I hadn’t been in this area for some time and decided with the desirable weather I would revisit. Huling’s Run is a beautiful waterways, at least the upper part is. I haven’t been along the lower section of the stream for some time either. The last time I was in that area I was greatly disappointed. Man with ATV type vehicles had been all over causing great erosion problems.
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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.
Indian Pipe is a parasitic organism. It is, also, known as the Ghost Plant, for obvious reasons.
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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.
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Wednesday, June 23, I left early to go walking and taking photos of anything I could see of interest. I hiked up a gas well road to the top of a long grade to watch the sun filtering on the eastern sides of the trees. The brightness of the early morning sun made some deepening contrasts allowing for some nice landscape photos.
Later, I talked to a member of the Pennsylvania game Commission along the township road and told him I was hoping to see a bear. He was on his way to mow. I went across the hill to check out some more areas.
The walking was pleasant but as the morning turned towards noon the heat was increasing.
All in all, I saw eight deer, two hen turkeys and an injured rabbit. However, I was greatly blessed to have a bear come into an open area allowing me to see the size in its entirety. The bear, estimated 250 to 300 pounds’ didn’t see me initially and we, both, were startled some. He was more scared of me. I was not one bit scared although he was only about thirty-five yards from me.
When the bear’s eyes turned to see me, he looked like a cartoon character running in place for a millisecond before gaining traction. I am describing the bear as a male because mating season is happening currently and most single bear are normally males seeking out females.
Her are a few photos from the day. take note I didn’t get the camera in place fast enough for a bear photo.
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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.
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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.
Posted in Fishing, Wildflowers, Wildlife | 2 Comments »
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.
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The first day of June was a busy day for me. I went for a walk early in the day. Upon my return, I did some power washing of the gazebo and cleaned the back deck. I sprayed the deck and gazebo roof for mold and mildew. Since rain was being forecasted for several days I mowed my yard and neighbor’s back yard. I saw a doe in the back yard, but no fawn was viewed.
I prepared the basement for some friends coming over for a “jam” session on Wednesday afternoon.
After supper I went for another walk to go fishing at a pond. The catfish were biting good and I caught a number of them One exceptional fighter took a lunge causing the bail to strike my finger rather hard. I was concerned about guitar playing, but this morning it feels well enough.
I was walking out towards evening when I heard a gobble just ahead. I would see him walk away after I spooked a mother hen and poults. The little turkeys could have only been a few days old.
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My original painting of the “WHEATFIELD-WHIRLPOOL OF DEATH” hangs in the Armstrong County Historical and Genealogical Society Museum in Kittanning, Pennsylvania. I am proud of that fact. The photo above is a side view of the painting. I couldn’t get a straight-on photo due to lighting glare. This battle was part of the July 1863 Gettysburg Campaign.
Note the Maltese Cross Banner being kept high above the soldiers by the private on the horse. These banners had a purpose in battle. Officers watching the heat of conflict from afar could locate individual groups of soldiers. The officer could adjust battlefield armies by ordering troops to move as needed to repair holes in the flanks and such.
The 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry played an important part of that battle suffering heavy causalities. This painting depicts those brave men of the 62nd. Men from Armstrong County and elsewhere were in this regiment.
The photo shown below is that original banner of the 62nd depicted in the Wheatfield…painting. What an honor ro have the flag/ banner on display where the painting hangs. The original has a number of bullet holes throughout that flag.
A local group of living historians of the 62nd PVI were present at the museum recently and I was asked to attend due to the painting being on display. These men and women are extremely dedicated at maintaining the integrity with honor for the men of the 62nd. I am honored to know many as friends.
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The hunt was planned in mid morning when Jon Frech and I agreed to meet to try our hand with gobbler chasing. I parked a little down the road from the agreed upon meeting place to park. After a few minutes I called to see if any gobbler would answer and was immediately met with a lustful gobble. I got into the jeep and met Jon already parked being checked by the game warden. I made a joke to the warden remarking how is a pest around for he checked me and a bird recently. He seems to be a great young man and I hope he doesn’t ever take me too serious.
I told Jon about the bird and came up with a plan of attack. We worked to the same level of the bird and only received one answer. However, i was hearing a long-range gobbler at times. We checked it out and we believed the gobbler may have been frightened by a dog and some kids yelling near to where he had been gobbling.
Our hunt began to circle back on the opposite hill towards where we heard the earlier gobbler. As we approached the point Jon called and received an answer. We set up and later decided to move a little more around the hill. The gobbler began to get worked up and his gobbling increased. We would hear another bird with this gobbler ending up with three gobblers.
The setup was good except for a corridor of Multiflora Rose. Soon we realized moving again would be dangerous for it was obvious the gobblers were moving and getting close.
Jon was doing the calling. I was above and watching and was concerned with the vegetation. However, eventually Jon saw the dominant bird strutting towards him at a place where the rose was not as thick. BOOM!
The gobbler weighed twenty-one and a half pounds with a ten and a half inch beard. Spurs were becoming pointed so the gobbler was, probably, a three year old tom. They were one inch spurs.
We, both, had a good time hunting and was pleased to have had a successful hunt, as well. Congratulations, Jon!
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