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Archive for the ‘Hikes’ Category

Wintry Walk

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature on January 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Sumac

Laurie and I decided to take to the fields behind the house for a nice hike in the snow. There is something about walking in a snow on windless day (or night) that is good for the spirit. The walk was an ascension up and over the hill behind the house. From this vantage point on a clear day one can see across the Allegheny River onto distant hills and hollows. This is an enjoyable view.  Today we could just make out the outline of the hills due to the snow.

We continued our walk along a long ago abandoned field covered with sumac, goldenrod, briars and young oaks. As we walked along  I was talking about seeing plenty of fox tracks in this area a few weeks ago. Suddenly, a fox ran towards us at about 200 yards along the same border. But wait… that isn’t a fox!  The animal proved to be a coyote! A ‘yote sighting is always a wonderful critter to observe.

   We walked around to see an area I called the “field of red” where a number of staghorn sumac thrive and grow. When the cottontail rabbit was a plentiful animal I would annually see where they would chew the bark from sumac where I grew up.

On New Year’s Day, Susie (my springer spaniel) and I were outside. I had erected two brush piles for a rabbit that was traveling in the area to my feeders.  Upon completion of these piles we were walking towards the house when I looked along the creek and a red fox was traveling past. This is the second time I have seen a red fox here and behind the house.

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Morning Hike

Posted in Hikes, My Family, Wildlife on November 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

   I decided Sunday evening that I needed to spend some woodland time early in the morning.  I had a few minutes to stop at the Whitesburg United Methodist Church to spend some time at my father’s resting place. I sat in the darkness reflecting on the past and hoping life in the natural could be different. I yearn for a time of no more pain and death. Sometimes the memories are needed!!!

   I reached the edge of a woodland bench in the pre-morning dawn awaiting for whatever the world would offer. I heard the calls of a killdeer high in the sky. I theorize this lone bird must be a late migrant. About 7:20 I heard a little turkey talk. One bird came of the roost early and began announcing to the others that an intruder was near. The bird’s strong alarm putt told the story.    

Cherry Run

I retreated and walked some 400-450 yards when I heard other turkeys still on the roost. Their calls continued until 8:00. Above me I heard leaves rustling. A gobbler’s head appeared and our eyes glared at each other for several moments until the bird ducked. I quickly moved upslope and saw two gobblers. (The birds I heard earlier?)

Pennsylvania Country

  I decided to head out for another area for turkey population checks. I was doing this primarily to find places to bring my step-father, Bob for turkey hunting… hopefully not very rugged places.    

He is legal!

As the day went on, I saw six doe and one buck. I, also, saw some squirrels and watched a couple of pileated woodpeckers darting from tree to tree. The robins are still around eating dogwoods and wild grapes. I usually se them all winter long at some of these areas producing such mast.

Robin

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Two Hikes and a Talk

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature on October 29, 2010| Leave a Comment »

 

Rural road.

 Wednesday (October 27) was a golden autumn day. I needed two go for a walk for a number of reasons….excercise; enjoy the beautiful conditions; study sycamore trees and leaves for an upcoming painting; look for wildlife and take some foliage photos.  

Sycamore Tree.

I chose to walk very rural roads I know about where the existence of any vehicles is a very rare thing. The hike consisted of approximately 8-9 miles and was invigorating. I only saw several deer,  various birds, a couple of red-tailed hawks and I heard a grouse drumming.

Staghorn Sumac

   On Thursday (October 28) while visiting my mother I decided to go another hike. This was one of those 30 MPH wind days. On this venture, I was fortunate enough to see, at least five turkeys and watched two deer get up from their beds before fleeing.

As I was walking along a field’s edge, I noticed what appeared to be a buck’s antlers. I stopped and reversed one step only to see a spike buck laying among the briars at about 18 yards. I tried to get focused photos, but failed to do so. I eased up to a tree and look for clearer view only to spook him.

The evening  would be a few hours of fellowship with members of the church’s mens group. I was the speaker this evening. I dressed in my 18th century era apparel and carried along two flintlocks, tomahawks and other things of interest. The guys seemed to enjoy the historical (not hysterical)aspect of the talk and be able to see firsthand what a militia-member of that time period would have looked like. A great bunch of guys!

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Yet another spring hike

Posted in Hikes on April 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Just as I reached the top of the hill at around 5:30, I noticed how quickly the clouds had encompassed the sky! I heard three gobblers and each of them had a lack of passion, probably, due to the darkened pre-dawn sky.  I, believe, I only heard a total of six gobbles! However, I saw a nice, silent strutter with several hens later on. At this site, I saw six deer (twice) and a couple of others across the hollow. I transplanted some blue flag  ( a native iris) that I had planted along this Cherry Run tributary last year.  Some had washed out from high water, but their roots were still attached to the edge of the stream’s bank. I separated them and replanted about the bottomland area. They are spreading fast!

Farther down the hollow, I checked a field and hastedly hit the ground upon seeing five jakes emerging from the woods to enter the recently worked field. As I watched them, I turned to my right and saw two more jakes soon to be followed by five more jakes. Boy, did I get some photos! One of the young gobblers spotted the unusual looking mass…ME! He walked curiously up to me followed by some of his pals! I guess they were somewhere between ten and twelve feet from me at one point in time!

Farther along the hill top, I noticed three hens feeding in a field with four more jakes approximately 300 yards from me. They stood straight  obviously, staring at something. Approximately forty yards from the four birds I noticed, to their left, a red fox standing in the field. At this time, I witnessed something that is still so amazing to me!  The birds walked up to the standing fox and a couple of the birds stretched out their necks and almost touched the foxes snout. They all stood around for a few minutes and the fox eventually walked on. They appeared to be friends. Thoughts of  Isaiah scripture came to mind expressing about the time when the earth will be restored to it’s original plan where all wildlife will be at rest and peace!  … A great scenerio!

I, also, saw a baby bunny and a squirrel. All told I saw, at least 28 turkeys! When I came home I saw a green heron fly to the back yard stream and a kingfisher flying busily along my “crick”!

This sunrise photo was about 6:00 A.M.  Sights such as these are what pushes my treks to the woods!

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Another spring hike

Posted in Hikes on April 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I was surprised to see a cloudless sky at 5:00 this morning. I waited around until 7:00 to give Susie her insulin and headed to State Game Lands 247. I saw a number of turkeys during my trek. I heard and saw a longbeard gobbler, several hens and a flock of 8-10 birds of mixed sex and ages.  I saw a red-tailed hawk and a broad-winged hawk too. At the SGL pond, I saw two great blue herons,  a pair of rufous-sided towhees and a lone Canada goose. I did get a few photographs of this array of bird life . Fortunately, I only removed two ticks from my pants on this jaunt.

 The autumn olive blossoms are beginning to send out their fragrant aromas. The only negative things about the SGL grounds are the ticks and the extreme over-abundance of the multifloral rose.

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Spring woodland hike

Posted in Hikes on April 23, 2010| 3 Comments »

I have plenty of things to do, but how could I stay at home with a morning like this?? My quest was to take photos of wildflowers and anything that “jumped out” and said take a photo of me!! I found plenty of Trout Lilies (Dog-tooth lily); Purple  or red Trilliums(Wake-robin); foamflowers and many other specie. I discovered only two morels. I allowed them to stay in the woods with hope of their spores spreading about for next year’s crop. I heard one longbeard gobbler gobbling for his harem. I saw three hens and four young gobblers. The “jakes” allowed me to photograph them for a total of over 15 photos! Also, I found a fox den. Scattered about were the remains of two groundhogs and two ‘coons and one mole.  Like I said … a great morning.

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Hike

Posted in Hikes on March 19, 2010| 1 Comment »

A short hike on a great spring-like day. Saw a twenty pound plus gobbler and noticed that the coltsfoot are in bloom. Suzie (my springer) wasn’t doing very well. She is almost blind and seemed  a little confused with the new field we walked. The diabetes has been with her since February of 2009.  I love that little companion!

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Hike!

Posted in Hikes on March 17, 2010| 2 Comments »

With such a beautiful day a need to to take a woodland hike was a priority. I heard some gobblers and hens doing their springtime courtship calls. The only negative aspect of the hike were the ticks! I removed and terminated at least 22 to 25 of the little critters from my pants.

 After I returned home I was blessed to watch my first turkey vulture of the year circling over the house.

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