Wednesday September 12, 2018 715 am 58 degrees
As I walk down Bridge Street toward the Fair Oaks Bridge entrance, I see the resident rooster and mother hen standing in front of an entry gate at the end of a long driveway leading to an elaborate home on the hill. The rooster and the hen pace in front of the gate and look in as if they are waiting for the owner to come down, open the gate and welcome them in.
Bright sun casts dark shadows in the water. Sky above the bridge is graced with more clouds today. Sloping hillsides of Fair Oaks Bluff and clouds are reflected as mirrors in the clear, still water.
As I stand on the bridge, five Canada Geese arrive from the east in V formation, honking and honking and land without a splash in the river. Two geese fly farther and then circle around to land alongside the others. No spider webs on the bridge today. Usually a dozen webs cover the side rails. Today there are none. No fishermen are sitting in boats. They may be waiting for salmon to arrive.
I enjoy watching their movements and stand in awe of so many shapes: wisps, fans, woven baskets and blankets. Some cloud formations resemble spun sugar or cotton batting stretched so far that deep blue sky peeks though. White puffy clouds have covered the sky, moving with the winds and changing shape all week. With so much cloud cover this morning, all I see is clouds in every direction.
The American River remains very quiet at Fair Oaks Bridge. Water level is low. Few waterfowl or birds are here. When they arrive, no one stays for long. Have not seen a Bufflehead diving in the middle of the river corridor since early this year. I miss the duck squabbles and persistent quacks. Few geese arrive and they don’t stay long. They too may be waiting for the salmon to arrive in a few weeks. Or maybe everyone is staying warm a little longer in their evening hiding places.