Cycle of Life

The gang and I decided to do our favorite walk for the last full day of summer.  The upper Deschutes was quiet, you could see, hear and feel the change in season's taking place.  Last week the river was high and running fast, yesterday, slow and lazy.  Obviously they have closed the gates at Wickiup to start filling her up for next spring.

As we started the walk, it was sooo quiet.  Usually there is a constant background noise of birds and squirrel's.  Yesterday, they were there, but rather than a crowded room with the constant noise where you have to strain to make out any single conversation,  it was an almost empty room with just a few stragglers left behind and you could hear their every word.

The river was low and slow with large mats of algae that hadn't been there a week ago.  Wow, it grows fast.  The low water had made ideal conditions for mosquitoes.  Oh, how nice, now I have to make sure I include the bug spray in the backpack.  The fish were doing their best to keep the mosquito population down, jumping up out of the water, taking advantage of the fresh feast.  I've never seen so many fish jumping.

We walked the 2 1/2 miles of river up to a bend where the ducks will be congregating soon, but no ducks, nothing.  So, quiet.  On the way back we stopped and sat at a favorite S in the river.  Quiet, yes, at first glance.  There were of course fish jumping every where, then the dogs flushed two cranes.  Oh, cool, I thought, then I looked to my left to see a Bald Eagle flying up the river, passing right in front of me, unconcerned by our presence on his/her hunting grounds.  Oh, WAY cool!  Sooo beautiful! No picture, even if I'd had the camera at the ready I doubt I could have gotten it.  After the Eagle flew by a flock of ducks sitting unseen in the algae patch close by took flight.

Ah, so, the cycle of life, the hunter and the hunted, the fish hunt the mosquitos and the Eagle hunt the fish and . . . so it goes.

Later, away from the river we saw a hawk like bird flying low through the trees.  It landed, but, with the dogs in tow, I couldn't get close enough to get a good look to see what it was.  Probably a Red Tail, but don't know for sure.

A nice afternoon walk to center and lighten the soul.