The North End Of Tseng-wen Reservoir

Last Sunday (November 8th), I paid a late afternoon visit to Tseng-wen reservoir to re-explore the small road off highway three which leads through the farms and tiny hamlets to the north end of the reservoir. I had been here once previously, though I did not follow the road all the way due to time constraints - this time, I came here expressly to do just that.

First picture of the day was the view overlooking the debris barrier just west of the Dapu bridge on highway three. The water has fallen a meter or so, since I was last here a month ago...

The two central connecting towers of the debris fence with the southern anchoring block visible on the far side; the northern anchoring block is out of shot below the cliff in the foreground. 

The road eventually winds around a bay and brings you out at a tiny wharf on the northern shoreline of Taiwan's largest reservoir...

View directly southward from the northern shoreline, late in the afternoon.

The wharf was littered with broken boulders, and there were a couple of pontoon rafts moored but it was otherwise empty.

View eastward, with the wharf sloping down into the water.

Looking further upstream where the mountainsides guide the river into the reservoir.

Just down from Dapu village; the floating fishing platform docked on the southern shoreline across the reservoir.

Another section of the platform with the pavilion behind it.

Eventually, I was joined by several Black Kites scouring the surface of the reservoir for fish, of which there are plenty. Apparently there are actually very few of these birds in Taiwan.

A pair of Kites pass by one another; they seem to be very sociable birds.

One of my favorite angles because of the view it gives you of their back and topside coloring. Unfortunately the distance here is too great for the photo to be clear.

Taiwanese friends I sometimes bring to the reservoirs misidentify Kites as eagles, and so when these birds glide into view, it is always a "teachable moment".

Another fantastic view, but at too great a distance. Eventually, I will once more get around to upgrading to a better telephoto lens than the one I'm presently using (a Sigma 300mm).

Not bad: brilliant view, and the distance isn't too bad either. "Extinction? When it comes, I won't even notice: I'll be too busy looking good..."

Right-wing flight feathers turned down, left-wing flight feathers turned up: that's how you bank and turn to your left. 

About to glide over me; the light was beginning to fail by this point.

The view south from the rampart above the wharf. Note the pontoon raft in the corner.

Close up on the reservoir's surface under the fading light.

Final shot on my way back home; the same view south, but overlooking the bay and the rounded peninsula which forms the reservoir's northern shoreline.

Tommorow, I'll be taking another reservoir trip but not to Tseng-wen. It might be a few weeks yet before I can be back here again, as there are things I must get done elsewhere first.