February - Here and Gone - 2/28/2011

By about 3:00 Thursday (2/10) I had pretty much made up my mind that I needed time for myself, so I set my out of office message, walked into an empty boss's office to tell him I wouldn't be in and left for the day. Friday morning I went over to Pte Mouillee HQ and set around the river to watch the inactive trees. From there I went on to Lake Erie Metro Park. Went down to the boat launch where the river was just full of Mute Swans, Tundras, Canada Geese, Mallards, Canvasbacks, Redheads, Buffleheads and Golden-eyes. It was like wall-to-wall and noisey - it went on for miles. I managed to grab a few shots of a Hermit Thrush and a White-throat Sparrow before heading over to walk the trail outside the Marsh Museum. On Saturday and Sunday the river will only have Mute Swans, Tundras, Canada Geese and a few ducks; like nothing was even there on Friday.

I decided to make the trail by the Marsh Museum my last visit. The trail was quiet, you could hear tapping in the distance but there really wasn't anything to photograph except for a few deer, one of which tests you to see just how close you can get to it. You walk toward it and it walks towards you - they do get close before they put distance between you and them. The only thing now as I walk is hope that the Great Horned Owl is sitting in his tree, this makes the walk worth while. Sure enough there he sat, manning his post. There was nothing else to photograph that day. And on Sunday there wasn't much to photograph but it was good to get out.

Well here it is the last day of the month and other than the Great Horned I didn't take too many photos. I did go out Saturday and watched to young Bald Eagles lock talons and chase either through the sky. Of course I haven't mastered cloudy days so the photos I took (as long as I don't try to change anything) really don't look that bad but there is much to be desired. Til my next post.