{"id":139194,"date":"2025-02-04T02:34:09","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T08:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=139194"},"modified":"2026-01-01T05:21:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T11:21:20","slug":"february-sunrise-at-charleston-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/04\/february-sunrise-at-charleston-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"February Sunrise At Charleston Lake"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunrise in February at Charleston Lake Park in Franklin County, Arkansas, can be extremely beautiful, glorious, relaxing, refreshing, and reflective.<\/p>\n

\"CharlestonCharleston Lake at sunrise in February – Cell phone image
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday morning, it was wonderful to watch the sunrise at Charleston Lake. I could see the Earth’s shadow and the Belt of Venus, a soft gradient of color that never fails to make me pause and marvel. Moments like that remind me of the rhythm of our planet, the way it spins and tilts, creating these everyday miracles that are so easy to miss if we’re not looking.<\/p>\n

Canada Geese have paired up, their gentle honks drifting across the water like a familiar greeting. The Belted Kingfishers, Northern Cardinals, American Crows, and Red-shouldered Hawks called, making music over the still water. Each call and song added a unique layer to the morning, weaving a melody that was both wild and peaceful.<\/p>\n

Fish broke the surface of the water, ripples expanding outward, catching the light of the early sun. Bald Eagles flew over the lake, their powerful wings slicing through the air. One of the young eagles perched on a bare tree across the lake, preening and looking regal until it decided to fly off, its wings carrying it effortlessly into the sky.<\/p>\n

For a February morning, the temps were mild, mild enough that I really didn’t need my heavy winter jacket. The air had a hint of spring to it, that barely-there warmth that makes you believe winter might release its grip soon. It\u2019s the kind of morning that makes you want to linger outside, soaking up the fresh air and the possibility of the changing seasons.<\/p>\n

I need my moments in nature just as much as I need food, water, and air. The quiet, the sounds, the sights, each one is a reminder of my connection to this world. Every day, I know I am a part of nature, just as much as the geese, the eagles, the fish, and the trees.<\/p>\n

Nature isn\u2019t just something I visit; it’s something I am.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my scenic photos of Arkansas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sunrise in February at Charleston Lake Park in Franklin County, Arkansas, can be extremely beautiful, glorious, relaxing, refreshing, and reflective.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13950,15507,15508],"tags":[7890,15511,4101,4198,5178,958,4018,465,4190,4076,3996],"class_list":["post-139194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-charleston-lake-park","category-franklin-county","tag-belt-of-venus","tag-charleston-lake","tag-clouds","tag-earth-shadow","tag-lake","tag-reflections","tag-sky","tag-sun-rise","tag-sunrise","tag-trees","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/charleston-lake-sunrise-february-25-small-mia-mcpherson-071235.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-Ad4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":137638,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/12\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-at-charleston-lake-park\/","url_meta":{"origin":139194,"position":0},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant At Charleston Lake Park","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm delighted to share two Double-crested Cormorant images that I took yesterday at Charleston Lake Park. Both photos show the same bird swimming on the lake.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant swimming on Charleston Lake, Charleston Lake Park, Franklin County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/double-crested-cormorant-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4563.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/double-crested-cormorant-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4563.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/double-crested-cormorant-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4563.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/double-crested-cormorant-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4563.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":137688,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/12\/06\/great-blue-heron-at-charleston-lake-plus-a-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":139194,"position":1},"title":"Great Blue Heron At Charleston Lake Plus A Video","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I took this Great Blue Heron image on December 1st at Charleston Lake Park in Franklin County, Arkansas, on the same day as the cormorant photos I recently shared.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Great Blue Heron foraging at Charleston Lake, Charleston Lake Park, Franklin County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/great-blue-heron-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4476.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/great-blue-heron-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4476.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/great-blue-heron-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4476.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/great-blue-heron-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-4476.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":131777,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/04\/charleston-lake-white-water-lily-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":139194,"position":2},"title":"Charleston Lake White Water Lily Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning, I'm sharing two White Water Lily images I took last month at Charleston Lake Park in Franklin County, Arkansas. I love these pretty water lilies.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"White Water Lily on Charleston Lake, Charleston Lake Park, Franklin County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/white-water-lily-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3280.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/white-water-lily-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3280.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/white-water-lily-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3280.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/white-water-lily-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3280.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":138831,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/01\/18\/winter-reflections-at-charleston-lake-park-arkansas\/","url_meta":{"origin":139194,"position":3},"title":"Winter Reflections At Charleston Lake Park, Arkansas","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago, it wasn\u2019t very birdy at Charleston Lake Park in Arkansas, and I\u2019m okay with that. I was happy photographing winter reflections on the lake.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Winter reflections at Charleston Lake Park, Franklin County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/charleston-lake-park-winter-view-mia-mcpherson-1557.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/charleston-lake-park-winter-view-mia-mcpherson-1557.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/charleston-lake-park-winter-view-mia-mcpherson-1557.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/charleston-lake-park-winter-view-mia-mcpherson-1557.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":136909,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/11\/16\/charleston-lake-fog-a-start-to-a-beautiful-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":139194,"position":4},"title":"Charleston Lake Fog – A Start To A Beautiful Morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 16, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, I'm sharing a view and video of Charleston Lake shrouded in fog, with a Bald Eagle perched high in a tree. It was a beautiful start to the morning.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bald Eagle in a fog on Charleston Lake Park, Franklin County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/bald-eagle-fog-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-7242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/bald-eagle-fog-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-7242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/bald-eagle-fog-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-7242.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/bald-eagle-fog-charleston-lake-mia-mcpherson-7242.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43364,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/06\/immature-prairie-falcon-at-sunrise-next-to-the-great-salt-lake\/","url_meta":{"origin":139194,"position":5},"title":"Immature Prairie Falcon At Sunrise Next To The Great Salt Lake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The bird that started my day was an immature Prairie Falcon at sunrise next to the Great Salt Lake and as the sun started to rise the falcon seemed to glow.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Prairie Falcon at sunrise next to the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/prairie-falcon-sunrise-mia-mcpherson-4550.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/prairie-falcon-sunrise-mia-mcpherson-4550.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/prairie-falcon-sunrise-mia-mcpherson-4550.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/prairie-falcon-sunrise-mia-mcpherson-4550.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}