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Brooks Wade

Seagull in flight with wings spread against a blurred background.

Stranger things.

We were on the lake looking for loons, and eagles, and Bonaparte’s gulls, for two days! It just doesn’t get any better than a couple of days on Jocassee with Master Naturalists. Turning the corner into Laurel Fork Creek, necks stretched to see some loons, someone yelled “otters!” There were two on the shore, at times battling for the remains of a large fish, at times sharing. Across the water on the far shore, someone else noticed a battle going on between four Pied-billed grebes, deciding whose territory this was, anyway. A kingfisher continued to sweep over, declaring to all it was his, after all. He won that argument. The day before, covering the same water, we saw an eagle swimming with a fish in tow, heading to shore. He dropped the fish when we got too close. We spotted him a while later drying his wings on a branch overhead. And one last thing. We saw a Boney giving chase to a Great blue heron, from inches above, harassing him until they both flew out of view. Did I mention we were out watching loons? Jocassee is a wild place this time of year. ~B

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