MORE WILD LIFE

Continued from previous post:

While the guys played in the mud, moss and fish slime I had plenty of time to

 kick back, enjoy the scenery and observe the local residents. 

The morning mist gradually melted off the mountains, just recently dusted with snow.

Plenty of birds came and went.---I think these are coots.

Seagulls cruised the vicinity, probably hoping there would be hand-outs, 

left overs or tossed trash fish.

Loons swam by, their familiar call whistling across the water.

I was thoroughly enjoying the romantic sound until Beavis quoted the line from 

"On Golden Pond" in a quavery Katherine Hepburn voice, 

"The loons! The loons, Norman! They're welcoming us back!"

When the fish stopped biting at the first location we drove to another site.

DH pointed out the "eagle tree" and sure enough there was a big, dark

golden eagle perched there. 

He was giving us quite a stare down. 

After it snows the guys come back to this same place to ice fish.

Last winter there was a bald eagle the guys named Charley 

who helped himself to the trash fish that got tossed on the ice.

I was sitting in my camp chair waiting for some fishing action when I saw what

I thought was a small boat moving through the water about a hundred yards away.

When it reached the shore I could see through my zoom lens that it was a huge

bull moose with a giant rack of antlers.  He walked up the shore

...and wandered off into the trees.  Wow!

Now I'm trying to talk myself into tagging along on an ice fishing trip

so I can get my own pictures of Charley.  The last time I went with them

I nearly froze solid, but I really, really want some good photos

 of a bald eagle.  I'm going to have to think about that some more.