Paddling the Shallows

After exploring the Stewarts Landing channel adjacent to our camp and connected lakes for the 5th time, a friend once said, "You know, I really enjoy paddling here, but it begins to become monotonous."

Even with admitted bias, I disagree.  Every voyage is one of discovery.  No two treks are quite the same.  And it's not just that the waterscape changes with the seasons as the cycle of plant life changes, and different migratory birds appear.  It's much more that with eyes open, one notices something new, every time.

This is particularly apparent in the shallows, where only human powered craft may go.

Swamp flowers are quite beautiful,
but easily overlooked.

Who is watching whom?

The fleet of female hooded mergansers don't care if it rains.
They are ducks, after all.
For humans, paddling under a poncho is quite peaceful.

Having no poncho, the loon shakes off the rain.
Unlikely.
Shaking off water seems unnecessary for one constantly diving.
Much more likely that he or she is just stretching.

On an unusually sunny day,
the loon's band of teal is evident,
along with streams of droplets
from the most recent dive.

The geese are forever leaving their calling cards.

Here is one calling-card-leaver
checking out the passing common merganser.
"What are you doing on Goose Turf?"

Striped shoots escape submergence.

The shallows provide one of the better
rock and mountain perspectives.

The distinctive male Red-winged Blackbird poses amidst the leatherleaf blossoms.
"Females, on the other hand, are drab, mutely colored creatures"
according to a Smithsonian.com article.

An unfair characterization, don't you think?

Eggs on a rock just under the surface.
There was no label attributing them to a particular critter,
but they could be nascent frogs.

No one would be so crude as to not put their detritus in the proper receptacle.
However, sometimes it blows off the deck accidentally.
Those visiting the shallows have ample opportunity to remove it for disposal,
or to add to one's personal collection.

Thus ensuring that the cattails
will be observed without inorganic distraction.