Blue Sky and Bird Threesomes

Blue sky!  We didn't see any blue sky during the previous three days due to all the forest fire smoke that came our way.  The previous two days the smoke was down to ground level to the point of smelling it and almost tasting it.

I decide to make the run up to Lover's Leap.  I didn't feel like dealing with the tides, which are not timed ideally right now, so a fresh water route was in order.  I put in at the state launch in Bridgewater, on the Housatonic River.  It is calm, still under 70F, and sunny with a partly cloudy sky.  I can see a little haze in the trees if I have a long enough line of sight.  This could be the last of the smoke, or it might just be some humid air.  Anyway, the air is overwhelmingly improved over yesterday!

I spot a set of 3 Great Blue Herons.  This is the third time that I've seen a threesome in the last week or so.  It is unusual as Herons feed alone and usually keep a few hundred yards spacing.  The only time that I've seen them congregate is during mating in the spring.  But, this reminds of the threesomes of Oyster Catchers that I've seen in the last week.  I could be wrong, but I think that all of these occurrences might be recent fledglings with an adult bird, school in session for the young birds so to speak.  Birds that must fly in order to leave the nest, such as Eagles, Osprey, Herons, etc. have to be fairly close to full size for their first flight. And some, but not all, make that first flight in adult feather colors, or something close to it.  I saw this school session with Bald Eagles not too long ago.  Osprey will do this in a couple of weeks.

In the upper end of the paddle, I find a very large flock of Mallard Ducklings - 35-40 birds with a few adults.  This is quite unusual.  While Canada Geese often team together to create a flock of young birds, Mallards usually tend to their young as a family unit.  I spot and hear Bald Eagles in this same area and perhaps the Mallards have flocked together as a defense.  I have seen Coots do this where Eagles habituate.  Eagles hunting Coots is reminiscent of lions going after herd animals, isolating and focusing on an individual that might not have been paying attention.

When I get up to Lover's Leap, I do some exploring on the downriver side.  I'd read of an access point, and while I find it, I also find a "no water entry" sign courtesy of the state.   

I head back.  It is getting warm and shade comes less often with the sun high overhead.  Motorboat traffic is also building, although it is still well short of a bother... just an occasional bozo speeding by. It is still mostly fishermen.