A watchful Bald Eagle maintains alertness on their lofty nest while its mate tends to housekeeping duties. You can just see the second eagle’s white head below the tail of the bird in the foreground.

MAJESTIC BIRDS ON AN ENCHANTING DAY--

It was one of those delicious days that comes along only once in awhile.

Lynn and I started out yesterday with our version of a safari to the eagle nest along the South edge of the Clear Fork Reservoir. The temperature was climbing into the comfort zone under snappy blue sky, and the light breeze kissed the blossoming leaves that seemed to grow greener as we hiked the shoreline trail.

Then, high above and just ahead we could see two adult eagles fussing in their nest. Lynn savored her binocular view while I attached my camera to the telescope. A bit later one bird flew west—in search of lunch we guessed—while the other settled down to incubation chores.

After an hour or so of idyllic observation and shooting an occasional picture, we prepared to leave for lunch and I replaced the camera with the telescope’s eyepiece for a final peek, and to our amazement, the greater magnification brought the head of a chick roaring into view.

The wind fluffed its downy head and a miniature eagle’s beak could hardly contain a frisky tongue that seemed to be saying “...where’s lunch for me?”

We left, hoping the absent parent would return soon from a successful fishing trip.

Then, after our quick lunch at the local custard stand, Lynn and I saddled up the bicycles and decided to hit the somewhat hilly country roads south of Lexington.

My companion for the day was Lynn Rush, a long-time friend from the local bicycle club, who, by the way, did a winter-time bicycling jaunt of some 30 days riding the 1,100 miles from San Francisco to San Diego to Phoenix, AZ.

Along our biking way we met several friends, rode just over 18 miles and had a sizzling coast of 35 mph down an aptly named KINGs Corners Road hill.

We both also like to stop to smell the roses and were treated to watching a small squadron of geese frolic with a blue heron in a local river while a mink scurried from shore to shore like it was late for an appointment.

On another stream I was describing a Belted King Fisher that had flown into our view when it did exactly what I was describing and dove some 50 feet from its perch and splashed in the middle of the stream. Then, in its version of Phoenix Rising, it magically launched itself airborne from below the water’s surface.

A few hours passed quickly on a warm spring day. While my legs protested the hill climbs, the rest of me enjoyed the rural splendor of our beautiful county while we eased into those marvelous nooks and crannies where Mother Nature reveals her magic when humans simply spend a little effort and take a look.

Thanks Lynn.