Monday, December 1, 2008

Hovey Lake and gulls....

Our day driving out to Hovey Lake to search for hawks also included a stop to look at the lake and walk the path that goes between the lake and a marsh area. Here are a few shots and I may save a few othes for Water Wednesday and Skywatch Friday :-)
I just found additional information that this area is another Indian site
http://www.indiana.edu/~archaeo/hovey/ Hovey Lake view as we walk down to a boat ramp. It is a very large lake close to the Ohio River southwest of Mt. Vernon almost to the Wabash River.
It is different from any other lake we visit with its trees standing in the water. I can't imagine what it is like when the Ohio is up in the spring!
Way off in the distance I could see a band of white. I couldn't tell what it was until I zoomed in some.

A very large flock of gulls! I don't know what gull is most prevalent around here, but these have grey backs, black wing ends with white at the tips. Even though I was quite far away, they all decided it was closer than they prefered and took to the air in groups to move even further away!
Wings up and ready to fly. I would love to have had closer shots of them.
In the air.

Relocation at the other end of the lake.

There is one spot that you can drive or walk between the lake and a marsh. We hiked most of the way along it and I would love to go on the marsh with a boat sometime.
All along the side of the path, with a small wooded area hiding the lake, there were trees with the bark rubbed off at the same height. Deer?

I enjoyed the reflections and light on the marsh and took a lot of shots :-) There were no birds about except one Great Blue Heron who immediately took off and a few ducks on the lake in the distance. I saw a couple songbirds in the trees, but not close enough to identify. A large flock of blackbirds landed in the trees of the marsh before we left.


More reflections.
A couple more shots as we headed back to the car. It was not that late in the day, but clouds were moving in to block the sun.

The shots are a lot alike, but I was drawn to the light and reflections like a moth.

25 comments:

me ann my camera said...

Your gull shots are intriguing, especially those in the air with the trees as a background. Don't you just want to get closer!I don't know gulls very well but took some pictures of some this weekend also. I must go download them to see if I have anything interesting.

It looks like you have found another interesting place to go birding. It would be lovely during the summer months.

Have a great day!

Kerri Farley said...

Oh those reflection shots are FAbulous! LOVE them!

Becky said...

Oh those reflections are awesome Mary. Just beautiful!
The gull shots are wonderful, and you are right about the buck rub. He was marking his territory.
This looks like a place I'd love to walk. What interesting skies. I think you need more snow though...

Eve said...

The reflection shots ARE beautiful Mary! I love that tree with the duck house on it. Do you know what kind of tree that is? It's really interesting how it gets fat at the bottom.
Thanks!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Mary: You had some wonderful captures of the lake and the reflections were wonderful. The little tree definetly had deer scrapes where they are cleaning the skin of their antlers. There is a big buck running in the area.
BTW: I had a buck come into my yard yesterday which was following a doe and two fawns.

John Theberge said...

Great shots, seems like a very nice place for a walk.

Mary said...

Ann: We were out looking for hawks and ducks and geese, so gulls never even occured to me! It was interesting and I sure do wish I could have gotten closer.

Kerri: Thank you! It was a beautiful day for photos.

Becky: The bark rubs were on every little tree....some so small I would have thought he would knock over the tree! No...keep the snow :-)

Eve:Good eye! I didn't know that was a duck house. The tree is a cypress. I found a web site about Hovey and apparently there were Indian villages in the area just like Angel Mounds.

Fishing Guy: You had some great deer photos this week! I'm always watching for them at our house, but they don't come out very often except after dark to eat the apples...which are gone now.

John: it is a nice area and you would have fun there with your kayak!

Rose said...

Wonderful pictures Mary, those last ones are really great. It looks like another place I would like to visit. I told my brother that I don't think I will live long enough to visit all the places I want to in Indiana.

Don Wood said...

all the photos are wonderfull I am so jealous ( no I am not jealous) envious. and pleased for you God bless you and your blog

Rottlady of the Ozarks said...

All of your shots are great but I particularly like the refection shots. It looks like a wonderful place to be.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

What a great spot for birding!! Those water reflection shots are stunning Mary. I was away the whole day yesterday, so am now trying to catch up. LOL!!

Shelley said...

Hovey Lake looks like a great place for a walk and birding - I loved the water shots!

Roses and Lilacs said...

You got some great photos! It is a lovely place.
Marnie

2sweetnsaxy said...

Wonderful series! It looks like the kind of place I'd love to trek through. My favorite are the last ones with the sky and the reflections in the water. Beautiful!
:-)

Seth and Michelle said...

What an awesome series of photos! Thank you so much for sharing!

Mary said...

Rose: I know what you mean! I've never been to any of northern Indiana! I was raised in Indianapolis, but that is about as far north as I've been except to briefly pass through a couple spots.

Don: What a nice comment! Thank you!

Rottlady: It's a pretty spot, but sort of isolated.

Joan: It was a good sky day! Catching up is hard...I'm always behind.

Shellmo: It is a nice place, but without a boat it is hard to get the photos I would like to have.

Marnie: Thanks!

2sweetnsaxy:You'll probably get a couple more of those for Water Wednesday this week :-)

Portland Backyard:thanks for stopping by!

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

What a beautiful place that must be.The reflections are spectacular.

Cicero Sings said...

Some very nice pictures you have here today! Lovely shots.

Mike said...

Beautiful images Mary looks like my kind of place.

Anonymous said...

Lovely images Mary.
The Reflections especially are brilliant.

Mary said...

Ruth, Cicero, Mike and Roy: Thank you! It was a nice place, on a nice day....we had a good hike as well as photos.

Anonymous said...

Great photo essay - a lovely place to spend the day.

DeniseinVA said...

A wonderful series Mary and gorgeous photographs.

Guy D said...

Those are outstanding shots, thanks so much for posting that.

Cheers!
Regina In Pictures

Sara Chapman said...

Beautiful reflections and water shots. Nice! And thanks for visiting my blog, too.