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We spent the long Memorial Day weekend canoe camping on Wickiup Reservoir on the Eastern slopes of the Oregon Cascades with some good friends and fellow outdoorspeople. Last year we found a little island paradise with sandy beaches and pine trees, and vowed to return. This year's spot was a large, flat, sandy beach on a peninsula with a stand of pines to shelter us from the wind. While these areas were accessible by road at one time, they were blocked off by the Forest Service a few years ago to provide more protected bird habitat. Bald eagles, osprey, and nighthawks soared over our camp. Frogs serenaded us with their chorus at night. The weather held out for us, mostly. We had some showers on the last night, but things dried out in the morning.
We had a whole group of children out there fishing, watching birds, collecting frogs and getting muddy. It gave me a very contented feeling to know that my children were able to spend some time someplace wild and share in it with their friends. It was wonderful to see them get so excited about all the nature discoveries. We found a beaver lodge near our camp with freshly chewed willow twigs all around and some beaver scat. A hidden grouse nest was discovered under a bush. While canoeing through a marshy area with willow shrubs, a few children saw a redwing blackbird nest with baby birds peeking out. I discovered a camouflaged killdeer nest in the sand. Some of the kids happened upon it later as well, and I was pleased by how respectfully they observed it. Of course, there were many frogs and toads, providing hours of delight, and inspiration for many habitat building construction projects by the water.
The froggie friend for whom all the children built an elaborate frog habitat on the shore
A killdeer nest camouflaged in the sand and pine needles
A grouse nest the boys found under a shrubby pine
Life is always good when watching the sunset over a lake, sitting around a crackling campfire, and cooking dinner with friends.
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