In Which I Contemplate Cold Critters and Cracks

Cedar Lake on Tuesday, pretty and pretty quiet. I don't think that the other birds wanted the company of an eagle who was hanging around.

The week-where-biking-would-not-be turned out to be a week of fine, if cool, biking so far.

And also an entertaining set of creature features.

On Tuesday, just because I could, I took the “long” route home where I ride over to Cedar Lake on the Cedar River Trail. It was a pretty afternoon, but as I approached the north end of the lake, where the ducks and geese usually congregate in open water, it was unusually quiet. The usual goose cocktail party was not in session.

And I noticed a figure out on the ice of the lake—dark. Clearly a black bird, but much too large to quoth like a raven. It seemed eagle size to me, but I wondered because it did not have a clearly white head. And then the eagle sprang into the sky.

Oh. A teenager or yearling. An adult sized bird that has not yet grown into its adult colors. But as it circled overhead, its size, the lightening of the its tail (it’s not white yet, but it’s getting there) and the straight way it would hold its wings—this is clearly the national symbol, just without a white head yet.

I snapped some images and circled the lake. The usual water fowl crowd was hanging out in the smaller lake to the south—maybe not so comfortable with the murderous fisher dino cruising around the larger lake.

Many views of a young eagle at the lake.

As I looped around the lake, returning to the north side, my eagle pal was there, sitting high in an old cottonwood tree. I appreciated he or she sitting for some tree portraits before taking off again to keep the riffraff out of the neighborhood.

More images from Cedar Lake Tuesday. Someone has been ice fishing (above). I heard a clatter and lost my sunglasses, which I recovered. And many trees are being cut out on west end of lake, not sure why.

I count that as a pretty good Tuesday ride.

Cedar River Trail Tuesday, some other users on a cool, cloudy afternoon.

Rooster is OK with Bernie Sanders. Bernie is not Colonel Sanders. Seen on ride home.

Gas station at corner of C and Blair's Ferry is going goodbye.

Today, Ash Wednesday, I was fighting the “wind hill” on the way home. Wind chill was a real thing this afternoon. It had briefly flurried in the afternoon, but the sky was sunny with some broken clouds when I rode home. I was well dressed, and despite the cold wind, was comfortable—so, for no particular reason, I decided to head down the Lindale Trail and climb the Bowman Woods Hill on the way home.

As I rode down the trail, enjoying the pretty golden light, a doe stepped onto the trail may 30 yards in front of me. She leisurely ambled across the trail and I snapped on image of her. Then, silently and quickly, a second doe zipped across the trail, and I caught a series of her running.

First deer, above, series of second running deer, below.

I decided not to cross Lindale Drive at a busy time, and turned down the sidewalk to go through a residential neighborhood to the short side trail. I was lucky it was cold—the limestone trail has been mushy lately, judging by all the cracks, tracks and ruts. I was glad to be on the mountain bike, and went slow.

Then again, I always go slow. It’s how I ride.

All in all, the last week of February, which was to be snowy and turned out dry, has been a pretty good week for rides. As long as you dress warmly.

Pretty afternoon light Wednesday, Lindale Trail.

Angry birds. It's late winter, is mating season making them misbehave?

Why a mountain bike was good for Wednesday ride.