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Summer time! Hopey is gone for part of the month so I was able to record a new high - 15 trips Trips this month: 15
7/2/06
It has been a real struggle to get out lately so when I got up this morning I headed to my favorite Sunday morning spot - Pumpkin Hill. The tide was going out, just past mid-level so I knew that I would have an easy trip if I planned things right. It was a stifling morning - not a breath of wind stirring and with the low water levels it seemed to add to that closed in feeling since any breeze present was going well over my head. Since it was low tide I had a pretty good feeling that this would be a productive photo day with the probability of seeing feeding Spoonbills pretty great. As I made my way around the first couple of bends, however, I saw little of interest save some Skimmers who were very actively feeding. As I approached the end of the run near the trailheads I spotted a Yellow Crowned Night Heron and spent several minutes shooting him as he flew along the banks. He was absent his breeding plumage but still a striking bird to shoot.
As I rounded the bend to head toward the point what I assume was an Osprey flew across carrying an enormous object. As I tried to follow where he went I spotted a couple of birds grooming themselves on the bank near me so I paddled over to investigate. As I got close I realized that it was a pair of Clapper Rails who had come out of hiding for their morning groom. It is incredibly rare to see even one of these birds out in the open for any length of time so to see a pair of them was amazing. Even more amazing was how close I was able to drift in and I wound up shooting them for a good 20 minutes before they calmly walked down the bank and I turned back toward the point.
Once at the point I was not surprised to find the trees empty since I figured the normal occupants would be out feeding. After watching several Blue Crabs "clean" some oyster shells near the beach I got out to set up my hammock and eat breakfast. Normally, the point is one place where if there is a breeze you will feel it but on this morning even this location was still. Before setting up my hammock I decided to walk down to the Osprey nest which is located south of the point along the road. As soon as I turned down the road I ran into Mr. Bonny (sp?) the park "manager" - beer bottle in hand at 9 am. After exchanging pleasantries we parted company and soon I could hear the chirps of Ospreys. The nest here is a bit of an oddity. It is located about 15 feet off the road on the top of an old oak stump and is out of sight of any water which is unusual. I could see the occupants of the nest as I walked toward it - two babies and an adult who also appeared to be quite young. As I got close an adult female swooped up with a large fish but as soon as she was aware of me began circling the nest chirping loudly. I was able to stand almost directly beneath the nest shooting the kids who peered over the edge doing their best to give me the Osprey "mean look". It was rather comical since Osprey fledges at this age are "all eyes" and they looked like a pair of very geeky kids wearing huge glasses.
Since it was obvious that my presence was causing a great deal of consternation I didn't tarry too long and headed back to the point where I ate my breakfast. The lack of breeze made the area a little too hot and buggy for my tastes so I didn't stay too long and set out back in Pumpkin Hill toward the north. I stayed on the western bank as it curved into the Edwards Flats before heading toward Black Hammock. There was another Yellow Crown (or the same one) stalking fiddlers so I paused to shoot him. As I sat there in the muddy shallows the shrimp began popping all around me - skipping across the surface of the water. A few of them landed in my lap so I began grabbing them by the tail and tossing them out. A Seagull began to circle close by me and would occasionally plop into the water in an attempt to grab the shrimp. I managed to get one incredible shot of a shrimp flying out of the water as he landed. I realized that unless I wanted Shrimp Sushi I had better keep my mouth closed as I paddled.
The tide by now had turned so I headed back and crossed over to the west bank. As I did I spotted an Osprey carrying a fish over to an oyster bed. I let the current carry me over and since he had his back to me I was able to drift by quite close. I recognized him as a young Osprey that I have seen in the area recently - he still has some light colored feathers on his sides. He was aware of me but too intent on tearing into his meal to get too upset at my presence. I could see flesh hanging from his beak and occasionally a piece of fish would fly off where a Gull would swoop in to snatch it. I decided to paddle back toward him to make another pass and he began to chirp and them flew off when I got close. At first I assumed that I had been the reason for his sudden departure but I soon realized that a Turkey Vulture had swooped down in an attempt to steal his food. The last in the series of photos I took shows the Osprey staring at the sky as he prepared to fight off the intruder.
The current carried me homeward and I finally saw a group of four Spoonbills feeding along the way which made my day complete. See the pictures from this trip
7/4/06
Three straight trips in what is becoming my favorite place - Pumpkin Hill. Part of the reason for this many trips in the same place is simply the tidal conditions and on the busiest beach and boating day of the summer I wanted to be as far away from the crowds as possible. Another reason for wanting to come back here so often is the recent decision by the city council to allow the massive development on Black Hammock which will soon forever change this pristine area. Indeed, the last few times that I have paddled here the sound of chain saws and earthmovers has been constant.
Of course an even better reason for being in Pumpkin Hill is that every time I come out lately I have been treated to sights I rarely see anywhere else and today was no different. It was a little before mid-tide as I set out and let the current carry me out toward the point. I didn't see much until I was past the trailheads where I saw Mr. Bonny chatting with a couple of fishermen. In nearly the same location that I saw them on Sunday I spotted a pair of Yellow Crowned Night Herons who flew out from the tops of the grass where they were perched and landed on the large sandbar at the beginning of the final run toward the point. I shot them for a while and then moved on toward the point.
As soon as I rounded the grassy bend directly opposite Tiger Point I found myself on a collision course with three or four Dolphins just 10 yards ahead of me. They passed beneath my boat on their way up Pumpkin Hill so I paused to watch them as they went. I decided to skip my usual breakfast spot at the point since there was a boat anchored there fishing the outflow from Edwards Creek. I paddled on down to the same place I was at on Sunday where the creek makes a big looping cut into the flats. I spotted another Yellow Crown in about the same place as before and there were also two or three Green Herons hanging out on the oyster beds there. There was also about a half dozen or so Roseate Spoonbills feeding in the shallows so I sat and watched them for several minutes.
There was one Spoonie separate from the group who would occasionally point his bill straight in the air and chortle. This would be answered by one of the other Roseates in the group nearest him. I assume that since he was nearest to me that he was giving some kind of warning of my presence, After a while a couple of them flew away but it didn't seem to cause any great concern amongst the rest. The remaining Spoonbills began to groom themselves and I observed a behavior that I had never seen before. They would preen their feathers then stick their bills in the water, preen some more and and then begin swinging their heads back and forth in an 180 degree arc. I watched them for several minutes before retreating to the entrance to the shallows where I tested one of the oyster beds as a place to try my luck at catching the many shrimp who again were leaping in my boat. Some of them even looked large enough to eat.
I headed back toward the put-in not waiting for the tide to turn. The tide was almost slack so I knew it would still be an easy trip home. As I approached the point I saw a great deal of splashing against the shore and could see 6 or 7 Dolphins surfacing. I sat and watched them as they passed me heading out toward the Nassau River and then headed south. As soon as I did an enormous fish rose out of the water beside me and my first thought was that it was the biggest Redfish I had ever seen but it's skin was very slick - almost Dolphin like and there were two dorsal fins. As I sat there waiting to see if it would resurface I began to realize that it was probably a shark. It resurfaced three or four more times and it confirmed my suspicions. Although I never saw it's head it was clear that it had a very smooth skin and a large dorsal fin followed by a second a foot or two behind the first. It must have been at least five feet long - perhaps as big as six feet. Thinking back - I think I have seen this shark in the same location recently but I had assumed that it was another Dolphin that I never saw exhale. Apparently this guy must be coming in from the Sound and hanging out where Edwards Creek joins Pumpkin Hill. It's obviously a great fishing spot as evidenced by the frequency of Dolphin sightings there and it is a favorite spot for all the wildlife in the area.
A few feet up the creek I spotted a furry critter on the muddy sandbar and realized it was a scruffy looking Raccoon who was walking along in the mud with his front paws outstretched before him feeling around for oysters or crabs. He would occasionally find something and stop to crunch on it for several minutes before continuing his muddy explore. Finally, he made his way toward the grass and hopped up where he disappeared. If he ever saw me he never appeared to be concerned. I made my way the rest of the way to the put-in passing and shooting Great Blues, Tri-Colors, Yellow Crowns, Black Crowns, Spoonbills and a Green Heron. It was a wonderful experience but I have to wonder how long it will be like this - those chain saws are sounding awful close. See the pictures from this trip
7/5/06
I didn't plan to make two trips in a row but an empty house for the evening prompted me to forget the lawn, grab some Wendy's and make my way to the water. I got in Hannah and headed into a surprisingly brisk sea breeze. I headed directly for the ICW bypassing the old cedar on my way to the intersection of Shad, Hannah and the Waterway. I set up my chair on the shell bank and popped a beer while munching on my sandwich. As I sat there a Dolphin came into Hannah from the ICW and seemed to proceed directly into the marsh. I lost sight of him for a while until I spotted him coming back in from the waterway - this time just a few feet from the shore.
I hurriedly stood up and watched as he passed just a couple of feet beneath me - so close that if it were not for my camera I might have tried jumping on top of him. I watched as he played around near where the grass began at the end of the shell bank and then lost him for a few minutes. The next time I saw him a couple of minutes later he was leaping completely out of the water in the middle of the waterway making enormous splashes. I was fortunate to actually get one of the only "full face" shots of a Dolphin as he rose out of the water. He played around out there for five minutes or more before I finally lost him for good.
The island across the way - what I call the "Heron Hangout" had been filling up with its usual evening occupants since I had been out there so I loaded up and made my way across. As I got close I could hear the almost constant groans and croaks of the Great and Snowy Egrets who were filling the branches of the cedars on the leeward side. I caused a little bit of consternation as I passed but not much. This is one of the most popular evening roosts on the ICW and there was an almost constant line of birds streaming from all points of the marsh to this location. The trees were full of feathers and the air full of down as most of the birds seemed to be busy grooming. The branches of the trees were also frosted white from the guano left there by the dozens of birds. I re-crossed the waterway and re-entered Hannah a little north of the island where I ate and paddled against the outgoing tide toward my truck. Just after the sun set I passed the grassy point where I turn south and was greeted by the happy chorus of dozens of Marsh Wrens and Sea Sparrows. They all seemed to be doing the same thing as the Egrets on a smaller scale - climbing to tops of the grass to serenade the sun as it set in the west. Its funny to me to see how birds are compelled to watch the sun set from the same location every night. I think that has a lot to do with why I feel such a kindred spirit with them. The setting of the sun is an event that must be marked if at all possible.
I took my time getting home - there is plenty of light well after sundown at this time of the year. See the pictures from this trip
7/9/06
Back in Pumpkin Hill - what a rut I'm in! A good rut but a rut nonetheless. I had to drop Hope off at the airport this morning so I got a late start on the day. By the time I got going the only place I could go on a crowded weekend was my old standby - the Hill. It was a whole lot breezier than forecast. I was facing a 15 mph sea breeze as I set out for the point and the waves were crashing over my bow and salt spray was hitting my face. I kept my camera stowed which was not a problem since the wind and high tides were keeping the bird life away. I did spot a pod of Dolphins ahead of me as I headed toward the point and caught up with them just shy of the final bend. I took my lunch at the point before heading back out. A lone Spoonbill was feeding across from the point so I shot him for a while. I had brought my cast net along with on a whim so I decided to try my luck at catching some shrimp to see if any of them were of eating size. I got out on an oyster bed along the eastern bank of the creek just north of the point and on my first cast caught two sizable shrimp. Over the course of the next couple of hours I wound up catching 14 keepers which I stowed in my cooler. I also caught a tiny flounder and a 12 inch Croaker which I tossed back.
I'm not sure if it was worth the effort but it was kind of fun catching my dinner. If I prepared for it better I'm sure that I would have had better success without as much effort. I was a muddy mess at the end of the day but it was fun. See the pictures from this trip
7/10/06
Finally - I managed to get out of the Pumpkin Hill rut. After contemplating places to put-in that I had not been to in a while I settled on Simpsons Creek since I hadn't been there in nearly three months. High tide was around 8:30 or so so I got in the water at 9:15 - just as the current was heading toward the sound. With the water levels so high I didn't expect to get many photo ops until my return trip in the afternoon and the first two thirds of my trip out proved that assumption to be correct. I surprised an Immature Great Blue Heron at the beginning of Half Moon Bluff and managed a few good shots before he flew off. It turned out that the sighting of the immature Great Blue was a preview of what was to come over the next several hours. I entered the sound and then decided to head into the long creek just west of the mouth of Simpsons that runs deep into the southern marsh along the NE corner of Big Talbot Island. Originally, I decided to head this way to find access to the small island that is part of the Machaba Balu Preserve to investigate it as a possible campsite. As I was about to enter the branch that runs alongside the southern edge of that island I spotted another immature Great Blue and so decided to stalk him a bit.
I chased him upstream a couple of times and then spotted him hiding deep in the grass along the water's edge. I managed to carefully sneak up on him and for the next 45 minutes shot nearly 150 pictures from within five to ten feet. We were both very patient - he as he watched the water beneath his feet to occasionally nab some very tiny fish - me as I shot and then crept closer and closer until I was directly across the stream from his hiding place. When My first set of batteries died I was going to leave him but after backing off while changing them he was still there and let me get even closer. Finally, he flew off and I retreated to the large sandbar near the mouth of the little creek - shooting an immature Tri-Color along the way. I decided to take my lunch break there. I tossed my cast net in a few times - coming up with a few small shrimp on each cast and then took a dip in the tidal pool at the mouth. After about 45 minutes I decided to paddle across to the sandbar that is now a part of Little Talbot's beach and took another long cooling dip until the small fish there decided that I was a meal. I watched as the oyster beds directly across from me - between Simpsons and the creek I had just left began to fill up with birds as the tide went out. Among the Great Egrets and Snowy's were a pair of Roseate Spoonbills whose pink plumage and odd feeding habits stood out.
They both flew away before I was ready to depart but I had seen another gathering of birds closer to the mouth including another immature Great Blue so I headed that way. The Great Blue was standing in a shallow pool that was filled with Snowy Egrets and Tri-Coloreds. I got a kick out of watching a trio of the latter fighting over a stretch of sandbar as they chased fish. I was surprised when I got home to find a shot of two of the herons on the beach while a huge fish is leaping out of the water behind them - serendipity! The rest of the trip home was more of the same. I passed several more Great Blues - all of them immature and paused to shoot them all. While I was shooting one at the mouth of a small stream I looked up to see a white phase Little Blue Heron standing two feet from my boat staring at me. He went about his business as I shot him and the Great Blue for a few more minutes.
I ended the day just a couple of bends shy of the ramp shooting another immature Great Blue. He had a large feather hanging from his side that I was hoping he would preen off or else drop when he flew away. After he flew off for the final time my gift was waiting for me in the water so I tucked it into my pony tail. Thanks big guy! See the pictures from this trip
7/12/06
The tides dictated where I would venture on this after work paddle picnic. With low tide at 4:45 I headed toward Alimcani with my meal from Wendy's and was in the water just after the tide had turned. There was a mature Great Blue Heron hanging out on the rocks near the ramp so I shot him while I battled the wind driven waves coming in under the bridge. He was an interesting contrast to all the youngsters I had seen in Simpsons on Monday. His plumage was starkly defined grays, blacks and whites as opposed to the mottled grays of the youngsters. There was a strong sea breeze blowing in from the beach at Huegenot Park which intensified under the A1A bridge. Once I cleared the bridge the venturi effect subsided and I headed into the bay behind the beach - what we used to call the "Pony Pool". I followed the channel through the sand in a lazy "S" until I was about half way into the bay where I got out to eat my sandwich. The nesting terns were rising from the dunes making a racket and the exposed sand along the bay was covered with them as well along with Skimmers and various types of gulls. A Great Blue stood on the beach opposite me while I ate but he flew deeper into the bay so I decided not to follow. After eating and taking a swim I paddled a little further but aside from an Osprey didn't see much of interest and so headed back. The same Great Blue was waiting for me when I returned - obviously hoping for a stray meal from fishermen. After loading up I spent some time shooting him as he stood on the bank and then headed home. See the pictures from this trip
7/14/06
Honestly, I was so tired after getting out of work today I almost called off my planned paddle picnic on Simpsons but the sky was just too beautiful to ignore so I packed up my food and headed out. Low tide at the bridge was just after 6 and I was there at 5:30 but the water level was already well below the bottom of the ramp so my put-in was a sloppy, muddy mess. There was still plenty of flow heading out, however, so I knew that my trip out would be easy and pleasant. There was an unexpectedly strong breeze coming from the SE but with the water level so low it didn't cause me too much trouble.
There were plenty of smaller herons lining the banks as I headed out and a mature Great Blue that I stopped to shoot for a while. On the bank opposite him sat a Raccoon who was munching on some oysters but when he spotted me he scampered into the grass. Just before reaching Half Moon Bluff the banks became crowded with all kinds of bird life including another Great Blue. There were so many herons gathered in the small area that they were battling over space to stand and stare at the water. I passed the Bluffs and was on my way out to the sound when I noticed in the large horseshoe stream that branches off the southern side of the creek was full of birds who were very actively feeding. On the first branch of the horseshoe was a Roseate Spoonbill and a Wood Stork but the shallow water prevented me from going very far up. I paddled up the other branch of the horseshoe which was literally packed with birds. I soon found out why as the shrimp began leaping out of the water so thickly that I almost wished for some goggles to protect my eyes. Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Little Blues as well as a Great Blue and one Wood Stork were along the banks and wading in the shallows gorging on the shrimp that were thicker than I have ever seen.
There was a Clapper Rail there as well who was trying very hard to overcome his natural shyness. In spite of my presence and the presence of so many other birds he simply could not resist coming down to the water's edge to partake of the feast. He would run down, grab a shrimp and then scurry back up the safety of the grass where he would wait and then repeat the act. I finally turned around and made my way out to the sound where I paddled directly across to Little Talbot and ate and swam. As the sun got close to the horizon I decided to head back on the now incoming tide. As I got ready to paddle across I spotted the familiar antics and color of a Reddish Egret dancing in the shallows at the mouth of Simpsons but he flew off before I had moved 10 feet. I pulled back into the horseshoe branch which had more water in it and most of the birds had departed. While I was shooting an immature Great Blue at the mouth of a small stream I was nearly hit in the head by a Tri-Colored who came flying from up the stream. The brilliant sun was at my back and I don't think he was able to see me and his claw missed my head by inches. After that close call I paddled on passing directly under a young Osprey who was perched in a tree at the bluffs. As the sun disappeared I crossed paths with a pair of Spoonbills standing together on a sandbar and was preparing to shoot them when Hope called. Since we hadn't been in contact in a couple of days I talked with her for a while but had to cut it short since the light was rapidly failing and I still had a good 30 minutes of paddling left.
It got pretty dark out there the rest of the way but there was enough light to see and be seen until I got to the ramp which fortunately was covered with water making my unloading a lot easier. See the pictures from this trip
7/16/06
Sunday morning - low tide - Pumpkin Hill, of course. I woke up early so I headed that way and was at the put-in as the sun broke over the trees on Black Hammock Island. It was an easy paddle on the remaining outgoing current and soon I was rounding the bend where the trails come down to the water. The shrimp were popping as they have been lately and I could see the banks and sandbars already lined with birds waiting to gorge. There were several Spoonbills and some Night Herons hanging out that I shot.
I rounded the next bend and headed toward the point. I passed a very chatty fisherman near the point who told me he saw a deer standing on the shore near the point as he pulled up. Soon after passing the point I once again spotted a shark surfacing - this one seemed to be considerable smaller than the ones I have seen here recently. I decided to head on instead of stopping at the point and wound up in the big shallow area north of there where I spotted a number of birds on the huge oyster beds that line the area.
I spent several minutes shooting the Wood Storks, Spoonbills and Egrets as well as one immature Great Blue. There was an adult Great Blue standing on a tall oyster bed who seemed to be overseeing the proceedings going on beneath him. I eventually left them and caught the incoming tide shooting more of the same on the way back. It was a great day to be out. See the pictures from this trip
7/17/06
I decided to call off my planned campout on the Santa Fe. Part of the reason was because I have been having so much fun in my home waters of late especially Simpsons Creek and Pumpkin Hill. Summer time is the best time to visit these areas and a trip on Simpsons to the sound on a swelteringly hot day is unbeatable. Another reason I cancelled the campout was because I have been paddling so much lately that I have been simply exhausted lately and this morning was no different but after drinking some coffee and looking at the beautiful weather I decided that I couldn't miss the opportunity so I headed toward the A1A bridge over Simpsons. Low tide was at 8:45 and I finally got in the water at 9 - the water was a good foot below the end of the ramp so it was a real chore to get in my boat. Once I did there wasn't much current left heading toward the sound so I took my time paddling in the stifling heat. I had brought my net along and a spare cooler just in case I decided to catch my dinner again. I stopped at a couple of sandbars along the way and was successful with each cast but since I was heading out I didn't keep them. There weren't many birds along the way but I did stalk an immature Great Blue up a small stream just before the bluffs. As I shot him I noticed the water was churning beneath his feet so after he flew off I stood on a sandbar and tried my luck. On the first cast I came up with two of the biggest mullets I've ever seen but I set them loose and headed on.
There were was a Tri-Color standing at the water's edge at the bluffs and he made a nice contrast against the dark sandstone rocks. There were also a pair of young Ospreys sitting in the trees on top of the bluffs so I shot them as I passed by. By now I was bucking a pretty good incoming current and the water levels were rapidly rising. I decided to make a circuit of the horseshoe branch where I had seen all the birds last Friday. With the water up there were only a few birds and not many shrimp popping so I came out the other side and headed to the sound where three Wood Storks and several herons were hanging out.
I took the first stream that headed into the marsh since I knew it passed beneath the Machaba Balu island and connected with the creek I had tried from the other end a week ago. I shot an immature Great Blue but then my batteries pooped out and apparently my other sets were bad so I was done for the day as far as shooting was concerned. The water level was too low to get out on the island so I turned around and paddled across to the end of Little Talbot where I swam, ate and read. About an hour later I entered the other stream and made my way toward the island from the opposite direction. I managed to get out and explore the island a bit but decided that it was not really worth the effort for camping. It did give me a nice perspective of Simpsons Creek - too bad my camera was down. I found a shortcut from there to another branch that cuts off from the very end of Half Moon Bluffs - it probably saved me ten minutes of paddling back out to the sound and up Simpsons Creek. I floated home on a strong incoming current the rest of the way. See the pictures from this trip
7/18/06
I was definitely in the mood to "veg" today so I called Nicole's and picked up a sandwich on the way to the Ribault Club where I launched at low tide. I paddled toward the bridge and then cut back in the channel toward Simpsons Creek. As I made the turn the fin of a small shark rose up and then disappeared. I passed a Great Blue Heron and then spotted a Reddish Egret who flew up on the sandbar nearby. He wasn't in a dancing mood and flew off in a few seconds and I headed on toward my intended hammock spot.
I arrived at the mouth of Simpsons and after setting up my hammock took a nice cool dip in the water before retiring with my book to swing in the warm breeze. I spent the next hour or so doing more of the same - eating my sandwich, drinking beer, reading and swimming. A couple of Dolphins passed nearby and across the way I could see a Reddish Heron doing his typical comedy routine. I departed my "vegging" spot reluctantly and headed over to the sandbar where I had seen the Reddish who of course had long since departed. A young Tri-Colored landed close to my boat and we sat there for a few minutes staring at each other. I don't think he ever quite knew what to make of me. I cut through the sandbar coming out on the side across from our old picnic spot where I could see another Reddish. I paddled over and shot him for a while and then beached my boat and got out on foot to follow him. As soon as I got out I spotted four sting rays gracefully flying over the sandbar together like birds. As I made my way over to where the Reddish was I was immediately "attacked" by several terns - one of whom kept swooping within five feet of my head. I assumed that they were protecting a nest up in the grass near where I had beached my boat but after I had turned back around and got closer to the grass they left me alone so I'm not sure what had them so agitated.
I was going to depart but I spotted another Reddish further up the same sandbar and so paddled over and shot him for a while. I was about to depart when one more Reddish flew down near me and so I decided to stay put and see how the first Heron would react. Almost immediately, the first Heron spotted the interloper and walked over to where he was standing. There was a brief altercation where I guess the original Reddish let the visitor know that this sandbar was his dance floor and he was the comedy king here. I finally decided to return to the ramp. The current by now was strong but I was able to make progress by ferrying back and forth between the docks and the grassy island across the way. See the pictures from this trip
7/23/06
This was my one day weekend in my new work schedule so I was only in the mood for a quickie out in Hannah Mills. By the time I finally decided to get going the tide was just peeking so my trip out was easy. I cruised past the Night Heron roost and of course they mostly flew away squawking like chickens before I could get close but I did manage a few shots of a mature and immature Yellow Crown sitting in the same tree with a Black Crowned. I decided to head directly east toward the Kingfish Park and wanting to maximize my time out on the water I decided to take some time to explore some of the little streams that I haven't explored in a few years. As I headed up one of these I spotted a large shape in the top of the rushes and headed over to investigate. At first I was pretty sure that it was probably only a Grackle since that was the only thing that made sense for the size and shape in that location. As I got closer I realized that it was yet another Clapper Rail who had climbed to the top of the grasses to do his morning grooming. I've never seen Rails do this since when they do make themselves visible it is usually briefly at low tide near the bottom of the grass. We sat there for several minutes staring at each other before he retreated to the lower levels and began to cluck at me. I paddled on toward the park stopping at one of the branches that heads toward the road and I followed it until it dead ended beneath a grove of cedars and palms. There was an outcropping of sea daisies on an old oyster bed that ran from the trees well out into the marsh. It has potential for another place to put-in although I'm pretty sure it would also be inaccessible at low tide.
As I was heading up another branch I spotted a Sea Sparrow up in the tops of the grass and paused to shoot him. One of the subscribers to my newsletter had identified these for me earlier in the week and pointed out to me how rare it was to see them. By the time I got to the ICW the tide was well on its way out and there was a strong current so I didn't stay out there long but cut back in before I reached Shad Creek. I flushed out a Green Heron but he played hide and seek with me for a while before heading on. The rest of the trip home was against a very strong current and southerly breeze that had picked up while I was out. I ended the day by being treated to the sight of a Swallow Tailed Kite flying down Hecksher Drive as I was loading my boat. My wife had been telling me that she had seen one almost every day earlier in the summer on her way to work but this was my first sighting. They must have a nest nearby so I hope this is the start of many more chances to see them. See the pictures from this trip
7/26/06
Swelteringly hot weather and low tides sent me to the FGR following work after stopping at the house to grab a beer. I got in at Alimacani at 5:00 where a young father was getting ready to set out with his son in an ocean kayak. I gave him bit of a warning about the strong currents in front of the ramp which would be there in a couple of hours and he assured me that they weren't going far. I decided to head toward the Ribault Club to check out the yacht basin before circumnavigating the big sandbar. I was surprised how stifling the weather was although occasionally a sea breeze would blow in and cool things off for a few seconds. I could see some Reddish running around on different sandbars but they were away from the direction I was going and I was pretty sure that by the end of my trip we would cross paths again so after flushing a young Osprey in the basin I headed on.
I pulled into the small creek just past the docks that runs along "our sandbar" and immediately spotted a pair of Ospreys sitting about 50 yards apart in the trees across from the bar. I let the incoming current carry me directly under the first one but the second flew off almost immediately after the first. A pair of Raccoons were out on the oyster beds just beyond where the Ospreys were but they both quickly retreated to the safety of the grass as I got close. I pulled off at the sandbar and took a dip and drank my Harp and then retreated back up the creek so that I could get in the main channel to round the big sand bar.
I was close to the entrance to one of the creeks that goes into the north end of the island when I suddenly spotted a young Great Blue sitting in the grass staring at the water. I barely had time to get my camera ready before I nearly collided with him but I managed some good shots before he flew off. I entered the creek and saw a Tri-Color dancing in the shallows but the water levels hadn't come up far enough to allow me to proceed very far so I headed back out in the river and began making my way back to the ramp. I saw another Reddish along the way but he flew off as I was working my way into the pool where he was feeding so I crossed the channel with the intention of taking the creek that divides the huge sandbar that lies directly north of the bridge. As I paddled up it I saw a pair of Green Herons feeding and fighting for beach space. A lot of grass has started to grow on the northern edge of the sandbar which makes it an ideal place for these small herons to live. It has also made this sandbar a lot more permanent and I was surprised that I wasn't able to travel up this creek very far but I may have entered it at the wrong location.
I made my way back out to the main channel and rounded the bend to head toward the ramp. The tide was coming in swiftly by now but as long as I hugged the edge of the sandbar I had little current opposing me and some eddies even sent me toward the bridge. Another Reddish was dancing in a rapidly filling tidal pool and I managed to get quite a few shots of him in the evening light. I paddled up until I was even with the ramp and spotted another Reddish nearby. There was also an immature Skimmer sitting there - an odd looking creature compared to the adults. In addition to his splotchy backside his face hasn't quite grown into his long beak which makes him appear even more comical than his parents. I ferried over to the ramp against the strong current using the force to the water against the angle of my boat to shoot easily across without having to paddle much at all. A short but very productive trip and a nice way to deal with the heat. See the pictures from this trip
7/27/06 Hope and I decided to take a picnic and head out from Alimacani toward the ocean. We got in the water at 6 - about a half hour after the tide had turned and paddled out to the sandbar that stretched out from Huegenot Park. I picked what looked to be the highest stretch of beach after the place where the ocean breaks through separating our part of the sandbar from the rest of the beach. Each end of the sand bar was covered with hundreds of tern, gulls and other shorebirds who were calling noisily. At one point a Great Blue flew in and sat on the end of the bar to the south of us. We sat there for the next couple of hours enjoying the cool sea breeze, the warm water and good food and wine. The only thing that even slightly spoiled things was the fact that there were way too many Jet Skis running around - all ignoring the No Wake Zone area - of course. It turned out that the spot we had picked was indeed the high spot on the beach and we sat and watched the water encroach upon us from all sides until finally we were sitting on the only spot of dry land left. We packed up our boats and turned them around to watch the sunset and waited for the water to lift us off the sand which it finally did and we floated easily back to the ramp. It was a rare no photo day - I had a few opportunities but I was content to enjoy the weather, water and company.
7/30/06
I couldn't believe that I hadn't been to Pumpkin Hill in two weeks as much as I have visited there lately so I headed in that direction. I was a little surprised to see that I wasn't the first person out there when I pulled up and as I got ready to depart a guy came walking up dragging a cooler with a cast net on his shoulder. Low tide was around 8 so I caught the last of the outgoing but the current was mostly slack. I shot some Spoonies and some Clapper Rails as I made my way past the trails and rounded the bend toward the point. There was a pair of Dolphins feeding and so I shot some videos of them and the Spoonies to post on my Youtube site. I passed the two kayak fishermen who had beaten me to the put-in. One of them was in a Hobie foot powered kayak and he got out at one point to cast a net so I made a point to remember the location as I spot with firm enough ground to stand upon.
I came upon a beautiful immature Night Heron who wasn't frightened by me at all and got some wonderful shots. In some ways the plumage of the immature Night Herons - especially the Black Crowns is more beautiful that the adults. I kept hearing the creaks and groans of what sounded like a gathering of herons and when I left the Heron I saw that across the way from me was narrow stream that headed up into the grass. It was jam packed with Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Ibis and a couple of Wood Storks who were fighting over a narrow patch of real estate. As I approached the point I spotted a Green Heron and as I paused to shoot him I saw that he was with another one. I'm not sure if they were siblings or mature/immature but I have been seeing these birds in great number together lately which is unusual since they are normally very solitary birds.
As I reached the point I saw a young Osprey in a pine tree who flew around the point and landed in the tree where I normally disembark. I soon realized that he was likely one of the youngsters from the nest down the road and his sibling was sitting in a tree nearby. He would call in a very raspy voice unlike the musical chirps of his parents. Every time he would fly off he would go to the perch of his nest mate and chase him off. This was repeated several times so I'm guessing this guy has learned to be a bully. I pulled off to eat and stretch my legs and then got back in my boat to make my way back. Just before getting in I saw one of the Ospreys fly up to a tree near me with a fish. As I was about to get a really terrific shot of him lighting on the branch his bully brother flew out from a tree and tried to steal his fish. It was cool to see but it ruined a potentially great shot and it was rude besides.
As I got ready to depart I saw that the trees on the western part of the point held a few Spoonies who apparently had finished their feeding now that the tide was coming in. As I began to shoot them I realized that they were joined by another Immature Night Heron and as I shot them a few more Spoonbills joined them in the trees. I decided to check the shrimping conditions on the way back and managed to catch enough to make me decide to make a return trip the next day. Once again I neglected to bring the proper shoes and cut my feet up on the oysters but I caught enough to make a nice appetizer for Hope and I. See the pictures from this trip
7/31/06
I woke up real early so I decided to head on out and was in the water as the sun rose over Black Hammock. I realized as I was shooting the sunrise that I had neglected to bring my regular memory card for the camera but since my intention on this day was to catch shrimp I didn't mind too much. Besides - I had taken over 400 photos the day before and several videos so I needed to give the Fuji a rest. I tried my luck casting at the put-in but came up empty so headed on toward the point. I pretty much ignored the birds which were plentiful as usual and stopped at a couple of spots along the way to try my luck. I finally remembered to bring along my Teva water shoes and my new NRS water socks and it made getting out on the oyster beds easy but I came up empty at the first few places that I tried. Once again a Dolphin was in the area but I never bothered to attempt any shots.
I finally reached the spot where I had seen the fisherman cast the day before and felt around with my paddle to confirm that it was a solid surface of hard packed clay. I started casting and on my first try my net had 3 or 4 good size shrimp. I spent the next hour or so with varying degrees of success and filled up my small cooler with a few dozen decent size shrimp. At one point, as I was emptying my net, I saw a Clapper Rail up on the bank peering at me through the rushes. He eyed me for quite a while with a lot of curiosity and little fear and I would have tossed him a shrimp but I was too selfish. He finally walked on down the shoreline and eventually disappeared into the grass. After a couple of hours the tide had come in a good bit which meant that I could stand 10 feet out from the grass line and toss in that direction. That's when I really began to rake the little buggers in. On a few tosses as soon as my net hit the water I could see the water churn as the shrimp flipped like crazy. I pulled in 10-13 shrimp on several throws and soon I had lost count of how many I had caught. After a few hours of this I had gotten pretty adept at throwing my net and I used my kayak seat as a place to dump and sort before tossing them in my coolers.
Finally, I made myself leave - mostly because the water levels were getting so high that I had difficulty throwing and I knew it would be hard to get back in my boat if it got any higher so I packed up and headed back. About 30 minutes before I left a Green Heron had flown up into the rushes about 10 feet from my boat and spent the entire time watching me cast. By the time I left he was still there so I strapped my camera on and let the incoming tide carry me over. Like most Greens he was a brave little guy and we spent the next 15 minutes playing a wonderful game of hide and seek before I left him. He had some speckles on his sides so I think he was a youngster. Once I got home, I spent the next two or three hours pinching heads and peeling shrimp. The final count - at least 230 shrimp. I have always theorized that I could eat shrimp until either I popped or the shrimp were gone. This night the shrimp won. See the pictures from this trip
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