Thursday May 22, 2014 Jenner CA.
These biologists where doing something in their boat as I put my boat in the water today at Jenner. I tried to strike up a conversation, but they seemed to be busy trying to get this boat ready. I did get out of them that this was a fish tracker boat that they were trying to get going to track fish in the estuary.
They plant little tags in some of the fish. The tag number can be picked up with the equipment on the boat, so they can see were the fish hang out in the estuary. They said fish for this project haven’t been tagged yet and they were just getting thing going.
The biologists tinkering with the equipment on their boat as I left the boat ramp this morning.
Which way to go
I crossed over the river to Penny Island and couldn’t decide which way to go today, up or down the river to the mouth. I started out to go down to the mouth, but turned around shortly after I started and headed up stream instead. Good thing I did.
Bald Eagle Lands and eats a big fish
I was just off the east end of Penny Island watching some ducks when this bald headed eagle landed near me and started eating on the big fish it had caught.
This is where the eagle landed right next to me, looking across toward the town of Jenner.
I was just sitting there in my boat as it ate on it’s prize.
It’s getting full in this picture and has slowed down on it’s eating.
It’s done eating in this picture and is wiping the fish parts off it’s bill on the redwood log, just before flying off and leaving what’s left of that fish.
This is what’s left of the fish it was eating. The little fin is gone which shows it is a hatchery fish. I’m not sure if it’s a steelhead or a salmon? Fisherman Friend Steve says he thinks it’s a Coho Salmon, an endangered species.
Headed for the river’s mouth area
From there, I finally decided to go down to the river’s mouth area.
I passed this mallard duck with her little ones on the way.
It was low tide as I approached the mouth, with a calm ocean.
Mud shores at low tide
I hung around the mouth area for a bit before going back up the river as I wanted to get some berries to eat. I looked for a place to land on Penny Island, but with the low tide, there was only mud to land on on the shoreline at this water level, so I passed the island by and went over to see what’s left of the fish. I was gone about an hour.
What’s left of the big fish
Some turkey vultures flew off as I approached the redwood log the eagle had left the fish on.
The reddish thing tangled in the moss is the fish backbone and is all that is left of the big fish.
On to those berries
I decided to put my boat ashore at the Swamp Rock trail to look for some berries.
This is the spot I put ashore to look for berries.
I walked around in this area and looked for some berries to eat.
I was successful and ate my fill of berries.
After that, I put my boat back in the water and slowly started working my way back in for the day.
Biologists still working away
I passed the biologists still working on getting their equipment going. I think it was almost four PM now and I was tired out from being out all day. Well, since 10:30AM anyway.
I was headed in, but the biologists beat me to the ramp with their motors, so I waited for them to clear the ramp before putting in for the day.
I went on home and hit the couch for a bit before going out in the yard and enjoying the evening for the rest of the day.
Another nice day.