Saturday, June 7, 2014

D-Day +1 and Greenlick Lake (Paddling Part 6)

... was out in the backyard early this morning cleanin' up a mess of 'Poison Ivy' that's been gettin' out of control... UH-OH!... what's this!?... a few 'Bluejays' are goin' nuts all the sudden!!...

... it's a "dawn assault" on 'Ig the Cat' - and they're really lettin' him have it... they moved their nest(s) this spring to a very tall nearby 'Pine Tree' - a blank, dead vertical climb for the first twenty feet to reach the first limb, and then about another twenty feet to the first nest - all the while thru relentless "air assault"... the nests are housing some "wee'uns" - hear them chirping up there, especially when "Mom" shows up with some food - making the 'Bluejays even more "meaner as hell" than usual - even dive bomb me if I go near the tree - Ig's aware as well and has been attempting daily raids since last Monday - all repulsed - although, he's been racking up 'Robins' left and right, who keep building their nests in the lower shrubs - have rescued three young ones since Tuesday from his "clutches"... that's two "Jays" dive bombing in the photo above - 'Ig' hunkered down on the neighbors wood deck, which infuriates the the 'Jays' even more - I annotated the photos for clarity - sorry for the poor quality on some, but by the time I returned from running in the house to grab a camera, it was "combat"!! - didn't even have time to change to a longer lens' while dodging all the flying "feathers and fur"!!!...

... this guy was consistently diving really low - must be their "Ace" - Bruno maybe? (see 'Bruno the Ig Slayer') from last year...

... another wave!...

... and another!!...

... they've really got 'em pinned down!!!

... think that they knew it - there was all the sudden a lull in the attack...

... with lots of back and forth communication between the 'Jays' - think that they knew they had him cornered and were planning a "final all-out assault" - think that 'Ig' realized it as well - he took advantage of the situation to get the hell off the deck and retreat!!...

... didn't have to ask him twice to come in the house (although, he was out all night long, hadn't seen him since around 6pm the prior evening) - wolfed down his food and water and went to sleep... FYI -  he drug all that old nylon climbing webbing and rope in the above photo out of the closet a while back and made himself a "nest"...

... later today...

... so, early afternoon headed over to 'Greenlick Lake' to do some paddleboarding - first time on the water this year - the 'Yough', while not high, was still pretty murky from recent rain, obstructing all the shallow rocks from view - with a ten inch fin, didn't feel like takin' an unexpected tumble in cold water first time out - gettin' too old for "that sh*t"!... 

... besides, 'Greenlick' was built for 'SUP' - very warm water - great workout - probably about a mile lap around the lake - usually do it in under twenty minutes, then do some intermittent cross lake "sprints" between 'PBR's'... 

... plus, you can back right up and park right along the shoreline in many areas - great for bringin' along an "older than dirt" dog...

... meaning a seventeen year old (estimated) 'Belgian Shepherd' who still loves the water - doesn't swim anymore (arthritis) but loves to stand there and float - would damn near swim across the lake "back in the day"...

... settin' there rethinking some old memories we'll bet...

... by the way... man - saw tons of perch, bluegill and crappie while paddling over there today... a giant fish, at least 24 inches in length, dove deep when I startled him while paddling past the rock dam near the outfall - didn't get a long enough view to identify him... spoke to a few fisherman in boats, but all said that "nuthin' was biting"... no lie - had very many of the aforementioned "panfish" following me the whole way around the lake - don't know if they're attracted to the large white bottom of the paddleboard or what - that's my guess...

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