NOAA forecasted 4-7 inches of snow for the evening Thurs- we only got about 2 inches, but the small hwys and roads that communities in the area rely on were a mess! We Visited
Lake of the Ozarks State Park
for a few hours over thursdays' lunch break. It was snowing and the park was empty. The lake was also empty and the surface was like glass- The few cedars in the parking lot held juncos, bluebirds and some sparrow-like birds. On the edge were cardinals, chickadees and an invisible one with a beautiful call!
A few large gulls flew above us.
for a few hours over thursdays' lunch break. It was snowing and the park was empty. The lake was also empty and the surface was like glass- The few cedars in the parking lot held juncos, bluebirds and some sparrow-like birds. On the edge were cardinals, chickadees and an invisible one with a beautiful call!
A few large gulls flew above us.
HaHaTonka SP-The roads were clear and it was warm outside after the conference. Some sections of the park were closed from yesderdays storm, but we made our way in on foot from the Oak Savannah trail. My mother and I were the first ones to visit the glade since the snow had fallen- a real treat!
It was about noon when we started the trail- took us ~ 2 hours. We visited the nature centre and I spent some time watching their bird feeders. A mess of chickadees and juncos, a few titmice and a couple of small woodpeckers. Near the Water tower we spotted some common hawks and a couple of Pileated woodpeckers. 
After our hike we again took off towardBennet Springs SP,
where we got a room at the Sand_something hotel and Spent the afternoon at the Conservation Area on the Niangua river- only a block away. I fly-fished for an hour or so and caught 3 trout and about a dozen minnow things. Bleeding Shiner and Gravel Shiner were the most common. I watched Sculpins and darters feeding on the debris that I stirred up by walking in the current. The fish bit on a size 16? grey or tan scud and several trout rose for the small orange indicator!
Another Pileated flew above me- they seem LARGER every time I spot one! An adult Bald Eagle perched on a naked Sycamore on the other side of the river. Great Blue Herons spotted the blue sky and the orange sunset on their way to roost. 
Saturday morning we rose early. A couple of starlings perched on a branch created an assortment of songs and tunes before the moon had a chance to hit the horizon. My mother and I first visited Bennet Springs where we found Canada Geese and Herons on the Niangua, and all sorts of little birds in the bush. Mist smothered the five feet of anything above the water's surface and tapered off intil it was made unnoticable by a light, cold breeze. In the fog I found a small group of sparrows bouncing 
on the gravel bar and in the short shrub on shore. They were a bit larger and had a different shape than ours. I did not see the details on them, but took a blurred photo of one before I approached them in hopes of getting a sharper picture. They did not fly or even run, but fled by means of small groups of bounces or hops. Each bird jumped two or three times away before looking back at me and bouncing off again. I proceeded down the bank- driving a dozen or more sparrows to bounce to safety. WHITE-FRONTED SPARROWS?
I fished at the spring for a few hours while my mother took a hike in the park. I tied on a tiny copper caddis emerger thing and hooked several fish, though I only landed two. I switched to a scud and had more luck- I had the most strikes and caught the most fish of anybody around me. One man caught a large sunfish- the first I'd even seen from the park. A young girl hooked and landed a large Brown trout with some kind of green jig.
I sat on a disabled dock late in the morning. After a minute or so of watching the fish and letting my nymph drift in the slow current a large, round creature swam from the deeper side of the river. When it came quickly to only a few feet from my resting spot I identified it as a Muskrat- it held a long string of hornwort that streamed in the water over his back. A few minutes passed and another came with more plant and hid in a small cave in the cement dock. They looked like giant underwater rats and were cool to watch- I never saw them again.
Another Pileated flew above me- they seem LARGER every time I spot one! An adult Bald Eagle perched on a naked Sycamore on the other side of the river. Great Blue Herons spotted the blue sky and the orange sunset on their way to roost. Saturday morning we rose early. A couple of starlings perched on a branch created an assortment of songs and tunes before the moon had a chance to hit the horizon. My mother and I first visited Bennet Springs where we found Canada Geese and Herons on the Niangua, and all sorts of little birds in the bush. Mist smothered the five feet of anything above the water's surface and tapered off intil it was made unnoticable by a light, cold breeze. In the fog I found a small group of sparrows bouncing 
on the gravel bar and in the short shrub on shore. They were a bit larger and had a different shape than ours. I did not see the details on them, but took a blurred photo of one before I approached them in hopes of getting a sharper picture. They did not fly or even run, but fled by means of small groups of bounces or hops. Each bird jumped two or three times away before looking back at me and bouncing off again. I proceeded down the bank- driving a dozen or more sparrows to bounce to safety. WHITE-FRONTED SPARROWS? I fished at the spring for a few hours while my mother took a hike in the park. I tied on a tiny copper caddis emerger thing and hooked several fish, though I only landed two. I switched to a scud and had more luck- I had the most strikes and caught the most fish of anybody around me. One man caught a large sunfish- the first I'd even seen from the park. A young girl hooked and landed a large Brown trout with some kind of green jig.I sat on a disabled dock late in the morning. After a minute or so of watching the fish and letting my nymph drift in the slow current a large, round creature swam from the deeper side of the river. When it came quickly to only a few feet from my resting spot I identified it as a Muskrat- it held a long string of hornwort that streamed in the water over his back. A few minutes passed and another came with more plant and hid in a small cave in the cement dock. They looked like giant underwater rats and were cool to watch- I never saw them again.
When we returned to the Niangua access there was a man carrying his limit to his car. He had a small rod and a bait bucket- maybe he used minnows? I took a few casts with a tan scud and started collecting the minnows I caught in a light ripple in a five gallon bucket. I collected three Bleeding Minnows for my fish tank and then released 5 or 6 more before I waded into the river. My indicator disappeared as it drifted over a deep part in the main rapid. I got the trout in, killed it and packed it in snow in a plastic shoebox. I moved to the second large rapid and tossed my fly in about half way through the rapid and let it drift. The air was warm and the sun roasted 
my bare skin. A swarm of gnats flew over the shore, a fly on my arm and a stonefly floated on the surface of the water in front of me. A large fish rose for the indicator. I got excited and tried to duplicate the drift. My indicator submerged in the same spot and I yanked back. Resistence and then notheing. I tied in another scud- hoping this one wouldnt go to the monster. The first cast and he stole the second fly. It was about 2pm and I knew my mother was anxious to get home. I put the rod up and flipped a few rocks with a minnow net. In the net I found many scuds and some bright green caddis larvae. Another scoop in slower water revealed a small dark sculpin, a MONSTER crawdaddy and a few small mayflies. I took a second to release the lobster and get the sculpin into my bucket. The rest of the samples collected a large niangua darter- a protected species- many tan/black/red "Golden" crayfish, some small stonefly larvae and a giant black one and a few helgramites. When I returned home and opened the fish, I found only glitter(from bait), fishing line, some carwfish parts, a few darters and the remains ofa lrge stonefly larvae. It seems that their diets consist of maily the discharge of the State Park. Ive added the shinners and sculpin to my tank- the warmer water has evoked some incredible colours from them!
I found many incredible photo opportunities on this trip, but was only able to capture one or two to my satisfaction. I believe that being able to catch a moment is what makes a photographer a good one. Many people know how to work a camera and even more come upon amazing visuals everyday, but it is the photographer who can capture a visual with a camera. I cannot yet do that as well as I'd like- I am greatly limited by the lack of knowlege I have of my camera- I now compensate with the writings I have of my trips. I think that the best change I have now if to give myself as many opportunities to take a good photo as possible by being out there as often as possible. You never know what you'll find when you go on a hike- a curious critter, blooming flower or weather phenomenon can give you a photograph that you'd never expect! In nature, things change constantly- If you put yourself in the right place at the right time- *poof* youve got a great opportunity! 
my bare skin. A swarm of gnats flew over the shore, a fly on my arm and a stonefly floated on the surface of the water in front of me. A large fish rose for the indicator. I got excited and tried to duplicate the drift. My indicator submerged in the same spot and I yanked back. Resistence and then notheing. I tied in another scud- hoping this one wouldnt go to the monster. The first cast and he stole the second fly. It was about 2pm and I knew my mother was anxious to get home. I put the rod up and flipped a few rocks with a minnow net. In the net I found many scuds and some bright green caddis larvae. Another scoop in slower water revealed a small dark sculpin, a MONSTER crawdaddy and a few small mayflies. I took a second to release the lobster and get the sculpin into my bucket. The rest of the samples collected a large niangua darter- a protected species- many tan/black/red "Golden" crayfish, some small stonefly larvae and a giant black one and a few helgramites. When I returned home and opened the fish, I found only glitter(from bait), fishing line, some carwfish parts, a few darters and the remains ofa lrge stonefly larvae. It seems that their diets consist of maily the discharge of the State Park. Ive added the shinners and sculpin to my tank- the warmer water has evoked some incredible colours from them! 
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White-THROATED sparrows!
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