Wildlife | Larry A. Smail's Blog

Archive for the ‘Wildlife’ Category

That’s A Bear!

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers, Wildlife on July 3, 2021| Leave a Comment »

That’s a Bear was heard. I don’t believe I audibly spoke those words, but I do know I thought those words in my mind, at least.

The sky was overcast at this time of the morning. The weatherman said the skies would open up soon, so I was in the woods early. The time was somewhere around seven o’clock when I saw the black form around thirty to thirty-five yards out. the moment our eyes made contact the form moved fifteen feet or so before stopping. I struggled to get the camera focused on the bear’s head. Saplings and leaves , along with the darkened woodlands forbade that focus as needed.

The bear began moving away when I noticed cubs coming up behind her. I no with certainty of two cubs, but with the terrain, vegetation and such there may have been three. As soon as the bears were over the grade I moved hoping to see them again, but they were out of my view already.

My day was made. I could have turned around and went home a happy man, but I continued walking to see what other things of interest were out ahead.

I would see six deer and one fawn before I headed off to home.

I saw three Ravens up close before they noticed me, too. More photos below of the adventure out in the woods this morning.

This Stinkhorn is a fungus having many subspecies. They have a foul-smelling odor with the spores.

I found an introduced plant of interest along the fields. The name is the Goat’s Beard. It yields an

attractive yellow blossom followed by a dandelion-like seed pod. However, the seed pod shown above is close to three inches in diameter.

Striped maple leaf glowing in the sunlight.

Indian Pipe is a parasitic organism. It is, also, known as the Ghost Plant, for obvious reasons.

Read Full Post »

Nice Morning Jaunt

Posted in Butterflies and Insects, Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers, Wildlife on July 2, 2021| Leave a Comment »

We have had some hot, humid weather recently and a 62 degree morning and lessening humidity was the ticket for me to get out for a morning jaunt. A always I had hoped to see a bear or two, but this morning proved to be “bearless.” However, I wasn’t disappointed with the wildlife sightings.

I did see four hens out and about feeding and one incubating her eggs. I was almost upon her when she unnerved and flushed. I was surprised to see a clutch of eggs this late into the season. She had, probably, lost her first nest for any number of reasons and re-laid a second clutch of eggs. I hope she returns to finish the task at hand.

Two of the hens had poults with them. The one in vegetation shielded the poults so I could barely see any, but I saw a back or two of poults. The second hen with poults had, at least, 5-6 visible babies. I am sure others were in amongst the vegetation. These poults were the size of a Ruffed Grouse or Pheasant. I failed to get any photos.

I saw four deer in totality with two being male deer.

I saw plenty of rabbits during the walk and one Grey Squirrel.

Various summertime wildflowers are blooming and I couldn’t resist taking some photos, as I always do.

I dressed accordingly to the season in regard to Deer Flies. In other words, I had a light flannel shirt and a hat on to deter these pesky and painful insects. I killed one and only witnessed several others. I was lucky for sometimes I am likened to a World war II, B-29 Bomber with many German Messerschmidt 109 fighters diving from all directions. Did I say I despise Deer Flies?

I was glad to find a number of the Dogbane Beetles. As a youngster I would catch these insects and study The brilliance of the iridescent colors. Many, probably, believed I wasn’t right as a child as many still do today.

Read Full Post »

Still Walkin’

Posted in Wildflowers, Wildlife on June 17, 2021| Leave a Comment »

I am still walking despite the heat of last week. I kept them to a shorter walk because I don’t enjoy high heat and humidity well and add allergies…well, you get the picture. Some of the photos included are from such walks.

I heard a gobbler gobbling and adjusted my plans to go towards the bird. Once I crossed a hollow and entered the flat area of the hill, I called and was met with a nice gobble. The big bird was at an estimated 110 to one hundred and twenty yards away. I settled in to see in my camera would be taking any photos of him. Of course, vegetation was thick in places and my allergies were causing me to stir some. I tried to suppressed a couple of sneezes.

I saw some movement at one point but never identified the source. the gobbler never again gobbled or answer my calling. Did he circle and see me moving? I don’t know, but that scenario was possible.

I walked a little longer seeing several turkeys.

I took some wildflower photos. as I walked around.

This morning I walked a road below my homestead and listened to a gobbler across the creek. he was gobbling well. I had heard him last week in the very same spot, too.

Read Full Post »

Fishing Time

Posted in Fishing, Wildflowers, Wildlife on June 16, 2021| 2 Comments »

I was out early this morning to try my luck with fishing. The temperature in the morning was in the forty degree range. I must admit I was a little chilled.

I set the minnow trap sometime between 4:45 and five o’clock. Little time evolved upon having a dozen or more shimmering little Creek Chubs and Long-nosed Dace. The jeep was loaded and off I went to see what adventures I could discover. I always tend to do some explorations during my fishing trips.

Fishing was slow early except for catching Eastern Sand Darter. These little fish can be difficult to catch for the size is never very big and they have small mouths. Sometimes they can strip a hook with very little movement at the rod tip. The funny part of this morning was how my dad and I would catch these fish years ago. I was reminiscing about those times for some reasoning and behold I caught a darter. We used to call them Sand Pike.

I heard a commotion in the trees behind me and could see occasionally a hawk or owl through the foliage. Suddenly two Red-tailed Hawks came bursting forth flying very near to me. I grabbed my camera but they were gone until one flew out again close to me before moving higher in the sky. I managed one quick shot. the hawk had a Grackle within the talons. Other Grackles were not happy to see one of their own off for breakfast.

A pair of Mallard Ducks continued flying back and forth.

Shortly, after eight I packed up and went elsewhere to fish. I walked close a quarter of a mile to the shoreline. My first cast brought forth a nice catfish. The fish must have been 18 to twenty inches. A nice fight was had. Moments upon releasing the cat I landed a real fighter and jumper of a Largemouth Bass. I would catch Bluegills and Pumpkinseed panfish, too.

I saw a Great-Blue heron, and Osprey and a Bald Eagle while fishing. I would see a number of Gray and Fox Squirrels, too. A highlight was a hen turkey walking around. I managed a few shots before she exited the field area.

Read Full Post »

Two Mornings Along The Allegheny

Posted in Wildflowers, Wildlife on June 14, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Last week I spent two mornings messing around the Allegheny River. I fished some, I explored some and I looked for anything of interest to photograph.

I was fishing directly below the dam and I was catching rock bass very often due to the very swift current situation. Those rock bass were actually ROCKS! I continually snagged and frustrations quickly led to the abandonment of fishing and to the searching of things to photograph. The second morning I did catch some fish with a twenty-inch Catfish being the biggest, however I became very wet since the rain that was suppose to be out of the area by seven in the morning grew heavier. By nine o’clock I was quite dewy.

I saw a Great-Blue Heron at times and surprisingly the big bird allowed my presence until the uplift occurred. The heron flew towards my right over the river allowing for many “in-flight” shots. I included a few here. Later, I had one of these birds land in the creek behind my house. They like the natural landscaping along the creek to help conceal their presence as they seek minnows for their lunch.

I noticed the Blue False Indigo flowers were blooming, in force, in the sandy soil areas of the river’s bank. I took some photos of these beauts, as well.

Read Full Post »

At It Again!

Posted in 2021 Spring Gobbler Season, Wildlife on May 10, 2021| Leave a Comment »

After a very rainy Mother’s day I was going at it again for another gobbler. Laurie and I had Mother’s day at the house with my mother, Ruth Smail Miller and step father, Bob Miller and my sister, Ruthie. My mother is 91 years of age and I am so happy to have her around.

*****************************************************************************************************************************

As I moved easterly this morning, I could see the cloud line from yesterday’s rain out ahead. The morning was looking to be a much better day than the last week. Unfortunately, I heard no gobblers with certainty during the very hours moments of the hunt. I state “with certainty” for I may have heard one very far, but I wasn’t sure.

After a time I began to move around calling and listening and looking for Morel mushrooms whenever I could keep my brain focused on the search. A fog settled in the valley for a brief time.

Somewhat disappointed, I quietly moved all around the property calling at strategic locations and still no gobbling birds. Once I reached the farthest point I turned and moved back to my early positioning.

I leaned up against a gas well to enjoy the heat from the sun. I called and believed I heard a gobble. My second call affirmed my belief. I did hear a gobble and much closer. I backtracked and circled to get down lower on this site. I wanted to set up within a thirty feet wide woodland corridor between the gas well landing and a narrow field. I wanted to cover as much area as possible.

All I heard was silence. Did the gobbler see me I don’t believe he did due to contour and terrain features, but why the silence. I became quiet, too. After twenty minutes I called again and heard a gobble seemingly from my left side. Another gobbler or did he move above my position behind the gas well?

I called twice more and definitely heard gobbling behind me on my left before silence again. Something wasn’t feeling right and I became suspicious to last year’s gobblers known as Jakes.

I decided to circle around above the gas well and try to locate the birds better. Once I reached the round top I circled around the edges calling and listening. Nothing! However, after a loud gobble call I heard two gobbling birds below me and near to where I thought I had heard the gobbling earlier. I was almost completely convinced I was playing around with young gobblers. I returned to the woodland corridor and called only to receive silence. I decided I needed to move in their direction because quitting time was winding down and I needed to fire these birds up soon.

I moved another sixty yards and called. No gobbling, but I would soon see the culprit. Four silent Jakes showed up. The longest beard was around three or four inches. Now I was seeing great photo ops, but my camera and shotgun needed reversed. The Jakes began to move around in a confused state. This fact allowed for some photos, but not the best opportunity for the birds moved into thicker vegetation.

One of a few clear photos of the moving Jakes.

I would see a bearded hen on this day.

I had played around with those Jakes for over two hours.

A friendly cow. Cows bellowed for about half an hour in a lower pasture field making hearing difficult.

Read Full Post »

Lucked Out!

Posted in Wildlife on April 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »

I was up early as is normal for me. My original plans was to check a property I have hunted for years, search for some morels and go trout fishing. I was not over enthused because many bordering acres had been just posted by a hunting lease. These were lands my father had me in when I was around six or seven. Many years of hunting and walking will be forever gone and that saddened me. However, I still went out.

The sky was clear and a beautiful full moon could be observed. As the skies brightened I heard one or two gobblers far off. I would end up seeing five gobblers in several places and as many, if not more hens. Deer were out everywhere!

I stopped at my mom and step father’s place to see their new truck and do some mowing.

More pics below:

I took a lot of turkey photos this morning.

Read Full Post »

Morels and Wildflowers

Posted in Wildlife on April 25, 2021| Leave a Comment »

The morel season is upon us. I have looked around three or four times without any success. Conditions for my area of Pennsylvania seems to be on currently for I discovered enough for a mess for myself. I hope to find more in the next couple of weeks. This day I went out in the afternoon to search for some and take photos of wildflowers and whatever I might see.

The wildflowers in the secluded hollow are out in force and I knew they would be. I wasn’t disappointed. However, finding Morels wasn’t as easy, but I finally lucked out with the first one barely visible among some leaves. I would find more in the same general area. These species of fungus are most delicious.

I saw one hen turkey and one gobbler during the trip afield.

Later, I spotted my friend Frank the Muskie, Maus and we chatted for about an hour in his garage.

Purple Trillium *(Red Trillium, Wake Robin)*

Read Full Post »

Kettle Creek-Alvin Bush Dam

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildlife on April 23, 2021| Leave a Comment »

The mountain traveling and breakfast had been completed before the two if us moved east to visit the Kettle Creek area. The Alvin Bush dam controls the water of Kettle Creek. We enjoyed sightseeing some before I drifted back a small stream called, Beaverdam Run. I settled in for some time to catch the native Brook trout again. I wasn’t disappointed.

Why I enjoy fishing for these beauts is a mystery for kettle Creek has big trout in the waters. I think the reason in part may be the solitude of lack of seeing any other fishermen.

After a time the jeep wanted to climb a mountain road. On the top Laurie and I witnessed some beautiful vistas seeing for great distances.

The plan to complete the day was to return west taking Wykoff Run Road in route to the Quehanna Highway again. I wanted to take a couple of short hikes to long-abandoned bunkers and the Kunes camp. (These adventures will be included within separate entries.

We saw some hen turkeys and deer and many Turkey Vulture. I saw a Black Squirrel but failed to get any photos. We saw over fifty elk during our time north.

Read Full Post »

Along the Sinnemahoning

Posted in Sinnemahoning, Wildlife on April 23, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Laurie and I, upon leaving the Austin Dam remains headed south on Route 872. We had a goal to spend some time at the Sinnemahoning State Park including the George Stevenson Dam area. I, also, was going to do a little fishing for native Brook Trout and whatever I can catch on the Sinnemahoning.

Laurie loves to read so any fishing I was to do would find her happy with a book. The first visit was at Brooks Run to fish for the beautiful native Brook Tout.

Those who know me understand how I am in awe in the Sinnemahoning Area of Pennsylvania. I never tire of viewing the high and steep mountains and those deep and shadowed hollows. I am always amazed as to how those men in the nineteenth century were able to denude all those mountains of virgin trees. Today, the beauty is back in force.

After the Brooks Run fishing we went to the Stevenson Dam area to fish a little more. I caught many Yellow Perch as Laurie sat on a bench along the shore to read. I walked upstream to explore. Personally, I enjoy the exploration as much as fishing. There were many Canada Geese and Common Mergansers using the water.

Laurie and I saw two mature Bald Eagles along the Sinnemahoning. One beautiful bird allowed my approach as I clicked away. I just have to include some of those pics here.

After the fishing and exploration halted the hiking began. But first we stopped of the famous “Arch Tree” farther upstream. Laurie had not ever seen it. This image appears on many sites. People seem to find a lot of enjoyment posing with the tree. Unfortunately, I see some decay on the tree. One can only guess how long the tree will survive. It could be many years.