The mighty Connecticut River
It has been quite some time since I have been out for an early morning outing - it was a treat to get in the car and head out. I decided to go to Honey Pot Road in Hadley this morning - I was looking for an easy walk to try and begin to get back into the rhythm of morning outings. It was a gorgeous March morning in New England - 28 degrees, perfectly clear and absolutely no wind. As I drove to Hadley the horizon was just starting to lighten with red, orange and yellow hues - it was setting up to be a beautiful sunrise.
As soon as I parked I walked the dirt road near where there are rows of young evergreen trees - I was hoping to see a short-eared owl - no luck. There have been recent sightings in the area but that was not to be for me this morning. I then made my way to the dike to walk the beautiful trail that leads to the Connecticut River. This is the time of year when thousands of Canadian geese gather to make their way back north. I was hoping to see and hear the throngs heading north…
This shot is looking north as soon as I arrived at the river… bird song was in the air - cardinals and song sparrows were signing their hearts out.
I walked a little further north and then sure enough… they started to arrive…
From behind my left shoulder the honking was SO loud that I had to spin around and look … just in time to see these coming from the south. At this point the honking was so loud it drowned out the constant hum of commuter traffic from routes 9 and 91 - now, that is saying something.
The sun is now high enough to light them up against the brilliant, clear, brisk blue sky -
Looking east to west…
Behind me I heard the beating of hundreds of wings on the water - I spun around to see this glorious sight.
A flash of black and white caught my eye… I was just able to get this shot off of these gorgeous Common Goldeneyes.
And then I heard….”Even!” …. “Now!”…… and a whooshing sound. Once again I spun around to look behind me and down the river to see this absolutely glorious sight! A young women’s crew team out practicing!! You just never know what is possible to see…I was instantly captivated…
I absolute loved that these young women were in shorts while out on the water on a brisk March morning.! They were all working so hard to try and get their rhythm and timing coordinated. How refreshing to see a group working together and as a team - as one.
Right after this shot I had to pick up my camera and tripod and move as quickly as I could to my right as bushes were going to block my view as they continued north…. And let me tell you they were moving a lot faster than anything I could do. I quickly found a break in the bushes and weeds in order to continue watching and photographing them.
It just filled my heart to see these young women working together as a team. I loved knowing they had each made a commitment to show up before sunrise and give it everything they had.
The last shot of the morning - A well deserved break.
Just as I thank our feathered friends and wildlife when they allow me a window into their morning routines and rituals I gave my thanks to these young women. I picked up my camera and tripod and shouted while I waved- “ Keep it up - you are doing great!”