Tag: outdoors

Good Morning Greetings

Monday, July 9, 2018 635 am   64 degrees

As I enter Fair Oaks Village this morning, I stop the car to wait for a chicken to cross the street and join a friend in the center median. Chickens are calling from all parts of the Village. I see them in parking lots, on streets and hiding near bushes.

Fair Oaks, chickens, Fair Oaks Village, mornings, greetings, webs, spiders
Impromptu morning meeting

A cool morning wind feels refreshing after a long and hot day. Glowing, hot yellow sun and a brilliant blue sky. No clouds anywhere.

I see a kayak launch into the water and watch the driver inside pressing foot pedals to move his craft around the river. The boat is filled with three people, a large bucket and other fishing equipment. Fishermen in their boats take positions in the American River for a morning of fishing.

Water level of the river continues to be slightly higher than a week ago. The river channel is relatively flat at Fair Oaks Bridge, so the water remains calm. A pair of ducks fly in and land with a splash out of sight under the bridge. Joggers and walkers pass – alone and in pairs. No one pauses to look over either side of Fair Oaks Bridge to enjoy the scenic views.

spider webs, mornings, Fair Oaks, webs, spider, greetings, Fair Oaks Bridge, Fair Oaks Bluffs, American River, water, spider
Why are all spider webs hanging on the east side of Fair Oaks Bridge?

A tiny bird greets me with its good morning song. “Ti Too! Ti Too!” as it stands at the top of the bridge truss looking down at me. I see no Buffleheads swimming and searching for breakfast. I can’t remember when I saw them last. When did they leave?

A dozen spider webs stretch across the bridge rails ranging in size from 9” across to a more compact 2”.

I rarely see spider webs hanging on the west side of Fair Oaks Bridge. Why do spiders spin their webs on the east side of the bridge and not the west?

Could web placement be related to the sun’s position in the sky? Is web construction related to where the shadows fall or the temperature of a specific place? Do insects prefer to fly about on the east side and not the west?

A loud fog horn blows. Long, loud and mysterious. What is that sound? Where does it come from? Few ducks are swimming. I wonder about the female Mallard who I heard quack relentlessly every visit in January and February. Where is she? Did she have ducklings? How can I even recognize her if she swims by me?

 

 

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.

experience, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, oudoors, nature, writing, sunrise, Egret

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.

experience, nature, outdoors, Fair Oaks Bridge, Canada Geese, goslings,Egret, mornings, American River
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: 400
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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.     

 

 

Clouds Grace the Sky

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. 

  clouds, Fair Oaks Bridge, mornings, clouds, formations

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.

Sights on American River Parkway

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

A collection of sights from morning and afternoon bike rides along the American River Parkway last week.

ducks, sleeping, mornings, Fair Oaks, American River, jim's bridge
Time for an afternoon nap. A third duck wanted to climb on the rock. It was quickly scolded by the other two ducks and sent away. “Get out of here. This rock is full. We want to take a nap!” in duck speak.
geese, ducks, seagull
Tracks in the sand at the river’s edge. Looks like Canada Geese were here.

 

woodpecker, telephone pole,
Woodpeckers are doing a lot of work on this telephone pole. Do they expect to find worms here?
flowers
From a bed of brown, dry weeds, leaves and grasses, emerges rows of beautiful bright-eyed pink flowers.
Great Blue Heron, patrol, American River, Fair Oaks Bridge
The Great Blue Heron flies in with its usual chortle and steps carefully as it patrols the riverbank searching for food.
tree trunk, American River, flood, debris
The American River is currently running very shallow all the way across. This debris (formerly a tree) is likely to have been uprooted during Winter 2017 flooding and making very slow progress down river.

 

 

 

 

Fishermen Return to the American River

Sunday, September 23, 2018,     730 am    56 degrees

Happy Anniversary! “Mornings on Fair Oaks Bridge” blog is two years old.

Taking photos and writing observations about my morning visits to Fair Oaks Bridge began as a fun way to capture my experience. It was several weeks later before I thought of posting them as blogs. Two years later, I am still posting my observations, enjoying regular visits, and a full color book featuring a selection of first person narratives and photography      is ready to print.

During that September as today, fishermen are sitting in their boats waiting for salmon. Although it is very early in the season, 11 boats line the American River all the way around the bend. When I asked one of the fishermen in a boat close to the bridge, if salmon were in the river, he said, “A few.” Anxious fishermen face a lot of competition to catch a few fish. River level remains low. 

Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, fishermen, fishing, salmon, mornings, fall,

Arriving long after sunrise, the blinding yellow sun is sitting just above the trees behind the boat launch ramp (outside the photo on right). A few thin strips of white clouds do nothing to hide the sun’s harsh light. A slight breeze blows against my skin. What I notice immediately is thousands of tiny insects swarming on the outside of the bridge side rails. Their swarm stretches at least one-third the length of the bridge. Floating through the air, they look like tiny feathers released from a pillow or quilt and being shaken into the air.  wild man, American River, Fair Oaks Bridge, water, mornings, flood,

I see “The Wild Man” still lies where he fell after being knocked over by the floodwaters in early 2017.

I walk down to the boat launch ramp in time to see one duck splashing itself with water, other engaging in regular morning ritual of cleaning feathers. Muscovy duck, Mallard, ducks, standing on rock, American River, Fair Oaks Bridge, mornings, nature, outdoors, writing, Two others stand on rocks and watch. Looking across the river, I see an Egret on the opposite riverbank in its usual spot. About 50 yards to the west sits the Great Blue Heron. They always do their best to avoid each other. As I watch the Heron, I see a squirrel behind it, dash up a small hill on the Fair Oaks Bluff. Squirrels are one animal I never see on the riverbanks.

When I cross Fair Oaks Bridge much later in the morning, more people are out walking, with their dogs and others are cycling. A tiny bird is singing good morning. Ti Too! Ti Too! Four pigeons tuck their heads under one wing as they perch on the highest cross beam of the bridge.  

 

Active Morning on the River

Saturday, September 29, 2018   56 degrees   735 am

active, Fair Oaks, chickens, Fair Oaks Bridge, Bridge Street, mornings, Two fluffy chickens look for food on Bridge Street.

Walking on Fair Oaks Bridge, clouds blanket the sky and the only light is a long, thin strip directly above distant treetops. River is calm and deep green.

Lots of activity this morning! Standing on the bridge, I watch clouds change from a gray blanket to snow white puffs, as the wind stretches them apart to reveal a deep blue backing underneath. Three ducks come out for a swim and approach where the boats sit.

As I prepared to take photos of the morning scene, I was surprised to see clouds reflecting in the water – seen only through my camera lens.

clouds, active, reflections, American River, American River Parkway, Fair Oaks Bridge, mornings, water, river, nature, outdoors, writing, photos, wildlife

Walking to the boat launch ramp, rafters and boaters who arrived as early as 530 am prepare to leave the river while others are just now arriving. Pick up trucks and boat trailers line the parking lot. Several ducks next to the riverbank engage in their morning routines: cleaning, dunking for food, and watching the river. Turkey Vultures patrol the sky over Fair Oaks Bluff. Two-dozen pigeons circle the sky east of Fair Oaks Bridge. I do not see any of them land. They circle and vanish.

Great Blue Heron, active, wildlife, mornings, Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks Bridge, nature, wildlife, American River, American River Parkway, outdoorsI hear a chortle to my left and know a Great Blue Heron has flown in. It poses on the rock on the left side of the boat ramp long enough for me to snap a few photos. Then it sounds another call, extends its large wings and glides slowly over the river, past the ducks and vanishes further upriver. 

First Rain of Fall

Wednesday, October 3, 2018      730 am 64 degrees

clouds, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, mornings, rain, outdoors, nature, beauty, peace, Fair Oaks Bluff
Standing on Fair Oaks Bridge at sunrise. Facing east in view of the Fair Oaks Bluff on left side of photo.

            So many birds flying around Fair Oaks Bridge this morning! Far more than any other morning. Birds fly quickly from one part of the bridge truss frame to another – twittering and flapping wings. “Ti Too. Ti Too. Ti Too!” I am close enough to see the birds open their wings and see a white circle underneath each one. Dozens of pigeons fly over and leave as quickly as they come.

             Densely cloudy sky as if a heavy cotton blanket hangs on an invisible clothesline in the sky. Along the lower edge, a thick golden streak of light shines at the tree line. On the west side of the bridge, clouds reflect their deep pink and white shapes in the river below. Only two boats out today. One motored around the bend. Six ducks swim out from the riverbank. Birds continue to sound their calls reminding me of a distant siren

Fair Oaks Bridge, sunrise, mornings, American River, beauty, peace, clouds, rain, first rain, fall
Clouds reflect in the American River west of the bridge, looking toward the Sunrise Blvd. crossing a few hundred yards away.

       The air is still, and feels heavy, sticky and warm. The scent of damp ash carries through the air – the smell after a fire is put out with water.

      In the late afternoon, these clouds released our first rain of the season – a heavy and unexpected downpour.