Sunday August 2, 2015 Jenner CA.
Diving terns
As I put my boat in the water today at Jenner, I could see lots of terns diving on fish just in front of the visitor center. Looking around, I could see there were lots of terns diving on fish all around the lower estuary.
I watched the terns diving for awhile and shot some pictures, but none of the pictures came out very good.
I crossed over to Penny Island and went into this little channel at the upper end of the island were I sat for awhile watching the terns diving across the river.
Eventually, I continued on up the river going past this old redwood log, working my way up the side.
Resting terns
I could see a bunch of the terns resting on the gravel by Paddy’s rock, so I went over to check them out.
Here’s one of the terns, screeching. They do a lot of loud screeching. I think they communicate this way.
I as watching this one doing something with the little stick. Not sure what, maybe just playing.
I noticed this one trying to pull a little stick out of the ground. It finally gave up on it.
Just off shore from those birds on the gravel some terns were diving for fish. Here is one of the terns just after completing a dive and just ready to jump back into the air.
Paddy’s rock
I paddled on by the terns and by these merganser ducks resting by Paddy’s rock.
I was headed over to the Muskrat area. I noticed this great blue heron sitting on Buzzard rock, where the young turkey vulture usually sits.
I sat here in my boat at Muskrat Nest beach for quite a spell before turning back down the river.
More than thousands of fish
I was paddling along here when I noticed I was being surrounded by millions of tiny fish of some kind, about two inches long. The estuary seems to be full of these little fish and I think they are what the terns and other birds seem to be eating right now. Ken, in comments from yesterday says he saw lots of these fish coming into the estuary yesterday at high tide, which was the same time I saw these fish today.
I tried to get some pictures of the fish as they swam around me, but being under water and moving fast, this was the best I could do.
I paddled on continuing on down the river along the edge and stopped at this spot where I was watching an egret fish in the logs.
Here’s the egret fishing in the logs.
From here, I paddled on back to the boat ramp where the terns were still diving and putting on a good show for the people there.
I went on home where it was nap time. After my nap I went outside and puttered around in the yard until dark, not really doing much of anything.
That’s my day for another good one.