Larry A. Smail's Blog

Black-eyed Susan

(Monday, June 26) How could I not hike on such a beautiful and cool morning? The morning was actually “fall-like” and I

Crane Fly

wanted to see what I could observe on such a fine day. I decided to travel over a few Cherry Run hills and hollows. Bear mating season is underway and I always search out opportunities to see those black beauties.                                                                   

I ascended a hill before leveling off across some woodland edges. I really enjoyed the coolness and peacefulness I was experiencing. Throughout the morning I would see twelve deer. Unfortunately, photo opportunities were few due to vegetation, distances and not seeing open views. Interestingly, I didn’t see any fawns this morning, but I am sure some were close by!

Daylily

Deptford Pink

I descended a slope onto an old timbering, but grass covered road. Suddenly, an explosion of fury erupted directly in front of me. A  hen turkey took to the air followed by miniatures. Yes, a number of turkey poults flew into the air in varying directions landing in trees. I estimated, due to their size, the poults to be about three weeks old. Wild turkey poults can fly short distances at around two weeks of age. I thought of setting down and calling them all back, but elected to continue on with the hike.

Milkweed Beetle

Moth Mullein

I circled the side of the hill unto a recently reclaimed strip job. I was struck in awe at the distances I could see. I sat down on some bare  ground to look about the distant hills. memories of my past could be viewed everywhere I looked. I started to visualize the turkeys and deer I had tagged as I looked those distances.  Lots of memories! I had bagged a gobbler on the one point just this past spring.              

I could see very far and I noticed a deer running across a field. I wondered what had made that deer run. Was the deer being attacked by horse flies?  IK could see a family of Canada Geese exiting a pond into the same field. Remember this distance is close to a half a mile! I didn’t want to leave, but I knew I was over a mile away from the jeep and time never stops for long.

Wildflowers, of course , are blooming everywhere. I took many a photo of them as I walked about the landscape. I am weird like that!