Today I road the Tennessee River from our Flint Creek Launch site to the Guntersville dam launch for the purpose of seeing just how majestic this part of the river is and what the local water wildlife schooling-survey would reveal.

The Osprey population is doing good. Counted 12 young ones and several young adults and several couples on the nests within the Refuge boundary.

The Great Blues, Green Herons, and Egrets are plentiful. With the exception of a little prop trouble it was a beautiful but very hot and sun bright day. If you haven't run the river South from the Gtvl Dam or headed upstream from Cataco branch.....you have missed the beauty of secluded portions of this River not yet touched by personal water craft. While on the "walk-about" I did see a couple of the personal water craft types....and they were on the main river body since these type of water crafts are not allowed within the secondary waters of the Refuge or TVA property.

All in all a gift from above today with cool water, lush green woodlands, deep greens of farmer's fields, and the wildlife crossing from one side of the river to the other side and an occassional Bald Eagle overhead reminding me that only in America could these waters be located for mankind.