Fishing on the Creek

Fishing is much less about the fishing, 

and much more about the time alone with your kid, 

away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday. 

~ Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing

What was I thinking?


Well, I was thinking that it was cool-ish because of the storms and overcast skies. And the creek was running like crazy. A few days of even intermittent rain changes all. I wanted to see how the birds were doing and try out the new camera.


It was a grand walk, but perhaps more walk than I expected. I started at the footbridge and then moved the car to mid-park so I wouldn't have to walk too far when I finished looking for the herons. [Yes, I am sure you can see what's coming.]

The Black Vultures (three of 'em) should have been a message. "Mind yourself, girl!"

And then two more Black Vultures. I NEVER see vultures here unless they are flying over. These were odd sightings for me, for here.

A couple of limbs had fallen - including one that disclosed some creature's nest.

I've taken a number of photos of this tree over the past few months. I have hoped to see what was living in those hollow limbs.

I ran into the woman who sees that all the wild things are fed. She was way downstream from where we usually see her. And it was more than late. We usually see here before 7:00 a.m. Here it was 1:00 in the afternoon and she was shaking out cracked corn for the pigeons and very distressed ducks. We walked back upstream and talked of ducks and squirrels and dogs. 

She feeds the squirrels, but she doesn't name them.

She placed cracked corn where the squirrels would get it and wouldn't have to battle the ducks.

There was a family (father and sons) seining bait fish. They fought the current and brought up net after net of shiny little fingerlings. They seemed to be having fun, but it was hard work too. I love seeing daddies passing on skills to their children. They will all long remember these fishing excursions. There will be catfish on their lines before long. They know a spot to fish for channel cats. 

Father and two brothers seining for bait.

They tried a couple of spots in the time I wandered the paths and seemed to be having some luck.

Other folks took walks and enjoyed picnics - and a bunch were swimming. It was a typical Saturday in the park, only the rushing creek was unusual. More than a few wild birds hugged the banks of the creek - besides the vultures, pigeons and ducks were a Great Blue Heron, an immature Yellow-crowned Night-heron, and the Snowy Egret.

The Great Blue Heron must have been having trouble fishing in the murky water.

These photos are so much better than my usual shots.

This one made me very happy. The heron flew into a tree soundlessly. Then it wasn't what I had thought and I had to work on the id. It is an immature Yellow-crowned Night-heron. I'm learning.

While not a great photo, I could see the details that tell you this is a Snowy Egret - black beak, flesh color at the face, flesh-colored feet.

I followed the flying Snowy Egret upstream before heading to our usual parking spot. My car was gone. Now, it must have been the heat. I stood there and shook my head and wondered who in the world would want my ratty old car. And then I remembered I had moved the car so I wouldn't have to walk all the way back across the park. 

<sigh> 

I'll be more mindful of where I park in the the future. And I may have to drop a line in the creek before the summer is over or maybe I'll talk my brother into a fishing trip.