Another canoe trip

Boy I hadn't realized it had been that long since I'd posted anything!  Between heat, bugs and a husband who managed to trip over a door sill and injure a knee we just haven't been out and about lately.  Yesterday, we did, however, manage to get out for another canoe trip...

it wasn't the most productive trip for seeing birds....mid afternoon on a warm day and also we didn't make it into areas where you can usually expect to see things....we set off heading in the direction of Eagle Point park....you can see the silly sign that normally sits right in the middle of the path to the park is now re-emerging from the watery depths.  There are the 2 'eagle tree's' by the viewing platform straight ahead...

and we have a pair of Bald Eagles that have taken up residence in one of those trees.  I don't know if this is a new pair or the pair that have the nest on the dike that didn't seem to have a successful hatch this year.  I've heard too that the pair that nest in the golf course had problems in that the male has disappeared so the female is raising their young on her own....  It isn't nest building time....if that were to happen here (which would be great) they would start working on it probably in November.

next we had to check out the Purple Martin boxes....note the fledgling peaking out of the top left one.  I knew they were still here as can hear their distinctive zit call in the evenings when they are busy catching bugs....of which we've had no shortage this year.

Further along....

spotted a 'Spotted' Sandpiper at the log bay....there was a young one on the shore but it vanished before I could get a photo.  Could hear various twittering from the shore, including Bullocks Oriole and there were some swallows of various species flying about although not a lot of any particular ones.  

A last look at...

Martin boxes where there were 2 of the males....

and another fledgling.  Have a feeling there were probably a dozen or so all told.

Headed....

across to the other side as wanted to check out if we could see any sign of that Red-necked Grebe....didn't.....in fact didn't see much of anything except...

very quiet Canada Geese....about a dozen in this location but probably close to a hundred out there...all in their flightless molting stage so not drawing any attention to themselves.  A couple of ducks, I think Mallard flew over at one point too.

What were vocal and busy flying over head were....

Osprey.  This one has a fish in it's talons.  At one point there were 3 overhead which tells me the youngsters had left the nest...

Perhaps this one was getting a fishing lesson.

Just as we were heading back one of the eagle pair took off from his perch, flew out and grabbed something from the water (hopefully a only a fish)...

where his mate joined him.  I really cropped the above photo in hopes of seeing just what it was he had caught but this definitely proves we have a pair as otherwise there would have been squabbling over the catch.

Lastly....

spotted one of the Common Loon who have been hanging around out there all season.  Just as we brought the canoe in a beautiful male Bullock's Oriole landed right in front of me, but of course by the time I fumbled for my camera, he'd gone.  Oh well!  Will have to try to get out for a walk soon....see what is happening over at Harrison Bay.