Mid Sierra Musings: Views Of Millerton Lake And The San Joaquin

Dale Matson

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Big Bend San Joaquin River

I drove to Millerton Lake recently and hiked along the San Joaquin River Trail beginning at the Finegold day use area. I was checking to see if a newer nest was, in fact abandoned by the nesting pair of Bald Eagles. It was the 2^nd year the pair used this nest not far from the old nest that had been the home for many generations of young Bald Eagles.

I had my trusty long lens with me in case the eagles had come back since the last time I was in the area but after sitting for a spell, it was obvious that there were no Bald Eagles in the area. In fact, it was evident that the nest had not been used for quite a while.

I brought my Zeiss Batis 135mm 2.8 lens along and all of the shots are with this lens and Sony A7R3. I drove to Millerton quite early in the morning so my Millerton Lake shots from Sky Harbor Road are a bit dim. I noticed that the San Joaquin, like other bodies of water often appear green from above. I was especially taken in by the wake pattern on the river from a powerboat as it went by down below the trail.

Millerton is about 80% full as I write this and the green countryside is beginning to take on the golden glow of California hillsides in the summer.