Cleared for Take-off

Early morning at Ranger Lake, I left M back at camp and walked down to the lake. I wanted to see if the fish were rising, and we needed to pump some water for the trail.

It was very quiet and still, but in the deep bowl of the lake, on the far side, I could see a large bird slowly rising into the air. At first I thought it was an osprey, but as a I watched it fly slowly around, I could see it was something larger. And the pointed beak was wrong for a raptor. The bird flew in steady circles over the center of the lake, each turn taking it a bit higher into the air.

I realized that it was a heron when it flew almost directly overhead. By that time it was nearly clear of the trees, and like a jumbo jet, it had circled the lake until it gained enough altitude to fly off to the south. No engine noise, but the huge bird then cleared the tops of the trees and sailed off into the sky beneath Silliman Pass.

That same day, in the evening, M and I went down to Seville Lake to enjoy the peace and quiet. And yes, to see if the fish were rising. We watched as the shadows lengthened over the lake, and a few fish rose, far out in the middle of the lake.