Tag: Fair Oaks Bridge

Spider Web Geometry

Monday, June 3, 2018   7 am

Morning begins with hearing the calls of a single chicken hidden in bushes on Bridge Street. It repeats every 2-3 minutes reminding me it is still there, calling to anyone to hear. American river is quiet except for the sound of birds greeting the new day. A fisherman floats in his boat on the sparkling water. Pigeons walk the upper frame of Fair Oaks Bridge guarding their territory. The sky is pale blue without even a wisp of clouds.

I notice a dozen intricately woven spider webs clinging to the sides of Fair Oaks Bridge. Dozens of tiny insects lay trapped inside. Their fates sealed by sticky webs. Besides a dozen pigeons arriving at the bridge, the spiders are the only creatures I see moving this morning.

spider webs, mornings, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, mornings, geometry

I continue to wonder how spiders acquire such precise weaving skills. Are they born with internal maps? Where do they begin to weave? How do they measure the length of each strand and intersecting line? Do they view their handiwork from a distance to see their progress?

spider webs, geometry, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, water, weave, nature, writing,spider webs, geometry, Fair Oaks Bridge, mornings, American River,nature, outdoor, writing, wonder

 

 

Lazy Day at the River

Thursday, June 28, 2018,   830 am   68 degrees

Fair Oaks, slow, ducks, morning, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, water, sparkle, rest
Two ducks rest on the boat launch ramp.

A lazy river moves gently down stream today.

Light breeze, warm sun. I watch a line of Canada Geese swim slowly and quietly across the American River. Leaves fallen from trees on the riverbank float in the water. Other leaves flutter through the air and land softly on the deck of Fair Oaks Bridge.

A man in a kayak floats under the bridge from the west. A boat launches from the ramp on the east side of the bridge. Not a cloud anywhere.

This morning I joined the Walking Sticks for a short walk to the bridge. They crossed Fair Oaks Bridge and kept on walking. I stopped to enjoy the peaceful moments of this beautiful morning on the river. The water glistens with silver tips. I watch the sparkling patterns on the water change as it moves under the bridge. I hear birds twitter in the trees nearby. Then the hoot of an owl…or is it a Morning Dove greeting the new day?

I am surprised to see even the cyclists are moving slowly.

Morning Ride on the American River Parkway

Thursday July 5, 2018, 7 am, 68 degrees

Birds twitter in the cool morning air. A gentle breeze blows against my face.

Riding my bike today, I stop briefly on Fair Oaks Bridge to check for wildlife and spider webs. I continue on the American River Parkway trail, stopping at a shallow, narrow place on the American River. This short part of the river is lined with a thick blanket of gravel. The river’s resident Mallards come here to find food. Salmon arrive in the fall to spawn here.

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This shallow area of the river is ideal for salmon to spawn and ducks to bob and swim to find food.

Many salmon swim further upriver to another shallow place, or finish their long journey to Nimbus Fish Hatchery. I chat with several walkers who have also stopped to enjoy the view.

A Cormorant stands on a small island in the middle of the river channel. I hear a distant quack from an unseen duck once, and then again and again, as if it is calling ‘Where is everyone?’ This rocky island is a fraction of its former size before the winter 2017 flooding. Fishermen used to dock their boats here, set up a chair with their ice chest alongside, and spend a few hours fishing.

beauty, Fair Oaks, American River, water, beauty, mornings, nature, writing Cormorant, ducks, wildlife,
Cormorant takes a rest on the island

Next stop is a picnic area on the riverbank, a short distance from the bike path. I listen to the sounds of the soft breeze and hear the water gently moving downstream. The river is moving more quickly today than recent visits. Small white peaks form on the other side of the river about 100 yards downstream. Could this be where rocks hide underneath and create rapids in the river?

I ride back to the boat launch ramp to watch Mallards searching the water for bugs or seeds or something to nibble on. I sit and watch them paddle through the water and dive head first into the water searching for food. If I had food to give them, two dozen ducks would fly in from anywhere, sensing feeding activity on the river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Crazy Chicken and more…

Have you ever seen a chicken that looks like this one?

mornings, chicken, Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks Village, Fair Oaks Bridge, nature, outdoor, walks

I found this one scratching at the dirt looking for breakfast during one of my morning walks to Fair Oaks Bridge.

Three days later. . .

I returned to Fair Oaks Bridge and saw a river otter enjoying a morning swim. river otter, American River, Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks Bridge, water, swim, mornings, write, nature, outdoors

Later that morning … I saw three turtles had found a fallen log at the riverbank just beneath the bridge to enjoy morning meditation in the sun.

turtles, Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks Bridge, mornings, water, American River, fallen log,

And the next day...

Mama duck and her six new ducklings out for a swim. They were surrounded by a dozen Canada Geese aggressively searching for food. She led them carefully – as they peeped and followed in a line – to a safer hiding spot in the middle of nearby reeds.

ducks, ducklings, Mallard, American River, Canada Geese, food, eat, swim, water, river, guard, babies, peep, observe, nature, writing, outdoors        

A few minutes walk from Fair Oaks Village down Bridge Street – The American River and Fair Oaks Bridge crossing feature abundant opportunities to enjoy incredible scenic views and diverse wildlife. Great walks and bicycle rides for miles in either direction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Oaks Village Chickens

Fair Oaks Village chickens are beloved and celebrated by many and scorned by some. Their squabbles, persistent calls to each other, and continuous patrols of Village streets and its two parks add character to the fabric of our community.

Residents and visitors take photos of chickens, feed them, and watch their antics while sitting at the park, an outdoor cafe or the Fair Oaks Deli. The Deli is one of the Village favorites for great food, company and entertainment. Cars driving through Fair Oaks Village stop and wait for chickens to meander across streets. Drivers wait, honk their horn and wait some more. Groups of two, three or four chickens often choose to linger in the middle of the street before crossing. They gather for conferences in parking lots and streets. These chickens tend to hang out in pairs or in a group – unless one has been chased away after a noisy squabble. When a chicken is alone, it crows even more.

chicken, Fair Oaks Village, Fair Oaks parks, mornings, streets, Fair Oaks Bridge, write,chickens, Fair Oaks parks, Fair Oaks Village,chicken, Fair Oaks Village, Fair Oaks parks, streets,chickens, white, Fair Oaks Village, streets, Fair Oaks BridgeDuring hot summer days, I see them resting in the shade of a tree in a park. They squabble,  chase and  call to each other. The biggest roosters have the longest and deepest calls. OO…OO…OO…OO…OOOO. The smallest chickens sound more like they are coughing with a scratchy throat. eh..eh..eh..eh..ehhhh…Even thin and scrawny, the smallest chickens behave as if they were the big roosters.

rabbit, Fair Oaks Bridge, morningsA chicken family lives on Bridge Street – a short street leading from the Village that ends at Fair Oaks Bridge. On one side of the street the rooster hides deep in bushes with mother hen and her five growing chicks. On the other side, two hens mingle with a small gray rabbit. The three of them emerge from the hillside lined with trees and dense shrubs at dawn and usually retreat into the hills by 730 am.

Almost every day I stand on Fair Oaks Bridge, one lone chicken calls good morning from Bridge Street, deeply hidden in bushes.

 

 

 

Birds Sing Good Morning

Friday, July 13, 2018 550 am   74 degrees

Brilliant pink clouds blanket the sky creating this morning’s dramatic sunrise.

The soft call of a Morning Dove greets me as I enter Fair Oaks Bridge. Ooooo weee ooo. Ooooo weeee ooo. After so many days of lingering daytime temperatures over 100 degrees, I feel refreshed as a cool breeze blows across my face this morning. The calm water of the American River shimmers in the early light of dawn.

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The fresh scent of morning, the drama, beauty and character of this setting is a remarkable experience. I think of John Muir’s words, “These beautiful days must enrich all my life. They do not exist as mere pictures . . but they saturate themselves into every part of the body and live always.”

Two boaters prepare to leave the boat ramp. A cyclist rumbles past me, shaking the bridge. A line of Canada Geese swim quietly past the boat launch ramp. Then four more geese fly in from the East breaking the silence as sounds of their honking carries in the wind. They fly by quickly at such a high altitude, I am imagining they have a distant destination in mind.

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Egret wanders on the riverbank while Canada Geese and a new gosling swim.

Eight pigeons arrive for their morning rotations over the bridge. A single bird perched on the bridge truss frame sings its good morning song, Ti Too, Ti Too. I see this bird often. The frame is one of its favorite morning spots.

Dense clouds remain unchanged as the sky brightens. When the sun appears, I watch a pale yellow glow fade behind the dense cloud cover. As I watch the sky, an Egret comes into view, extending its long, silky wings to fly under Fair Oaks Bridge and land on the south shore about 100 yards west. It patrols the riverbank a few minutes and then disappears as it flies further downriver. Egrets always fly low under the bridge. Rare when I see an Egret fly over at a higher elevation as the ducks and geese.

 

 

 

Glorious Sunrise

Sunday, July 15, 2018  5:40 am to 6:45 am

This glorious sunrise began before I arrived on Fair Oaks Bridge and continued for more than an hour as I watched and photographed until the sun eventually rose above heavy cloud cover. Enjoy a series of photos shown in progression as the sun light emerged and clouds and sky changed colors. Watch for the the golden rays of sunlight shining down on adjoining neighborhoods and reflected in the American River.

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Aperture: 3
Camera: Canon PowerShot ELPH 115 IS
Iso: 200
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How Much Can 1,000 Goats Eat?

Friday, July 27, 2018   930 am, 75 degrees

goats, Fair Oaks Bridge, Bannister Park, American RiverMore than 1,000 goats crowd a field overrun with dry weeds and grass alongside the access road to the American River Parkway near Jim’s Bridge. Sacramento County employees brought 1,000 goats in trailers. Men are busy installing the wired fence enclosure as I pass by. Goats will munch on weeds for the next 10 days. Today they look bewildered. “What are we doing here?” Most of them have not started eating yet.

 

rafts, American River, Bannister Park, Fair Oaks, water, play, fun, recreationWhen I arrive minutes later at Jim’s Bridge, nearly 100 rafters are waiting. Their rafts ready to launch for a day of fun on the river and shooting water cannons.

rafts, American River, water, fun, play, summer, Fair Oaks, Jim's Bridge

 

 

 

 

Six Canada Geese are gathered near the boat ramp by Fair Oaks Bridge for a morning meeting. Shortly after I arrive, they rise out of the water and fly away.  I will watch to identify their movements next time I stand closer and discover how they lift themselves out of the water and take flight.

River at Peace

Friday, August 31, 2018  640 am   57 degrees

Cool enough outside, I wear long sleeves. I cannot imagine cooler days. Seems that it has been so hot for so long! A few random chicken calls this morning in Fair Oaks Village. The chicken family on Bridge Street are always on patrol for food and scratching the dirt. Only two young chicks survived and they look more like little chickens instead of fluffy chicks now.  The gray bunny comes out early in the morning and dusk when fewer people are around to bother it. I remember during one of my bridge visits, the rabbit was startled when I saw two careless hikers stumble and fall down the Fair Oaks Bluff trail, nearly flattening the rabbit.  rabbit, Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks Bridge, peaceful, peace

Mornings are quiet here during the past few weeks. River is low and at peace. I have stood on the bridge deck many mornings. Some days are about the pure experience of being here – feeling the sense of peace, joy and escape. I enjoy the warm morning sun on my face. I have no new stories to tell or photos to share.

Four pigeons land on the Truss frame for moments at a time before they fly away. A lone boater floats upriver. Many people sit in fishing boats and stand on Jim’s Bridge. No idea what they are catching. Far too early for salmon to be swimming home yet.

sunrise, mornings, FairOaks , Fair oaks Bridge, peaceful, peace,American River, waterMorning sun glows bright yellow against a cloudless sky. We have had very few clouds in recent weeks. Yesterday scattered cloud formations covered the sky. Morning sun shining on Fair Oaks Bluff casts a shadowy reflection in the river. A few ducks swim east of the boat launch ramp.     

 

 

Finally Clouds!

Thursday, September 6, 2018 6:30 am , 57 degrees

Finally, morning clouds! Scattered wisps of clouds drape the sky in a panorama encircling Fair Oaks Bridge. The sky reminds me of an artist looking at the canvas and thinking, “This deep blue sky is too empty. It needs a few wisps here and there.”

mornings, clouds, Fair Oaks Bridge, American RiverWater is still, not even a ripple. A cool breeze blows across my face. With a moist chill in the air, I wear my denim jacket and blue jeans. Several groups of runners – from two to twenty – cross the bridge engaged in conversation. Single cyclists pass by. I hear honks from Canada Geese in the distance. Eight fly over in V formation and continue flying east. I hear one quack from a duck still hiding somewhere along the riverbank. I hear a bird sing its “calliope” song. A few pigeons sit on the truss frame and fly to shift positions. No boats today. No wildlife at play. 

Fallen leaves lay still in the water underneath the bridge. The water reflects a mirror image of the clouds and riverbanks on both sides. The river, usually a blend of greens and blues, is solidly blue this morning as it reflects clouds and the deep blue sky.

Mornings are quiet in recent weeks as one season folds into the next. The days of warm summer mornings are passing. Autumn chill is on its way. Leaves with the vibrant colors of deep orange, fiery red and mild yellows falling gracefully into the river is soon to follow.