A Walk On the Wild side

 

Yes, it's the first day of SPRING! The vernal equinox. Of course it is currently 46 and raining lightly here at the Reeder Homestead. 

I have the NCAA tournament on the TV here next to my desk top computer. One of our smaller public colleges, Eastern Washington University, is at this point holding their own against Kansas. Go Eagles! It's a good day for a sports diversion. 

On Thursday we had decent weather and we got in our mile plus walk at the local park. Then Jake texted and said we should come to the Black River. Jake has been doing a surveying job in and around the pumping station at the Black River Riparian Forest.

We know this place, just about five miles from home, but we haven't been there for a while. My limited walking is mostly the reason. But we were aware of some new improvements, and the rain wasn't happening yet, so after lunch we went over to see what we could see and maybe meet up with Jake on the job.

We found the new bridge and the newly paved bicycle trail, but not Jake. So we reversed course and went back to the wild side of the river/wetland, with the unimproved trail next to the water.

We found Jake's tripod, but not Jake.

So we walked on the wild side along the wetlands. The rain started up lightly and the water fowl we hoped to see headed for the safety of the far shoreline.

Ducks in the distance.

One reason we used to love to walk here was that these trees were loaded with Great Blue Heron nests. It was a well know heron rookery. Unfortunately a pair of Bald Eagles decided to set up residence in a tall cottonwood tree at the end of the wetland, and then proceeded to decimate the nesting herons. The herons moved out, most likely without that year's young. 

Then several years ago the cottonwood tree broke up in a storm, dumping the eagle nest. Karma. Now it you look carefully you might see a few dark spots high up in these trees. We did see one heron land on one. Nests are being built here again. 

Canada geese honked their disapproval and flew off, not liking our intrusion.

We saw a couple of herons, and quite a few ducks off in the distance. Without a good zoom lens, we never did quite figure out what these were. 

But we had another good walk, and we look forward to returning to this special place of wildness in the city. 

PS: The Eastern Washington U Eagles lost, but they gave the Kansas Jayhawks a good scare. The Eagles gained a lot of respect. And they have a very cool logo.