Bird Riding

A large flock of Pelicans searching 
for breakfast.  7/3/2021 dwm photo

   I make it a point to always carry a camera on my rides.  Sometimes its the Nikon, which sits in the bike bag behind my seat, other times I use my phone which usually rests in a back pocket of my bike jersey.

  Saturday morning I used the phone which is the only reason I was able to get a picture of the unusual flock I saw while riding through a natural area of the Capital City Bike Trail.

   It's common to see large V's in the sky during spring and fall.  This flock was different.  I knew it wasn't geese, but it took a second look to recognize these were American White Pelicans.

A few miles later, I saw a Sandhill Crane family.

The young Crane is on the right. 7/3/21 (dwm)

Minutes before I approached, I noticed a car stop for no apparent reason until I saw the 3 birds finish crossing the road.  

The young Sandy was followed closely by its parents with one seemingly no more than a wing away.  They weren't rattled by the car or bike traffic and paid little attention to me as I rode past after getting a couple photos.

I take it as a good sign the cranes feel comfortable and safe nesting in close proximity to Madison's water treatment plant.  As these facilities go, while there is an aroma it doesn't figuratively knock you off your bike at the first whiff.

A quartet on its way in after a workout on 
a calm Lake Monona.  7/3/21 (dwm)

   When I ride past Lake Monona on quiet days I look for racing shells.  

   It's an impressive sight to see a team row in unison as they skim across the water's surface causing nary a ripple while moving at a good clip.

   It was a good ride covering 30 miles in two hours cruising east on the Military Ridge and Capital City trails before returning west and south on the Southwest Commuter and Badger trails then hopped on the Military Ridge path for the last five miles.

All but four miles were on bike trails which makes it literally a nice morning ride in the park.