Bird Watching

This last photo from my strip pit hike in April is a couple of small birds doing their mating thing up in the tree tops. I was just laying there in some sunny grass when they showed up. I took maybe 8 pictures but only got them in this one. The tree art is not bad either. The little birds are smack dab in the middle.

Pileated Woodpecker Tree

1st picture is a couple more small ponds created by the mining from 80 yrs. ago and all these little bodies of water are filled with life. 2nd photo is a cottonwood tree being worked on by a pileated woodpecker. Maybe before the summer is over, a cavity nester like a ckickadee or titmouse will lay some eggs in one the holes. For sure they will be used for refuge this coming winter by several small birds.

Favorite Fishing Spots

A photo of the north end of old south pit #2. The small waterway to the left connects to pit #1 where we spent most of our fishing time. But this little cove was always beautiful with lots of fish. Now it is not. Not even fishable anymore. The white dead fallen tree on the left upslope was a tall Sycamore, always full of leaves, that eventually became a woodpecker tree over the years. Now it's not; it finally fell, over the wintertime. Just like we all will at some time. But life goes on here. A beaver will soon begin building another dam across the small waterway. I sure am glad I have the old 35mm pictures of this cove from several yrs. ago.

I should find one of those old pictures of this cove for my next post just to show the difference a few yrs. can do to an appearance.

Indiana Strip Pit Fishing

These 2 photos show the spot to look for when fishing a strip pit. A point with a cove on the one side and a deep channel on the other side for all fish to travel thru on their daily travels. The 2nd picture shows the shallow south end of the pit where the best fishing usually happened over the years. But this point was the place to be. The snakes liked this spot too for some reason. This is at old south pit #2. Memories.