Eagle Expo

Yesterday I took a boat trip east of Morgan City to scout for next week’s Eagle Expo.  A beautiful day, sunshine with a few wispy clouds and birds everywhere.  The Terrebonne Parish marshes are chocked full of all kinds of birds this time of year and the national symbol is nesting in force.  I visited three of the seventy plus nest that exist in this parish.  All had young birds. I estimate they were about 7 inches tall when standing in site at the edge.  It makes me happy that the bald eagle has come back so well since the well-known synthetic insecticide DDT  put the whammy on eagles, osprey, brown pelicans and other fish eating birds. In 1975 there were only seven known bald eagle nests in the state.

Bald Eagle

On my nineteen mile boat ride I saw and photographed three kinds of egrets, anhingas, common moorhens, American coots,  white ibis, yellow-rumped warblers as well as the bald eagle.  I was preparing for my eagle photography workshop,  on February 9 in Morgan City.  It’s part of Eagle Expo, a three day events celebrating this majestic bird.  Seven years old now and getting better every year. Besides my workshop there are lots of activities and speakers.  The Banquet will feature Ann McCutchan, author of River Music, An Atchafalaya Story, and Earl Robichaux, who has preserved and celebrates the sounds of the basin. Michael Sealy, Donna Dittman, Steve Cardiff, and Reese Lukei, Jr. will speak on a variety of bird subjects.  You can find out more about it : HERE.

Nutria

I also got to photograph nutria, the first green of spring in the black willow leaves and the red of the winged seeds of the swamp red maple tree. For me the best place to photograph nature this time of year is the marshes around Houma and Morgan City.

Geaux Tigers

I have never drunk a cup of coffee, for after my grandmother gave me a teaspoon taste of hers, I never went back for seconds. Tea is my morning ritual and I take it with honey. Lucky, lucky me got a Honey Badger jug of honey for Christmas.  Honey they say is a good defense against allergies.  LSU Honey Badger is a good defensive man against all other football teams.

Life will be close to normal after Monday and I’ll get back to stories about the birds and the bees, recreation and the environment.  A taste of one of my next ones is seen here under this LSU Championship banner.  It’s a giant hole filled with leaves and grass clipping, 762 bags so far.  In one of those bags I collected street side in Baton Rouge was this flag.  I deposited the leaves in my hole and saved the flag around the end of August.  It has stayed right there guarding the ever filling hole and watching LSU go 13 and 0. After LSU wins its forth National Championship I’ll tell you more about the hole.

Good Luck and Good Economy

I picked a cabbage from my garden at 10:30 AM yesterday to cook for lunch with my black eye peas, deer hot tamales, brussel sprouts and cornbread.  Most was from my own yard and that includes the chives, peppers, parsley, cilantro and dill to spice things up.   Sure was tasty! And yes, very traditional.  Instilled by my parents I have not missed the black eye peas and cabbage in all my years on earth.  They say it brings good luck and good economy. And looking back, I have been lucky.  One of the lucky things in my life is to have the desire and the knowledge to grow a cabbage as pretty as the one shown.  For a number of future blogs in 2012 I plan on reflecting on some of my good luck.

Besides that delicious lunch I resolve to continue eating healthy, getting out in the fresh air as well as exploring the backwoods and bayous of Louisiana and when I don’t get some other type of exercise. 

A happy, healthy and productive New Year to everyone.  And Happy 200^th  birthday to Louisiana.

Recycling

I am having a garage sale tomorrow.  Mainly, I want to reduce the clutter around the house and the office.  The fringe benefit is that some of the stuff will be recycled, i.e. used by someone else for a while rather than hitting the land fill.

Sounds of the Wing

Black skimmers and sandwich terns in flight at sunset

I had just finished running and was resting with friends when I asked Julie about her recent trip to North Carolina.  She said it was so peaceful and relaxing, I even heard the sound of a bird flying. To me that’s a normal day. Whether it is the buzz of a hummingbird, the whistle of a flock of blue-winged teal or the quietness of an owl flying over my head at night.  But to her with a busy life in Baton Rouge, family and job it was unusual and refreshing. A serene moment to catch up on the way it feels to really live on earth. Our conversation made me think it would do everybody good to take a few minutes off each day to listen to the sounds of nature.  You don’t have to be in a cabin in North Carolina or in the Atchafalaya Swamp to do it, for even in most big cities you can find a place to experience a little something called nature.

Seven Billion

I feel crowded.

About one hundred of the seven billion people on earth. 

Jeweled Web Print of the Month

Jeweled Web

 

About this print:
A winter morning backlit dew covered spider web shimmers and dances in colorful hues like jewels dangling precariously.

 

*For more info and to purchase your print  HERE*