DAMNIT

Horned Grebe (c) 2013 HVI

I knew a dog named that; once upon a time, seems appropriate right now. I was going to Elkins this morning at around 10:30 am. I've been staring at the waterfowl along the Fossil Park straight for a month and there hasn't been much happening. The birds were standing at the water-line as I was passing by. Goose, goose, goose, mallard, mallard...Mini goose, mini goose, mallard, pull over.. Try not to get run over..Not good, too much traffic. Pull out the binoculars, yep..Two Cackling Geese; about an inch taller than the mallards they are surrounded by..Too much traffic and I need to be somewhere else. No problem, they'll still be there in a couple of hours when I come back through..Nope, nothing there around noon..Figures.

Back to Elkins at around 3pm. I have to go somewhere and then have a half of an hour to kill. I ride out to the spillway..Nice; seven Horned Grebes and I can actually get photos of the nearest ones..Happy, now. Head to my next stop and then head home... Decide to check out the slow part of the Tygart River at the road to the Tygart Valley Regional Jail...What is that? I reach down for my better set of bad binoculars and realize that they are still laying on the bridge at the Elkins Spillway. Grab the other binoculars; which are best used for traction in case you may get hung up. Two Bonaparte's Gulls are floating down the middle of the river. Nice. I turn around and fly back to the spillway for the binoculars...Amazingly, they are still there. Head back to Norton; chasing the sun, in hope of getting photos of the gulls. I can't find them but there is another Horned Grebe there, constantly diving. No chance for photos in the dwindling light. Oh, well just another winter day..I hate winter.