The Season of Winter Cattails

Starting in the south lagoon, the absence of ducks is remarkable. I'm about to turn the corner of the little island and head into the east channel of the burial island when a whistle takes my eye north just in time to catch the silhouette of an eagle as it lands on a perch. So, I change course toward the eagle, which is also the most likely reason for no ducks in the area. More whistling signals the arrival of the mate. They have both been hunting the south lagoon this morning.

The ducks are scattered out in mid bay and as I reach the railroad island I find the coots, a dense and dark crescent in the water leading out to the east. They have put 3/4 of a mile between themselves and the eagles.
I visit the NE lagoon, which is quiet today. It is gray, calm and sprinkling lightly. Not a good day for photography, so, I take a photo while exiting, just to prove to myself that anyone can get a good photo at this spot no matter what. This time, I head back into the east channel of the burial island, but detouring to explore some of the passages in the marsh that I haven't been able to get into while the lake level was down.

It is the onset of the season of winter cattails. They are just beginning to collapse and fall down, dried and with no spring left in them.

I spot a raccoon in the channel. We watch each other.