It has been a long day here at my cave today. It has been sunny with some clouds. I did not go to my "ole timers narcotic re-union" today. I did not want to make the trip to Fredricksburg for one day and a same-day return home trip. I did not feel well enough and knew that I would be worn out for the next week. 

I want to spend any energy I have photographing wildlife and today I do not even feel like doing that. I have been down in a funk for over a week and having a hard time crawling out of the funky hole. When I get out in "Mother's World" and new locations with new wildlife finds I do better. 

The migration is in or getting close to the full-time movement, bringing

new critters into the waterways here every day. I should be getting out early and staying late each day, finding a good place to place my ground blind (hide in other countries) with my lunch and other supplies that make it more comfortable for a long stay. 

It is difficult to place the blind the way it should be done here. It should be out a couple of days with no activity in or around it and enter before daylight. However, in this area, you take the chance of someone vandalizing or taking it home with them.

Years ago I was on a private group lease and set up a net blind to photograph Wood Ducks. When I returned to the location all that was there was, the location. Not much money lost on the net but lots of loss of trust and brotherhood at a partnership deer camp.

When the frost falls photographing will become easier without the leaves hiding the wildlife. I have a place we located in the Mena, Arkansas area that is best accessed in the jeep or 4x4 that the colors are so bright and the view is for miles.

October 15,2020

At my cave with the clouds getting darker and the wind blowing. I am happy the wind had picked up to remove some of the leaves from the trees so the critters can be spotted easier 

Yesterday's trip to a location we do not visit often turned into a nightmare with no wildlife and a flat tire. The problem was: we had no knowledge of this vehicles accessories or where they were located. I have always been one that could handle this type of inconvenience. However, I did not have bad knees and many heart problems then. Another problem is that vehicles use to have tools you could work with as part of the vehicle's accessories that was part of the vehicle package." NO MORE", you now open a package of what appears to be a set "Tinker Toys" that have to be put together with no instructions. We were within a stone's throw of the Little River where this gravel trail ends. Just a short distance across the river is the small town of Fulton, Arkansas, it really is only a community that now hosts a large coal-fired electric plant. However, it would be as accessible as the moon from our location, and waiting for a passer-by might have been several days wait.

We managed to use rocks, sticks and arrange the tool assembly in our on configuration to change the flat in a record time of a couple hours. The lugs were put on with a power wrench and then the strong man at the plant used a cheater bar to finish them off. This allows them to laugh at the thought of us trying to loosen the lugs with the toys in the trunk.

This will not happen again! I hope. We will be in the well-supplied jeep, equipped with tools, water, chairs, first-aid, cooking articles, and a real jack and lug wrench all ready assembled.

"Gota flat? Nope just rotate my tires every 2000 miles and that mileage showed up right here--FOOL!! Memories, nightmares of chasing wildlife.

Confined too Long

Being confined and stay in place is old now after over a month. This is one of my favorite times to be wandering through Mother Natures' new gardens photographing all the new critters. There were many geese nesting in one of my favorite sloughs, by now these new ones should be swimming all over the place and because of the cov-19 epidemic I missed photographing this event.and all the other new critters.
When this "stay in place" order is over I plan to be in the wilds more often with my camera and stay longer each day. ( I have a flashlight)

Hot and Hotter in Texas

The temps for today was 100 degrees, but the hummers and butterfly's are feeding heavy on my wildflowers as they start their journey South. The population grows each day even with the hot weather and no rain.             

                                                 

Blue Jays and the Rain

Today storm clouds have hung around all day, but only a little rain has fallen. I went to the patio since I could not ramble the woods. The Cardinals, and Jays were busy in the rain. The others were hold up in the leaves out of the rain

                                                                                             

Springtime and Turkey

Went north today and found new critters to photograph. This turkey was difficult to stay focused in the brush and weeds. Happy to get this op.

Springtime

Today is a cloudy spring day here at the cave. I would like to go north but I first have to take care of the yard and sweet-gum balls. Life should be enjoyed each day with what one wants and enjoys.

Wild Hogs in the Wetland

 

Today on February, 19, 2018 it was 74 degrees with a light wind from the south. After our coffee we decided to go to Pond Creek and check out the wildlife there. We had possible rain showers and heave cloud cover. 

  When we arrived it appeared there was not going to be any photographs made of wildlife. We searched for any sign of life and finally we found a bunch of wild hogs roaming the woods. We watched them and photographed them rooting the ground. This went on for some time before they realized we were there. We found five bunches before the day was over.

   The Cormorants were working the shallow ponds and the Blue Herons were busy also, Photographing any wildlife we found was the plan. We searched for any owls and found none , but did have two calling back and forth near a creek bottom near Red Lake.

Today was a great day out with the critters, I finally got photos of the Bald Eagles at T A 2 working on the nest and flying with their building materials (limb) .

Nature Happenings with Dennis Waters: Sunshine and Hawks

Nature Happenings with Dennis Waters: Sunshine and Hawks: It was 15 degrees on this morning in the Red River Bottoms with bright sunshine. The hawks were hunting close to the ground in the fields fo...

Sunshine and Hawks

It was 15 degrees on this morning in the Red River Bottoms with bright sunshine. The hawks were hunting close to the ground in the fields for field mice and etc.

            

Nature Happenings with Dennis Waters: "Winter Time and the Living is Easy"

Nature Happenings with Dennis Waters: "Winter Time and the Living is Easy":   Today was a stay home day. Any and all weather conditions are always rite for photographing some  kind of wild critter, however, there  ar...

"Winter Time and the Living is Easy"

  Today was a stay home day. Any and all weather conditions are always rite for photographing some  kind of wild critter, however, there  are days when just looking out the window at the rain and sitting beside a warm fire is best. I have worked on my photographs and read today with the curtains open wide to watch the rain..My bird feeder outside the window has been busy this morning. We had predictions for snow during Christmas but it has been removed and just rain remaining.

  The weather finally matched the season, it has been like spring for the past few days. We have had many geese frequenting the pond behind our cave. Yesterday there were two groups circling over the cave and finally they joined together and landed on the lake.

   I wish Christmas day could be spent with family in a cabin in the mountains with snow falling and a big fireplace roaring. I get tired of the same activities each holiday, they are always spent inside . It would be nice to celebrate in the Rocky Mountains or Smokey Mountains with plenty of family and friends on hand having a good time and watching the snow pile up. The aroma of dressing and deserts floating around in the cabin with kids and new toys playing on the floor and NO ELECTRONIC GADGETS beeping and farting. 

   The birds outside the cave window are forging on seeds and insects in the grass. They are so accurate with determining any changes in the weather and their actions always predict the changes coming. I feel that winter has arrived and we can expect some serious winter weather, maybe even a some snow.
   I guess the authors of the Christmas songs and tunes like: Winter Wonderland, Frosty the Snowman and Jingle Bells had the same thoughts and mine are not unique.

Hanging with the Rain

 A perfect day for hanging here in my cave reading and editing photographs. There is no rain falling at this time, but looks like it can anytime now. I went to the T A 2 eagle nest yesterday and photographed some of the activities at the nest re-construction for the upcoming nesting season. The eagles (pair) or staying close to the nest area. They leave for short periods of time and return to the area sometimes on the nest or on a nearby limb. It seems as though one works on the nest while the other watches. I know they are bringing in limbs and other items but I have not been there when they do. I want a photograph of one of them with a big stick flying into the nest.
  While we were watching the nest yesterday we had visitors, three beaver showed up and played in the river bed. The mallard ducks were busy on the water. On the way to the nest we traveled down Sparks Lane to see if any critters were at the slough. The nutrias were sunning on their pads and some hawks were observed and of course there was the great egrets fishing.
  The weather was like a warm spring day. It seems so strange that we are near Christmas and still have had no winter weather. I hope it turns cold before Christmas Day and maybe even snow here in East Texas. The leaves are falling like snowflakes and the ground is covered with all different colors, Jane loves to watch the leaves falling.
  I would like to spend the holidays in the Arkansas mountains with snow falling and a big fire in a fireplace and quietness  all around. I would like to photograph the different critters in the snowfall and watch the Cossatot River roll over the river rocks with snow capping the round river rocks.
  Well the mist has arrived, no rain just heavy mist and darker sky. There is some kind of change in the weather coming, there are few bird outside my cave window. I am going to put out fresh food for them.

"Hawks of the Bottoms"

Here in East Texas we refer to the river bottoms as "The Bottoms" the one most referred to for me is the "Red River Bottoms. The Red River Bottoms separates Arkansas,Texas and Oklahoma. It has an array of wildlife for the wildlife lover and photographers. One of my favorite are the "Bird's of Prey" , the eagles,,kites and the many species of hawks. These birds are all so majestic and graceful.

Waiting on the Rain

  When I got up this morning and went out to get the newspaper I discovered it was raining. First time in a long while. It feels like autumn has arrived. I think the colors are starting to show up in the Arkansas Hills. I seem to have missed them the past few years for one reason or another. Today would be a great day to be photographing them with the cloud cover.

  I am ready for the leaves to fall so I can see and photograph the owls, hawks and eagles. Every season offers something different to photograph. 

Traveled to Northern Arkansas to view the colors of fall..Bright reds,gold,yellow and browns. We did not find much wildlife since we were on the roadways. We did have an escort by a nice size buck down the highway at one location.