Monday April 7, 2014 Jenner CA.
I was determined to find that rat nest
I decided that rat nest must be somewhere along the rivers edge and I was going to find it or else today.
It was going on low tide as I put my boat in the water today with light wind and some sun shine too.
I was going to go all the way up to the highway one bridge checking for the rat nest carefully. I crossed over the river to the south side and leisurely worked my way up the river trying to concentrate on looking for that rat nest that disappeared. I was distracted several times and had to go back and retrace a bit.
A weird nose
I heard that weird noise again just as I passed by eagle’s landing. It’s sorta a cry type sound. I heard it yesterday above Monte Rio too along with an otter grunting. Today, as I passed by some trees along the shoreline, I heard the noise, but not the otter noises this time that I’d heard with it before.
I checked what a Musk Rat sounded like on the internet the other day and it’s at least similar. Today’s sound may have been a warning call?
I’m thinking the crying type sound I’ve heard before may be an otter hassling a musk rat, the musk rat making the crying type sound. I can see movement back under the over hanging trees, but I can’t make out what it is and it stays in the cover of the trees. Just a little riddle to be solved, maybe?
I did finally run into an otter further up the river. It saw me and headed for cover.
Distracted by the deer
Up past buzzard rock I ran into these two deer feeding along the shore line. I was still looking for that lost rat nest. At the time, I didn’t’ realize these two deer distracted me from finding it. At least one of them is a small buck, and maybe both of them. Their horns are just starting to grow.
I paddled almost up to the highway one bridge without seeing that rat nest, but I wasn’t giving up yet.
This is my view just below the highway one bridge, looking back down the river. I know that darn rat nest must be somewhere back along that shore line on the left.
I found that darn rat nest
After a good break I turned and headed back down the river, looking hard for that rat nest.
Right about where those two deer distracted me, I finally had success.
There’s the rat nest, back behind the green grass, right where it’s been all along.
So, now that I’ve found it again I’m still not sure what it is, but it is some kind of rat nest, that I’m fairly sure of. I still sorta suspect a muskrat has moved into the area. I’ll just keep my eyes open and maybe time will tell me? And maybe not, as most rats are out more at night, but I have occasionally seen a musk rat up river out in the day time, but not often and not for a long time.
Wild turkeys
I saw some some black dots across the river on the shoreline over by Paddy’s rock so I crossed over to check it out. Turned out to be the wild turkeys.
This is what I saw as I approached. Wild turkeys with some cattle in the back ground munching away.
I watched them for awhile. They seemed to be feeding along the shore line.
I checked out the cormorants that were on the gravel by Paddy’s rock. About the same number there has been since the river water has gone muddy from the recent rains. A few ducks there too.
And yes, that goose is still up on top of Paddy’s rock.
From there I headed on down the back channel of Penny Island and headed for the river’s mouth area.
The river’s mouth is wide open and deep.
An eagle flew in
I was sitting down there taking it easy when I saw a bald headed eagle land in a big tree over by the restaurant, so I paddled on over to see what I could do with my camera.
From there I paddled across to Penny Island where this goose was feeding on some grasses in the water.
I worked my way over to the take out ramp and went on home around three PM.
And finished the day with some yard work
I had intentions of getting some yard work done today, so I jumped right into it.
I moved some more leaves, or mulch to the blueberry patch, about four loads
Some of the leaves I moved with the wheel barrel.
Then I felt real energetic and started digging a ditch to put some water lines in for water to the yard. That’s only the start, I have about a hundred and twenty feet or so of ditch to dig, but no rush. It’s fairly easy digging, but there are a lot of tree roots that get in the way and have to be cut.
I worked on that until I was about warn out and decided I better quit before things hurt too much. Of course I should of quit way before that. :O)
I saw a lot of things today and got some work done too. Cool.