Up as Far as the Pied Billed Grebe

I put in at the Feral Cat Park.  Overnight the temperature has dropped and the cloudy day won't reach more than the mid 50's.  I turn the point and head upstream into a stiff current.  The tide is down and still falling, so the river has resumed its first order gravity mode. Additionally, there is a steady 10 mph wind coming down the river to contend with.  I guess the ratio (out : back) to be 2:1.  I end up being correct.

Near the dragonfly factory

Two Osprey are active near the power lines, which is where I expect to see them.  Near the first island, the name of which always escapes me, I start seeing schools of menhaden.  They have a sharply forked tail and they often sit close enough to the surface that the top of the tail sticks out of the water.  The schools seem to be 30 to 60 fish, judging by the visible tails.  Menhaden is a preferred food for whales and striped bass and several other species.  It's no wonder that a couple of Osprey are still in the area.

Menhaden

To beat the wind I cross the channel to the first island.  I flush a couple Great Blue Herons and a Great Egret from the first island.  At the top of the island I cross the rest of the river to get on the lee shore.

After passing the dragonfly factory the wind lets up some.  I cross over to the second island but stay in the main channel as the more protected side of the island is impassable due to the tide.

I spot a small water bird, possibly a small Duck.  But then it submerges like a submarine, no ripples, no diving.  That identifies it as a Pied Billed Grebe.  They have air sacs that allow them to settle into the water without any commotion.  I used to see them often when I lived on the west coast, but it is a fairly rare sighting for me here.  I watch it for about five minutes trying repeatedly to time a photo while it is surfaced.  It seems a good sign for high enough on the river and I turn around.

Pied Billed Grebe

The return is somewhat speedy with both tide and wind behind me.  I spot an Osprey near the first island.  Then, as I get down to the long downstream sand bar, a panic of Gulls takes my eye to an immature Bald Eagle.  I almost miss the fact that there are two more immatures sharing a tree just 50 yards to my left. 

Young Bald Eagle