The mid-morning through early afternoon was brisk. The temperature was somewhere in the lower twenty degree mark. But, I wanted to get out and walk around some and look for Bald Eagles. I was heading to Crooked Creek Park.
I bundled up and set along the bank for about an hour and watching four immature eagles the entire time. Photo opportunities were not the best for the most part, but I certainly enjoyed watching a bird that was considered close to extinction during the time of my youth. What a remarkable comeback!.
Eventually, I packed up and drove to another place to explore. I could see in the upper area of the back up waters a large ground area. This area of exposed ground is normally not present. In recent times a small island with young trees had shown up, but what I was seeing far off was ground from the island area touching the shoreline. This needed investigated.
I walked the shoreline until I reached where a small tributary enters into the lake. I could see ice all about and began walking out into the newer ground area. I could hear the ice crunching and occasionally I would sink in an inch or so, but I kept moving along.
Not unexpecting the next scenario, I felt my right leg immediately sink into the depth of the mud slightly over my knee. My left leg due to my body shifting to the right didn’t sink, but bent and only went in a few inches. Somehow I managed to get myself from this potential issue safely. Afterwards, I went back to the shoreline and walked more until the ground mass seemed more firm. I began walking on it again, but more cautiously.
So, I thought of future boaters using the dam and finding my sun-bleached bones sticking up out of the ground surface. Of course, if normal water level occurred then even then I would not be found, however, I am only kidding about this.
I really wanted to get across to see the original creek flow of Crooked Creek. This area would have been underwater for many years and, in my weird way, I wanted to go there which I did. I had to be observant for various places were soft under the ice so I had to move around seeking such areas to avoid.
In this area, close to the eagle’s nest, I saw five eagles including mature birds.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 