A plaque I made for camp
My grandpa had a camp in Linesville for years, and my dad would take us up here as much as he could when we were little. We had some really great trips up here, bringing home MANY walleye, perch, and crappie. When my grandpa sold his camp and passed, I was thrilled when we got a camp of our own.
A plaque I made for camp, and a picture of my grandpa
Saturday, we slept in. It was cold, windy, and looked like rain, so we were in no hurry to get on the water. The walleye fishing usually isn't too great this time of year anyway. When we were packing up the boat with gear, this Northern Flicker was calling from a tree in the yard, and seemed to be building a nest.
Northern Flicker
We launched the boat, motored out to the middle of the lake, and dropped in. As I said, it was cloudy, rainy, windy, and cold. Not the best weather for photography, and the waves didn't help steady my camera much. But I did the best that I could. There was a very large number of mixed species of swallows, some gulls, and a few terns. Double crested cormorants and great blue herons were flying over constantly, with a few common loons here and there. But the stars of the show at the Pymatuning Reservoir, and many other places, are the eagles. I don't get to see many gulls or terns, so bare with me on the ID skills.
Causeway from PA to OH
Causeway from PA to OH
A group of Double-Crested Cormorants
Bonaparte's gull, non-breeding
1st summer herring gull
3rd year herring gull
Juvenile Double Crested Cormorant
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow
1st year Bald Eagle
Two 1st year Bald Eagles
1st year Bald Eagle
1st year Bald Eagle
1st year Bald Eagle
Tree Swallow
Canada Geese
It was very difficult to snap a good photo of the swallows, they are so agile in the air and incredible fliers. I was having a blast shooting them though. Needless to say, the fishing was slow, but I had these guys to keep me busy. Then dad asked, "What's that?" I looked through my view finder and saw a blue billed, small bodied duck with white cheeks. Male Ruddy duck. I tried to get pictures, but dad got a snag, thanks buddy. This is the only photo I got, I had to help dad out with his mess!!
Male Ruddy Duck
2nd year Ring-billed Gull
Forster's Tern
Barn Swallow
2nd year Ring billed gull
2nd year Ring billed gull
Forster's Tern
Common Loon
Purple Martin
Forster's Tern
1st summer Common Loon
Female Purple Martin
Barn Swallow
Pair of Great Blue Herons
Purple Martin
I was getting better at shooting the swallows, and starting to have fun with them. When I looked up, and in a tree on Tutle island was a pair of adult Bald Eagles. One of them flew off, but I managed a few shots at the second.
Adult Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle
Now that both of the Eagles had flown off, I guess there was nothing else to do but shoot some more swallows, since the fishing wasn't picking up.
Purple Martin
Purple Martin
A pair of wood ducks flew over, which was a good sight. I love wood ducks!
Pair of Wood Ducks
Non-breeding Bonaparte's Gull
Non-breeding Bonaparte's Gull
My FAVORITE part of being in the natural world, is seeing pollution. ESPECIALLY emissions.
I LOVE it.
Bonaparte's Gulls
Adult breeding Bonaparte's Gull
The first day at Pyamatuning went well. We brought back a nice crappie, 3 perch, 3 walleye, and threw one walleye back. Not the best fishing, especially since we were out for 8-9 hours, but when your outdoors, life is good. My computer needs a tune up or I would post from the last day of the trip. So I'm going to try and get it up to speed and post pictures from last Sunday.
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