs and branches  on the ground where the disease and rot weakened the branches to where finally, the rain soaked wood's weight pulled them down. Big ones. There is a good semi load of wood on the ground now just along East Lawther from trees down and branches down. So the hope to have nature replace the logs for the pelican and cormorants has greatly diminished after the scouting mission today. 

At least the temperatures will be normal and even well above above average for the next ten days or so. I noted a 70 degree day just a few more days down the pike. Tomorrow will be seasonal but the mitigating factor to all of this is sunshine!! Sun, Glorious Sun!!.  Annie, yes, "the sun will come out tomorrow"!

See the log on the left. It runs to the right middle of the undercarriage. That's what lifted the dock up.

Slightly blurred. I'm not a memeber of the 600mm club.

The Sailing Club Has been Around and Around again. It's the anchor of the Marina.

Gas Continues to Fall in Price

Day before yesterday, I filled up at $1.939. When I applied by 3-cent discount from Kroger receipts, the final price per gallon was $1.909. I have not paid that low of a gas price in a bit over 2 years. Today, however, the price had dropped another 4-cents to $1.869. I must admit that the gas buddy app helps, but like when I filled up, it advised that prices were going to be stable through the weekend. Not to complain, but the 4-cent drop sure didn't sound like remaining stable to me. But, to be fair, they have saved me a lot of money on gas and I like the app.

They lined up to wait like planes waiting for take off.

Cleared for Take Off!

Here is the Osprey. They were not seen last year, but were seen two years ago. This is my first sighting this years where I could do the 7-point ID check and yes, Virginia----it is an OSPREY!

The weather today was another one of those low, low, very low cloud covered days. It seems that I am changing the white balance on my camera from cloudy to sunshine and back to cloudy more than I have in the past 10 years. Is that possible? The sunshine in Dallas was always king. Now, it seems like it is just another one of those low hanging cloud day more than most Dallas residents do not want.  And, to be fair to that cause as well, it was 76 degrees again today!. 74 tomorrow and then the bottom drops out for the next 10-days.

I went to the lake from 10-2 today even with the low hanging ceilings. I'm glad that I did. I saw the Osprey!! Big Boy too! He arrive and the two-dozen Great Egrets took off  en mass. The thing about the Osprey is that they eat nearly 100-percent fish in their diet, but egrets also have full bellies of fish, too! So, it's not like he's after the Egret for lunch, but he's after the Egret's lunch for his lunch!. The food chain is not always nice and neat, don't you know.
 Also, again, the pelican were in the tidal pool fishing. There were more than 70 that I counted. The cormorants were diving and coming up with fish at every turn. There has been a lot of fish trapped in the tidal pool and the waterfowl that have a hefty fish diet have hit the jackpot.

I watched the pelicans from up at the dam and made my way down to the tidal pool level because I knew that the pelicans would be taking to the air and it would give me some pretty good shots that I don't have in any of my portfolios. Sure enough. I had not been down there 10-minutes when they lined up for take-off. I swear, they were airline pilots in another life. I call  them the White Rock Air Force. And, being so big with a 9-foot wingspan, they are every bit as graceful as a 747 jet landing and taking off.  I could watch them all day. I've never tried to order lunch at the lake, but one day I'm going to do that. Need a picnic table for pizza but Jimmy John's would work.

I was home by two and did a snack thing for a late lunch. And, I did a fried carrot and broc thing with a salmon fillet. It was just right! Besides, I love that fried carrot thing. I'm hooked on it and even save the last two inches of the carrot to be cut in rounds rather than the strips that I slice. The little rounds are the chef's portion. I love 'em when they are hot!! While I am cooking the strips and the salmon.

I've been eating more salmon of late. I can't recall the last time I even bought raw hamburger. For one, I won't pay $6.00/lb  for hamburger period. I grew up on hamburger at $0.39/lb. It's just one of those things. Mom was a Rosy Riveter  at Willow Run Airport building bombers for the Air Force when she was 19. Her older sister made Hungarian Goulash  and guess what--- when mom married, she knew how to cook Hungarian Goulash with elbow macaroni and tomato paste, onions, blah-blah-blah. During the war it was a cheap meal. Not a thing wrong with  it. Then, hamburger started to go wild.

A First For Us Today

It's hard to be modest at times, but we try very hard to be modest in our accomplishments. Today, one of our images was celebrated in a way that made us smile with some degree of pride. The thing about this event today is that we actually got to see it take shape in real time and just stopped what we were doing and watched it play out on our site. And to the parties involved we can only say,"Thank You" for the confidence and vote of support in our work. Again, "thank you" to those who know who you are. Our customers are our heart beat and it means so much to us to have you as customers and agents in step with our mission. When all three come together in harmony, it's a celebration for all three.

In the meanwhile, here's some more bird pictures

A songbird fledgeling

The family of Turkey Vultures with last years and this years fledglings. The near right and left of the inflow allowed two big carp to swim inland.When the water receded the carp were left high and dry and soon died. The vultures are nature's garbage men and these two each have one of the carp they are working on. These are the same birds seen thermal riding over the marina area and sitting on the light post along Mockingbird and Flag Pole Hill.

See the Osprey in flight? Two years ago there was a nesting osprey, then last year, I didn't see one at all. This early January, I spotted the osprey coming across the lake from  Mt. Vernon area. It seemed to have favored the woods around Poppy and Sunset Bay. An would you believe---there it is hugging the treeline. The white on the head with the bar markings can sometimes be missed by the most experienced 'bird watchers'.