(NOTE: As with most posts in this hiking blog, the images are selected at random from themed image folders containing multiple pics; therefore, when you reload the page [by clicking your Refresh button], you will see different images of the same subjects. Give it a try!)

Steve Dieringer and I met at around 7pm and parked on the church property, as I always do on dusk hikes as well as anytime I suspect the lot will be full. (It’s very nice to take leisurely hikes as dusk settles on the lake without having to worry about getting back to my car before the gates close.)

As I type, CNN is on, and the big story by far is the highly questionable election results in Iran. Good grief. It will be interesting to see how things progress, although I have a feeling there will be no official recount or anything resembling fairness. It sure would be interesting to see some REAL exit poll numbers.

We started walking just after 7pm (I was late – sorry, Steve!) and immediately I was again overwhelmed with gratitude that Nashville has such a fantastic nature preserve so close to the city and in close proximity from where I now live. Not many cities of Nashville’s size are lucky enough to have a resource like Radnor Lake.

I can see I am not the only one with such gratitude. Last year’s post about capturing a large Gray Rat Snake has seen recent comments by another big snake fan, a fellow who has seen more rat snakes on a single hike than I have seen all year so far! (I hope that changes soon, although my hiking buddy Steve does not want to see any snakes; hell, I can barely talk him into capturing me on video as I capture the snake.)

I forgot my camera so we did not take the usual shots at the bridge. We headed straight for what’s now the main attraction at Radnor Lake – the Bald Eagle which has returned. Last summer, I believe it was three (3) Bald Eagles that took up temporary residence at Radnor Lake for about six (6) weeks. I’m confident the eagle now hanging out at Radnor is one of the same; its home base is in the exact same area as the eagles from last summer. It’s perfect, since last year we decided to designate one of the coves as “Eagle Cove,” which is the cove hikers enjoy seeing from the only platform on the Lake Trail (north) side of Radnor Lake, not too far in from the spillway and bridge. If you’re on the platform, the bald eagle hangs out on the peninsula directly across the cove – Eagle Cove.

Both out of shape, we got our strenuous exercise in by hiking up to Ganier Ridge and pausing for a few moments on the double bench at the top of the steep climb. It felt great to be enjoying the scenery so much as those wonderful endorphins and serotonin gradually kicked in to give me that runner’s high, just about the best natural high one can obtain!

We doubled back from the bench atop Ganier, and once we got close to the lake, we could hear the cries of the eagle. From our vantage point, it seemed the eagle was flying or had flown from the spot on “Eagle Peninsula” where it was on our hike in. I imagined the eagle to be fishing, successfully I might add, though we did not get to see it.

Both of us plan to return to the trails in on Monday morning (tomorrow), to see what the eagle is up to in the morning hours.

If anyone reading this is familiar with Bald Eagle habitry, then I would sure like to gain some of that knowledge. For instance, it is typical eagle behavior to migrate or change locations during the summer months — and if so, for what purpose(s)? What are the chances the Bald Eagle will soon make Radnor Lake its year-round home? If not, why not? I will Google this info soon and post some good eagle facts on here, since it is now very relevant for us nature-loving Radnor Lake hikers.

When we passed by the Eagle Cove platform and looked on Eagle Peninsula, we did not see the eagle there. We paused on the benches for a few minutes and meditated some – at least I assume my hiking buddy was probably engrossed in spiritual reflection as was I. It has been too long since my last deep reflection of note; it served as a great reminder of just how wonderful, even essential, such psychological pursuits really are.

Hikers and visitors at Radnor Lake State Park have spotted a pair of bald eagles for the past two weeks.

Park rangers said it is the first time in decades that bald eagles have stayed around the lake for an extended period of time.

Park rangers have restricted off-trail hikes and canceled canoe floats to prevent visitors from disturbing the birds.

Rangers have also been holding bird-watching education sessions for interested visitors.

Rangers hope the birds will stick around, but they expect them to leave shortly.

Park rangers hope the birds return in January when bald eagles normally nest.

The bird is a threatened species, according to the Audubon Society Web site. Loss of habitat, shooting and poisoning by the pesticide DDT caused its population to decrease. It was on the Endangered Species List, but conservation efforts and the ban on DDT helped its population to increase.

There are approximately 330,000 bald eagles in North America and northern Mexico.