Birds, Turtles, and Water Lilies

We finally got back on the lake this morning.  It is going to be a warm day, so we wanted to get out early.  We had beautiful sunshine and a bit of breeze that turned our flat-water start to seeing some white caps by the time we were back.

The white water lilies are starting to bloom.  They are in the typical places, but still not so many.  I hope to see more as the season progresses.

Water Lily
Water Lily

 

Water Lily with Yellow Center
Water Lily with Yellow Center

There were several tree swallows zooming around.  This one was kind enough to pose before entering its next box.

Tree Swallow at Nest Box
Tree Swallow at Nest Box

The grackle kept hopping from branch to branch deep in the underbrush, but finally came out so I could get a photo.

Grackle
Grackle

Off in the distance, a beautiful eagle soared overhead.  I apologize for the quality of the photos, but this was the best I could do with the eagle being so far away.  The images are heavily cropped.

Eagle in Flight
Eagle in Flight

I saw several kingfishers, but they kept flying just out of sight as we got close.  This one was hunting for breakfast.  It dove into the water several times.  I was able to get close enough for these photos.

Kingfisher Looking for Breakfast
Kingfisher Looking for Breakfast

 

Kingfisher Along Shore
Kingfisher Along Shore

There is still a swan patrolling the bay at the south end of the lake (Horton Creek Inlet).  We only saw the one swan this trip.

Swan Patrolling Near Horton Creek Inlet
Swan Patrolling Near Horton Creek Inlet

There were a few turtles sunning themselves.  They were pretty skittish and didn’t stay on the logs very long.

Three Turtles
Three Turtles

 

Turtle on a Log
Turtle on a Log

It was so good to be back out on the lake.

Mark

4 thoughts on “Birds, Turtles, and Water Lilies

  1. Neat to see King Fishers. Are they rare in your parts? What do you mean when you say “get out early.”

    1. There are lots of kingfishers up here at the lake. It is a treat to watch them fish. By early, I mean we got out ahead of the warmer weather. We were out by a little after 8:30 AM.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *