Summer Wildlife on the Lake...

Lot of trips to the lake this summer mean lots of opportunities for wildlife viewing. Here's a few photos from recent trips.

Blue heron fishes a shallow sand bar. I usually take a heron photo anytime I can and sometimes I wonder how often I take a picture of a bird I have already photographed. This guy was fishing right off the Hank's Creek boat ramp in a area that years ago was a sliver of beach that before designated areas and park attendants you could take the kids on a hot summer evening for a quick cool off.  

I sometimes throw a cast net on the concrete boat ramp and catching bait can be hit or miss. Maybe I'll take a hint from this guy and throw over at the sand bar.  

Here's a family of river otters also photo'd at Hank's Creek near the boat ramp. There are four otters in this pictures and one of them is trying to nurse. Some of the photos I made, while not as good as this one can be zoomed up to make out mom's teats quite well. They were not scared of us and put on a show doing all their tricks. I hope they continue to hang out around the high traffic area with lots of folks around. Makes it less likely some one might take a shot or trap them.  

How many times have I taken these guys photo? There are lots of the ospreys on the lake but these hang around one of my favorite areas. I don't know what their plans are but their nest was in poor repair. Maybe damaged by storm and wind or maybe torn up by the bald eagles we sometimes see harassing these guys. These are big birds but the bald is bigger. The ospreys do not lack courage when they need to defend the nest.    

Different osprey above the nest. 

Don't forget about that meeting at work tomorrow.