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| Montrose Lake CA, 09/25/08 Adventure |
After coming to the conclusion that the day was just too marvelous to spend indoors, I decided to head on out to the Montrose Conservation Area to see what I could see. I only have a few more weeks before these areas will be closed off for the year to the likes of moi....so, I’ve got to get in every moment that I can!
(Please see our previous entry, Montrose CA, for area details and links to the MDC (Missouri Department of Conservation) site.)
For this voyage, I stuck to Area 1 to the West of the bridge. Here we are heading into far-most SW section. (above)
It is a perfect day...calm, the temperature is in the 70’s...the water is glass-like. The fish are also incredibly busy "grazing." I love it when they do that! I’m seeing fins pop above the water everywhere as they root around in the mud! (Notice the ripple in the lower right-hand corner of the photo....that’s one of them.)
Though we’ve had a tremendous amount of rain here recently...the waters are quickly becoming very shallow. In another week, there won’t be any movement by watercraft into this area...that includes kayaks. I wonder how the duck hunters are going to get back to their blinds? Rounding the corner, I paddle into a substantial patch of cattails. These things are everywhere, thick...and monstrous! My estimate is that they are every bit of 6-7’ tall, if not taller.
The water opened back up after paddling through the narrow entry and after paddling 50 or so feet along the forest edge, a large bird burst out from over the canopy. An American Bald Eagle! WOW, WOW, WOW! This will be the 4th (? I’ll have to check on that number...it’s my 4th or 5th) sighting this year in Missouri. Unbelievable! That bird is just....well, it is just magnificent! ...and as always when I am privledged to see these noble creatures, I am slow on the draw whipping out my camera. *sigh* What you see above, is the best I was able to get, unfortunately. Sorry, folks! I’ll try to do better if I’m fortunate enough to see another, in the future.
Continuing on into this back section....we find more cattails....
.........and MORE cattails! This section was fun...it was very much like a maze in here.
After finishing up my explorations into the cattail labyrinth, I turned back around and headed out to the main part of the lake. While rounding a corner where a large bush was submerged...I saw...a duck. Or I thought it was a duck, at first! It was actually a decoy (see above) tangled up and left behind from last hunting season. Cool! A goodie! (You would be amazed at some of the things I find while out kayaking.) I squirmed my way into the bush (while watching out for snakey-type critters) and after some fussing (it was unbelievably snarled, and way back in there), I was able to retrieve it. Cool! A souvenier! So anyway...
I continued paddling lazily out into the main and I was really enjoying watching the fish grub around like little piggies... when I noticed something up ahead kicking up quite a stir on the surface of the lake. Coming up on it, I discovered that it was a large cicada. The poor thing was frantic. I stuck the paddle in and lifted him out...I just didn’t have the heart to ignore his struggles. So onto the kayak he went for some drying out. (above photo)
Back to paddling I went, retracing my path towards the put-in point, when I saw a flash of white through the foliage. Curious (and more than a little bit excited) I put the kayak into "park" eagerly waiting with camera in hand (I was actually ready this time!!!).....
Holy smokes! It was a whole flock of ...pelicans? That’s what it looked like (and I’ve since confirmed it) ...but, white pelicans...in Missouri? No Way! I thought. But, that’s exactly what they were. ...and they were GORGEOUS!
I was mesmerized. They all moved in unison...it looked choreographed, I swear. Incredible!
Somewhere in amongst all the pelican ogling, Mr. Cicada started getting frisky and managed to slide off the kayak right back into the water. All I heard was a PLOP! and after a few frantic moments (he kept sliding off my paddle) I was able to retrieve him yet once again. This time I placed him on the decoy where he could grab onto the strap.
I went back to pelican watching from behind some bushes I had nestled up into.
Again I heard movement and again discovered that it was the cicada fussing. This time though, it was a good fussing. He had recovered, dried out and was revving up his wings to continue on his way. It really felt good to see him lift off and fly away up into the trees.
The flock (or colony, I should say, probably) continued fishing in the shallows on the other side of the cove, following it around the corner. This gave me the opportunity to come out of hiding and make my way back towards the boat ramp. I didn’t want to fighten them...so, them moving on gave me the opening I was looking for to continue on.
I shouldn’t have worried. Something else startled them up out of the water! They fly just as beautifully as they swim. They went right over head and it was amazing to behold.....*happy sigh* Back at the take-out point, I was grinning like a fool, no doubt.
It had been another incredible day spent out in nature.
And, that my friends...is the end of today’s adventure.
(Note: Being the dork that I am...somehow I’ve managed to mess up my camera’s dating stamp. Today is actually the 25th, not the 24th. The time looks okay though. ) |
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