This morning we took the canoe to Paint Creek Lake. A nice breeze on the water and bright sunshine were the perfect remedy for my claustrophobia from this week's miserable temperatures and suffocating humidity.
The Paint Creek region is the very edge of the Appalachian Plateau--the hill country of southeastern Ohio frames most views from the water.
Limestone cliffs border some areas, sand beaches others. And, because the water level is down more than a foot, large sand bars are exposed.
We stopped here for a while, killdeer scurrying all over this bar of small pebbles. The weathered log had an interesting pattern on the root surfaces.
At the water's edge--birds!!
Gulls and Caspian Terns?
That's the most birding excitement I've had in a very long time!
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9 comments:
Hmm... sounds like a very lovely day of canoeing. I want to go down the outlet of our lake... maybe this week! Wanna go?
Sure--it seems there's always so much life at/on the water!
Also saw a softshell turtle--which I've only come across once before.
Made me think twice about wading across shallow areas, barefoot!
I gather it's cooler now. That's a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning. You saw some nice birds, Nina. Looks very peaceful. I wouldn't want to go home!
Do softshell turtles bite or are you just squeamish about close-encounters of the watery kind?
I haven't seen a Caspian tern in a long time. Lovely wing-spread in that last phot.
I've never had a close-encounter with a softshell, but from what I've read, their personality resembles a snapping turtle's--"aggressive".
And they camouflage themselves by burying into the sandy bottom of a river, waiting for unsuspecting prey--can spend long periods without surfacing for air.
I don't know if it'd scoot away from my approaching toe, or latch on!
Looks like a lovely peaceful spot.
Limestone cliffs? Very interesting.
Looks like it was a nice calm day for canoeing. I've never seen Terns...it was neat to see them just hanging out with the gulls.
Caspian terns????
WHOOT!
I think so! According to Sibley's, they pass through our area (OH), have that darkish tinge to the end of their bill, black legs, massive head and bill.
I was just excited to see something other than herons or kingfishers on the lake! (or goldfinches and cardinals in the yard!)
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