Tuesday, July 21st
Ed and I have made our 3rd trip to Bull Shoals, for a couple of good reasons. First, the area is rife with raptors of all stripes, from Samantha and Sam the eagles (our names for the year-round nesting pairs) to the merlins and coopers hawks to vultures all over. Second, its a beautiful area. The river is crystal clear against the backdrop of the sheer cliffs. It's been a fun trip for us and we can't wait to get there.
The first thing we noticed this year was the enormous number of deer. In the first two days we saw no fewer than 40 deer, with a herd of a dozen with a buck in the lead as the topper. They were everywhere and you had to keep sharp to not run into them. We made a short tour of the area, wanting to get some rest after the drive.Wednesday, July 22nd
It had rained the day before but stopped by the morning. The overcast kept the temps down, but it was still a little muggy. Ed and I took advantage of the break to take one of the trails through the woods. The river can get crowded; usually it's off the beaten path where the real neat stuff is. We started on the White Bluff trail, a naturally winding path that rose about 30 feet, then crossed a road, then rose another 75 feet. During the crossing it also crossed a bike path. With my uncanny sense of direction, I took the bike path.
The path got denser and more narrow. We crossed a field and went deeper into the brush when we heard something in the brush. Freezing where we stood, we heard a loud SNORT and then saw about 30 feet from us a group of a half dozen deer crashing through the brush. We had come upon them and they never spotted us; at the same time, we never spotted them either.
The winding patch went on for a couple of miles when Ed and I decided to turn around and go back. About 50 yards back we heard a screech, only produced by a bird of prey. We were smarter this time and slowly worked our way to where the sound was coming from. It got to be frustrating. We kept hearing it but couldn't spot it. Out of inspiration, I looked up, and there it was, a big Merlin, calling. We stood still for several minutes, then the big brute took off. But instead of flying away, he circled, as if looking for something. It was baffling, until a few seconds later, we understood why. A second call. Somewhere in the brush, the mate was calling back. He called, took off, and they found each other. Happily forever after, I hope. That was it. Ed and I headed back, enjoying the moment.
In the afternoon Ed and I went on a boat ride. I had wanted to take to the water to get closer to the subject and now was the chance. I made a decision that instead of spending half a day on the water on our own, an hour and a half with a guide would be better. Good choice. Bill had been on the river since 1971, known it well, and knew just where an eagles nest was. Not only that, he told us that there are 8 nesting pair that come during the winter.
Our first trek was upstream to the dam. We had been by before, but Bill took us real close. Amazingly, the dam has 4 power units working and has a total of 8, but are not used now because they don't need the power. Theoretically they could crank them up at any time.
Going downriver, Bill took us to where we saw the big female last year. Unfortunately they were not there. I told him not to worry, it's impossible to always be at the right place at the right time. Besides, the trip was not over. Sure wasn't. About 2 miles downriver, at a point of land, circling with the vultures was a form not like the others. It was a coopers hawk, at least 18 inches long. The orange, ruddy feathers are striking in comparision to the other birds of prey. He circled for a while, then disappeared into the brush on the side of the cliff. And they can disappear.
All in all, a great day. Ed and I will take it easier tomorrow, being the last day. Was a great day, the weather was beautiful, and much fun was had by all.
