Windy Run in Iowa..With Eagles and Hawks.

Out at the Kewash Trail

14 miles in pleasant weather

Very windy day today.   For this reason, Cheryl suggested we squeeze our long run in yesterday.  Today we traveled to Coralville and braved the usual 7 miles on the Clear Creek trail next to the Mall.

Today!   Colder...windier!

Find the Eagle.

  Nothing unusual to report, other than there were lots of Hawks and even an Eagle!   Eagles are not rare there, but are not usual.   Normally, they are way up high and impossible to capture with a camera.   But this one landed close enough for me to snap a pic of him.

Beautiful Canadian Geese making friends.

While taking his pic and trying to get closer,  the Hawks were not very happy with his presents.  It's a funny hierarchy of avian social status.   The Hawks hate the Eagles and bother them.  The Crows hate the Hawks and bother them.   The Canadian Geese hate everyone. Blue and White Herons are usually loners, but willing to tolerate most other birds.  Possibly for some ulterior reason.

This looks suspicious.

But the poor Eagle, with their stately appearance and powerful beaks and talons are harassed constantly by Gulls, Crows, and now Hawks.  About the only ones who seem to show them mutual respect are the Turkey Vultures whenever they are rarely seen together.  ( Vultures head south for the winter,   Eagles arrive in mid fall.)

Better picture...with a Hawk "friend"

Highlighted.   Smart Phone only zooms so much. 

I was so thrilled to finally have an opportunity to take this Eagles pic because I was not in a car traveling down a narrow rural road.  On our way home,  there were about 5 Eagles out in the middle of a green field on what looked like a deer carcass.   If only I had a place to pull off, it would have made a better photo.   Ah well,  I have to take what I can get when the opportunity allows.

Needle Threader Issue.

Small Medal part catching the threader

Needle nose pliers to the rescue!

In other news,  We sewed up a single stocking today;  And I finally had enough time to fix the needle threader on my embroidery Machine.   After taking it apart several times,  I finally figured out that a piece of medal was catching on the spring.   It looks like the piece is a "just fit" and must have been dirty or damaged during our busy stocking season.   I quick bend with a needle nose pliers and everything is back to new!

Cheryl is currently working on Government stuff and requires my computer....because it is faster and hopefully untraceable by the IRS.  ( Just kidding....They already have cameras and listening devices in our apartment...I just KNOW IT!)   So I better log off and figure out the red tape that is our government "easy" form.   Thanks for checking in and enjoy the windy Iowa weather.