Thursday, June 07, 2012

Today's boat ride and some incredible osprey photos


My daughter and dad, off Masonboro Island
The wind was blowing steadily out of the northeast today making the inlets and the offshore seas to rough to fish unless one has a much larger boat than my dad.  So we stick to the waterway and run up to Topsoil Island, coming back and stopping at Wrightsville Beach for some Trolley Stop hot dogs for lunch, then on to Masonboro Island for a swim before getting back home in time for my mother to be dropped off from adult daycare.   The trolley stop has been around since I was in high school.  Their dogs are no longer 50 cent each, but $2.75.  They’re still good.  This really was trolley once, but the trolley stopped running in 1940 as people started driving more and more.  It ran about ten miles, from downtown Wilmington, out Wrightsville Avenue and the across the causeway to the beach.  Where the hot dog stand is was the first beach stop.  The trolley continued south along the beach a ways, it’s last stop being at the Luminia, a dancehall/recreation pavilion that was torn down when I was in Junior High, to make way for condos.  We have such screwed up values!  A number of years ago, I wrote a poem about the Lumina and posted it here.

At Topsoil Inlet
 It’s always good for my dad to get out like this and he always acts younger when he is on the water.  The highlight of the trip was finding an osprey nesting on a waterway marker.  Obviously, the bird didn’t read (or didn’t care to heed) the Coast Guard warnings to stay away from such navigational aids.  When we turned around and slowly motored close to the marker, the bird began to squawk and then took to flight, showing his talons in a threatening manner.  At least I got some good shots and didn’t get my eyes gouged out.  I also spotted another osprey fly across the waterway, holding a ten or twelve inch flounder.  The bird struggled to remain airborne.  It was such a big fish for him, but a good thing a game warden didn’t see him as flounders have to be over 15 inches to be legal. 

This evening, and every Thursday evening, my dad takes my mom out to the Pirate’s Table, a local seafood restaurant, where they have dinner with some folks from their church.  They’ve been doing this for ten years now.  It’s not the best restaurant around, but they have decent seafood.  The best part is that the place knows my mom and her limitations and is more than willing to help out.  The same goes with those who gather to eat with them.  Tonight, my daughter and I will join them.

Below are some incredible osprey photos.  I have also posted photos of my last post on Montreat.
 
 

 

22 comments:

  1. really exciting shot at the end!


    Aloha from Waikiki,
    Comfort Spiral
    > < } } ( ° >

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  2. It's nice to touch those places you were at earlier in life. Great photos of the Osprey. Somebody recently told me of a spot fairly close by, where there is a couple of Osprey nests...I'm going to have to go check 'em out!

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  3. As always, love the images! Soon I HAVE to get back to the coast here. Lots more hiking lately, I must take pics to share.

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  4. How big are we talking here re. the bird. I have no real reference any notion what length is the edge of the triangle.

    Has the girl a phone to her ear ?.

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    1. I have not measured it, but my guess is that the sides of the triangle are approximately 2 feet or 24 inches.

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  5. very cool...that last shot is really amazing....we used to vacation there growing up...

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  6. It was a great day to be out and about---even if the winds were opposite of where they should have been.

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  7. Cool photos. My son is interested in UNC-Wilmington, and we have friends whose daughter attends. It looks like a nice place.

    Cheers.

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    1. I'm a "Seahawk" (my undergraduate degree is from UNCW)

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  8. Everyone needs a Cheers-like place to go to where everyone knows your name. Fellowship is just as important as good food at times.

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  9. Great bird photos for sure. Sounds like a great day.

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  10. What an interesting place to build a nest. Wonderful photos - you make me wish I was there!

    I'm glad you are having a lovely visit.

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  11. Love those sandy, duney, grassy Eastern beaches and wet lands. Would make a pleasant change for this desert rat. Thanks for the great pics.

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  12. Thanks for all your comments... I am at my parents and don't have all the time access to wifi, except via a phone or a trip to a coffee shop.

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  13. Oh what a beautiful spot and I love the osprey images. Enjoy your time with your parents, J.

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  14. You are making me want to plan a trip to the beach!!

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  15. The bird struggled to remain airborne.

    I guess his eyes were bigger than his wingspan.

    I saw a really distinct bird the other day. It had fairly wide and distinct black and white stripes on its body and a red head. Any idea what that was? (You really need to invent the iSage app.)

    Also, recently discovered I have/had relatives who lived in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Wondered if that was anywhere near you.

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    1. Bone, the bird sounds like a flicker or woodpecker. As for Ypsilanti, heaven help us (and you) if you are related to Murf... (I live closer to the West Coast (Michigan's West Coast)

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  16. Holy crap! Maybe Bone and I could be related. ;-) What a hilarious treat that would be and just in time for the revised Dallas television show returning tonight. :-)

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  17. Great photos, Sage. My brother and his family were also vacationing in NC at the same time. I know they visited the coast one day (definitely not as nice of a day the day you took these photos) and when to a Durham Bulls baseball game on another but I'm not sure where exactly they were staying.

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  18. Well, this is a fine way to start my morning. Finding out I missed Dallas last night.

    Also, I expect to be informed of all future family reunions :)

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