Make way for Ducklings

Posted on May 26, 2015May 26, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Although different birds mate at different times, spring is in fulls wing here in New England. So it seemed strange to me that I had not seen any baby ducks.The swans are still on the nest and the Canada Geese have tons of baby goose-poop machines.

I spotted a baby Osprey but where are the ducklings?

There’s a little pond near my house so I took a drive over there with the camera. I brought along a book and settled in to read and watch the birds. There were lots of Canada Geese, no goslings here, however. There were some gulls and few Mallards but no babies of any kind.

I rolled the window down and started reading my book. The birds wandered across the road from the pond to the lawn on the other side and back again. Several geese stopped to check the car out. Apparently trying to figure out what this thing was in their path.

I’d been there about 20 minutes as the mixed flock crossed back to the lawn again when I saw a Mama Mallard with quite a brood of ducklings. I bet she had a dozen! The babies were swimming and diving like corks while Mama chased away all adults, even the much larger Canada Geese!

Happy now that I can add ducklings to my list of babies, I decided to make one more stop before I headed home.

Somewhere North of the Everglades

Posted on March 27, 2015March 27, 2015 by Dusty Roads

It was stepping out into a watery wilderness a mere 7 miles from the headwaters of the River of Grass. Anyone local will tell you that you are too far north for the Everglades. They think of the southern end, near Fort Lauderdale, Shark Valley, Holiday Park, but the shallow waters start somewhere and East Lake Tohopekaliga is a good a place as any to explore if you are near St. Cloud, FL.

We tried a smaller airboat ride than I’ve done before. We floated out with Wild Willy’s and it was worth the effort to get there. Located in a RV campground on a dead end road, Wild Willy’s uses 6 person airboats, smaller and more personal than the bigger airboats I’ve been on on the past.

Our captain said he was the one and only Wild Willy. I’m not sure if that’s true or just what they all say but he was a crusty fellow who did his darndest to give us a fun and educational ride.

Without a word he used the airboat to coax birds into the air or drift quietly past them so I could get the best possible photos. Big difference from the frustrating experiences trying to get photos on some of the big airboats.

Willy pointed out an eagle nest with two eaglets while Mon and Dad perched in the tree tops a few trees away keeping a close eye.

Baby alligators chirped for mama gator and birds were everywhere.

One of the first we spotted was an osprey with a fish for lunch half as big as he was.

A great blue heron “photo bombed” some smaller wading birds…just because he could.

We scared up a flock of white pelicans.

We spotted quite as few Purple Gallinules.

I got a predator bird in flight. It was hardly more than a spot in the sky when Willy pointed the airboat toward it. I heard him say it was very rare and that he’d taken birder’s out days at a time looking for one. But I didn’t catch what he called it. So here’s my mystery bird. Any idea what it is?

A Little River Cruise

Posted on August 24, 2014August 24, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I had to get out. Summer is almost over and I’ve done NOTHING! I know you’ve heard it all before but I really had to try to get out so I bought a ticket on the River Quest Lighthouse Cruise. River Quest runs cruises on the lower end of the Connecticut River. I’ve been on a couple of their Eagle Cruises.

It takes about 2 hours to get there but the cruises are always fun. relaxing and educational. The lighthouse cruise is only done once a year and it’s the only cruise that leaves the Connecticut River and ventures into the Long Island Sound.

So here are a few images from my day:

Good morning!

2 hours later there’s the Goodspeed Opera House!

A Eagle!

Look what happens when you do not get the proper permits!

Bass Fishing

My spare car is a Helicopter…how’d you like to commute with that?

Osprey

and more Osprey

One More Osprey

Oh those poor people who live along the river. (They are all either attorneys or car salesmen)

The rest of the poor people have boats.

I 95 just ahead.

Under I 95.

Let’s go to the town dock for a little fishing.

There’s the Acela train!

This little lighthouse is actually a room for rent.

There’s the first lighthouse.

Lighthouse one and two.

The breakwater lighthouse.

Now that’s what I call “Gone Fishing”

St. John’s Boys School for troubled youths.

Gillette Castle

Jet Skis on the river

Wave to the Becky Thatcher!

Heading back to the dock.

We’re back in Eagle Park. Time for lunch.

Cruisin’ the Cape Cod Canal

Posted on August 5, 2013August 5, 2013 by Dusty Roads

It was hot and humid so I thought there might be some relief out on the water. I thought I’d follow up on the sight-seeing cruise ship I’d seen on the Cape Cod Canal. I’d learned that the boat went out of Onset. I don’t think I’ve ever been to Onset so that alone would be interesting.

Driving into Onset took me past clam shacks , souvenir shops and typical tourist attractions. I think I even passed a miniature golf course. I finally pulled over and asked 2 young men if they could tell me where I could find the sight seeing boat. I was a block away!

Following the road the men pointed me toward took my right along the beach. To my surprise it was practically empty! Once I reached the parking area and wharf I was greeted at the entrance. The attendant told me I was in the right place and pointed me to a parking spot.

An automated parking meter accepted my debit card and spit out a receipt for me to put on the dash of the car.

The MV Viking was pulling in as I parked. Timing couldn’t be better.

I bought my ticket and about 15 minutes later I boarded for the 2 hour cruise.

We reach the canal from Onset Bay.

At buoy marker 21 we passed an active Osprey nest then turned to port (left) to head into the canal.

Ahead was the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge and the Mass. Maritime Academy (both of which deserve their own posts).

The Cape Cod Railroad bridge is a vertical lift bridge. This means that the rail bed is elevated when not in use and lowered to connect with the rail bed on terra firma when a train needs to cross the canal.

I was surprised to learn that the bridge is still in use being raised and lowered about 3 times each day when the Cape Cod tourist trains come through.

The Mass Maritime Academy has been preparing men and women for careers on land at sea for over 100 years. The co-ed academy balances a unique, regimented lifestyle with a typical 4 year college environment. Moored near the academy is the MV Kennedy, a huge training vessel for the cadets.

Next up was the Bourne Bridge, one of the 2 bridges that span the canal and connect the upper and lower cape.

The center spans on the Bourne Bridge and the Sagamore are the same size.

The Bourne Bridge is the larger bridge because the topography requires to additional extensions on either end that the Sagamore doesn’t need.

The cruise provided an answer to a mystery that I have always wondered about. Have you ever noticed the round “balls” attached to some high tension lines? No one hs ever been able to tell me what they were for.

Well, according to the commentary on the cruise, they are so low flying planes can see the lines and if they can’t see them then radar can pick them up so the planes don’t get entangled. They are called “Talons”.

Finally we came to our turn around at the Sagamore Bridge.

There was the Herring run near the Butterflies of Cape Cod and the Seafood Shanty where I’d first seen the Viking cruise by.

There was a lot more to the cruise covering history and antecedents but I need far more room to include it all. I invite any one local to try the cruise and if you aren’t, then come on down for a vacation and give it a try. http://hylinecruises.com/cape-cod-canal-cruises.html

Cape Cod is beautiful in the summer.

Ospreys and Eagles …Oh My!

Posted on April 20, 2013April 20, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Time to head to the docks or should I say a dock. I’m heading out on an Eagle/Osprey cruise. I last went on one of these trips on a cold day in February 2011. Of course I picked the coldest day of the year to go at that time. https://aroundustyroads.com/2011/03/04/eagles-on-the-connecticut-river/

This time the weather seems a bit warmer even with the stiff breeze.

The cruise leaves from the dock at Eagle Landing State Park which is located in Haddam across the river from the Goodspeed Opera House.

I am always impressed by how personable and knowledgeable the crew of Riverquest is about the sights along the river and the birds that can be seen. They are the ones who first pointed out Gillette Castle and gave a thumbnail history. They also knew the ID and history of the impressive building that turned out to be St. John’s. Plus they have “eagle” eyes when it come to spotting birds!

Today the cruise is billed as an Eagle and Osprey tour and we certainly got to see Osprey. We also got off to a quick start with the eagles. Barely out from the dock 4 birds were spotted circling very high up. Binoculars came out and a discussion ensued but finally it was determined that there were 4, possibly 5 juvenile eagles soaring on the thermals.

Juvenile eagles are not as distinctive as their more mature counterparts. They start out brown and progress through stages as they age. An eagle expert can tell the age of a juvenile by how much “mottling” the feathers show. They don’t get the trademark white head until they are 5 years old.

We started watching Osprey right at the dock. A pair are trying to build a nest on the center tower of the swing bridge but are having a tough time because of the wind.

As we headed down the river it seemed like every buoy or marker had a pair of Osprey trying to build a nest. It was clear that there is a thriving population of Osprey on this section of the Connecticut River.

We also saw double crested cormorants, a peregrine falcon buzzed the bow of the boat, and even a red-shouldered hawk (as opposed to a red tail hawk) took to the thermals watching for prey. Common mergansers with their funny “bad hair day ” crest floated on the river while Black Backed gulls patrolled the skies.

We passed a mute swan and spotted a loon. And then we saw the large eagle nest on an island ahead of us. The captain brought the boat in as close as he could but even then it was pretty far away. At least it wasn’t hidden by leaves yet so we had a clear line of sight and there they were. Two adult eagles , fully mature, with their white heads gleaming in the afternoon sun. As one moved off the nest to a nearby tree we could just make out the head of a baby eagle above the edge of the nest.

The pictures aren’t great because of the distance but lack of pictures didn’t dampen the excitement of seeing these gorgeous birds in the wild.

All in all it was a successful and enjoyable trip down the Connecticut River and I will continue my quest for that iconic photo of an eagle in the wild. Maybe I’ll get a chance in Alaska!