Blackforest Fall Hike

November 20, 2011

Thankful for fall to have arrived bringing with it cooler weather, we wanted to get outdoors as much as we could, so we find ourselves once again at Blackforest. As soon as we got out of the Tahoe I spot some loons floating on the water, some diving for their dinner.

I hear Stewart shout, “Hey, y’all check out this big bird, I think it is an eagle!”

And sure enough it was an eagle perched above the area where we parked. At first we thought it was a Golden Eagle then with some further study I know now it is a juvenile Bald Eagle probably 2nd year!  After looking us over pretty good the eagle took flight and flew away. We spotted our eagle friend (or so we thought) in a dead tree down the shore.

I thought this eagle was the same one that was watching us earlier but then I noticed the darker head and black beak. It must be a 1st year juvenile Bald Eagle. You know what that means? It means that there were two years of successful eagle hatchings!

After reeling in awe of the eagles we continued on our hike.

Adam put his tree climbing skills to work while Anna looked for pretty fall leaves!

Stewart took advantage of a stump chair while the boys look around for critters in the leaves.

A beautiful Gulf Fritillary fluttered around a bit until it lit on Adam’s arm. He was so excited it came to see him!! A perfect ending to a hike, to be hugged good-bye by a Butterfly!!