White Pelicans 02-22-21

In the winter American White Pelicans vacation at Anaheim Lakes and the Starbuck's/Pollo Loco parking lot backs up on the lake.  There were two "rafts" of pelicans out today, but too far away to take a close up picture.  

They were all together when I took this image of about 25 spread out fifty feet off shore, but then divided up with ten or twelve birds going north and south.  There were only a few fishing people who didn't seem to be catching anything.  Nor were the pelicans. 

 

In the background are the Anaheim Hills where wild fires threaten homes in recent years.  The 91Fwy goes along the bottom of the hills.  This lake is private, requiring a fee to enter the area.  I've never been inside the tall chain link fences.  Sometimes the shore is almost elbow to elbow fishing people, it was a gorgeous day with a temp of 84F, but few people fishing. 

I couldn't get a close up, so I lifted this image from Google.  They are very large birds, larger than the brown pelicans we see along the coast, and they frequent fresh water rather than the salt water the brown guys like. Their wingspan is second only to the California Condor and runs between 95" and 120".  Average weight is about 20 pounds.  One interesting habit is that white pelicans will band together and form a large circle on the water.  They then all swim toward the center, in effect they herd the fish into a tighter space to make feeding on them easier.  I have only seen them do this once, but it is a common trait.   

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Saturday Stories 04-31-16

It was a great camping/fishing trip with Diane’s husband, two sets of aunts/uncles and some cousins.   Stanley Lake in the Sawtooth Mountain Range in Idaho was one of their favorite places to go and the fish were abundant that year.  The guys would go out fishing for trout as soon as it was daylight and quickly had their limits.  They lurked about the campground waiting for new campers to arrive.  Soon they were making friends and generously offering the new campers some fresh caught trout for their lunch or dinner.  As soon as the trout were out of the coolers they were off in the boat to fish for another limit.  It was, of course, illegal, but they had SUCH a good time. 

This was also the trip that one aunt, one cousin and Diane drove out to the highway to have a shower at one of the places where showers were available.  Trouble was they only had three quarters and the shower was only something like five minutes – not enough to wash bodies and hair for three adult women.   So, everybody took all their clothes off and put in one quarter, giggling and laughing they each jumped in one at a time and got wet.  The first one started soaping/shampooing as soon as she was out then the second and finally the third.  As soon as the water stopped they put in another quarter and started rotating in and out to rinse off.   Finally, the last quarter dropped and they rotated in and out again to get off the last of the soap.  It is hard to describe how hilarious it was, Diane had never taken a shower to such a short time.  And neither had aunt or cousin.  They would never have made it in the Navy.

 

McGown Peak reflected in Stanley Lake, Idaho

 

This might have been Diane, who was oil painting at the time and painted this exact view.

Pictures from Google

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Indian Creek Lodge - Douglas City, CA 08-15-11

Below are the fisherman and the fisherman watcher!  Jim is the only one of us who has the equipment and is eager to catch some trout.  So far he has only dabbled a little.  He visited a bait shop to learn what the fish are finding delectable at the moment and came back with some red net, red elasticized thread and a can of cheap oil pack tuna (phew!).  The guy at the bait shop had shown him how to make "tuna balls" and he enlisted my help since I sew.  Is there a connection?  When he went out casting, the tuna balls and two lures went to the collection at the bottom of the river.  We'll make some more on Wednesday morning when he is ready to fight the good fight again.

They were well doused with insect repellent - against the bees/wasps and the mosquitoes.

 

And here is the Poodle Prince, sitting in his bed on a table in the window of my room.  No need to point out that his parents departed stage left. 

And here he is in silhouette from inside the room.  The fence you can see across the parking lot is around the swimming pool.  And about twenty feet beyond that is Hwy 299 - the main route from Redding to  Weaverville. 

This flock of Canadian geese (about 16) came to graze on the lawn behind the motel this afternoon.  The Trinity River is just beyond the tan sandy area across the middle of the image.  I walked down there with Corky today and was really huffing and puffing.  I carried him because we fear that he will pick up a tick if he walks in the grass and underbrush. 

I have been doing work for Surfside Quilters Guild on my laptop, but hope to start a sewing project tomorrow.  I brought several, along with my sewing machine and other equipment.  I'll have to move Corky's bed off the table, or maybe just push him to the far edge.  He is used to having a window view to the outside at his house and at mine, so he is not happy that the windows here are too high for him to see what is happening outside.  There isn't much to see - the cars and trucks going by on the highway, a guest knitting near the pool  and, BIG excitement, the housecleaning lady come to do his parents room.   

I hope I have a bit more energy tomorrow, after driving for two days I am very tired.  Ah-h-h-h, to have the energy of a 20 year old!