Kristi's Photographs and Observations

Making a quick check on Monday afternoon - the only day this week without predicted lake wind advisories - and at first only mom was visible on the nest.  Movement, then one head pops up.  We were thrilled and not expecting anything more, and within a few minutes, more movement to the left. A second little face is staring out!  Wow!  How great is this?  Not just one, but TWO eaglets in the nest! 

Relieved to see that the eaglet has survived the recent storms, and is covered in a coat of gray down, which fits the timeline of 3-4 weeks of age. The black juvenile feathers will begin to grow in soon.  Mom and dad are taking turns at the nest and with hunting and feeding, and are never far from it.  In the last photo we can assume that mom is perched on the left; females are about 25% larger than males, and have deeper beaks.  It will be so much fun to watch this family in the coming months, and I can't wait for Michael and other friends to be able to get out with us and document this life.  Just think of how much we're all going to learn!  

Going through some photos of the past couple of weeks for the site, and found a batch that I had not edited during all the excitement of seeing the hatchling for the first time. 

Lake O' the Pines, Caddo, and surrounding areas have been hard hit with almost unprecedented rainfall this past week.  Thoughts and prayers are with our friends and family who are dealing with the aftermath. And as I'm posting this, it's pouring again! Mother Nature can be a fickle force, and while we all know better days are ahead, that's of little comfort when homes are being threatened.  

Hoping that we can get out on the very steadily rising Lake O' the Pines soon and check the nest, and that this little family is also safe and sound through all that is happening around us....

Watch for more, coming soon......

   As we look around us now, it's hard to imagine that not very long ago we were commiserating about the lack of rain and considering hosting community rain dances!  Our area lakes have seen some low levels, but Mother Nature more than made up for the long-withheld wet stuff in December.  Over a course of just one weekend, we saw that deluge of water hyacinth, many of the parks and launch ramps closed, and pelicans roosting on the last bit of tin on the tops of day use picnic tables!

   While it's been beautiful to see the area resoirvers filled to the brim, this double-edged sword is not without consequence....yes, the birds and other wildlife seem to love it, but if you were one of the fortunate folks who live lakeside and had to watch a few weeks back with bated breath as Lake O' the Pines jumped by leaps and bounds, it wasn't such a thrill. Friends and family in the surrounding areas had this predicament, and this tradeoff is not so nice if it's in YOUR back yard, lapping at YOUR door, or mangling YOUR dock! I'd actually taken some photos on Lake O' the Pines that I wanted to post, but did not because it felt wrong.  I know too many people that were either trying to procure sandbags or having to travel alternate routes to get to and from their homes to feel good about doing so.

   From data on the Corps of Engineers website, Lake O' the Pines was a high of nearly 242 feet, and is dropping now and at under 240.  Current release rate is 3,000 CFS, the maximum, so the Big Cypress Bayou is looking good, too.  This is 12 feet above normal winter pool.  Lake Wright Patman saw record levels of almost 255 feet, and was a whopping 33 feet above normal!