Another Beautiful Morning Hiking.

Temperatures are getting better. Forty degrees this morning when I left the house. It warmed up real quick with the need to take off my sweatshirt. On my ride this morning these five deer were enjoying the fresh green grass.

My hike today would take me to a distant swamp . The plan was to sit for a while in hopes of some critter coming into range for a pic. Bird activity is picking up by the day.
Nothing spectacular today but I did get a chance to mess around with my camera a little bit.

Jim

Nice Morning Hiking

Beautiful morning for a hike. Mid thirties when I left the house and it warmed right up when the sun broke the tree line. Birds were everywhere. Every thick white pine stand you could hear the song of the Eastern Towhee.
The woodpeckers were also out in full force with seeing a pileated, flicker and yellow bellied sap sucker.
                                                                  

On the hike back to the truck I was able to click a picture of a Yellow - rumped Warbler.

Jim

Some What Disappointed Today !

Headed out early today. It was chilly with a light frost on the front lawn. My hike today would take me to a popular gate on the northeast side of the reservoir. When I arrived ,there was already a vehicle parked. This is unusual with my early start times. I was anticipating seeing another hiker or wildlife photographer. A little over a mile and a half in here is what I came upon.

A fella walking with his dog !

It will be a while before I hike this gate
Jim

It's That Time Of Year

Raining when I headed out this morning to the South East side of the Reservoir. Rain pretty much let up when I started hiking so I carried my camera. I like hiking when the ground is damp. You can move along pretty quite. It wasn't too long before before the shutter was going on the camera.

On the hike back the guy was strutting his stuff in hopes of drawing in a hen. I did see a hen finally come in. She sat up high on a dead fall watching .

With the rain this morning it would of been easy to get a second cup of coffee and read the paper. If you are not out there hiking with your camera your going to miss opportunities.
Jim

Be Aware Of Your Surroundings

Interesting hike this morning I parked in the Women's Federated Forest, Hiked to Soapstone Hill and then down to the reservoir. I did see one mature eagle and one immature eagle, The reservoir was busy with boats, this being opening weekend for fishing.
Being aware of your surroundings can often present an opportunity or two. On my way back to the truck I caught this guy saying howdy.

After taking the picture I started hiking up the hill  towards the campground and heard the oddest sound coming from an out crop of rocks. I found a good place to sit and waited, The sound started again, The best I can describe it would be a quivering whine. A few minutes passed and the sound started again with a porcupine showing itself. It wasn't to long before I figured it out. It must of been a female giving her courting song. As her whining become longer and intense this big daddy was making his way to her door.

I did not know that porcupines were vocal. I found this mornings experience interesting, Once Big Daddy came into the picture I left him to his business.
Jim

Off Topic National Park

Had a opportunity to visit Congaree National Park in South Carolina earlier this week.

The park is a hardwood flood plain with thirty miles of well marked trails. Barred owls and pileated woodpeckers were abundant.In the 6/7 miles hiked. I did hear six barred owls calling and seeing a seventh. I also heard a dozen pileated woodpeckers seeing three. You can see a few more pics at..
http://hikingcamerawildlife.smugmug.com/

Jim

Very Nice Morning

Cool morning to start. Twenty six degrees and no wind ( at least when I started) Today another milestone reached with reaching 700 miles hiked in and around Quabbin Reservoir. Wanting to make the day eventful ,Rattlesnake Hill was my destination. As I walked the last cart road to the hill, a Great Horned Owl swooped silently out of a white pine a short distance in front of me. To quick for a photo. I walked to where I could see the boulder crops of Rattlesnake Hill above me. While looking up , there was a moose  at the top looking down at me.

 

Once on the top of Rattlesnake Hill , I climbed a oak dead fall to get this obstructed  reservoir view looking west.

 

1. 
 
Looking east ,the East Branch of Fever Brook
 



While eating breakfast and enjoying the view a Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker presented  opportunity for my best pics to date, 

 As I headed up the last leg of my hike back to the truck I met a fella named Dick. We talked a piece about Quabbin and our similar interests in photographing wildlife and hiking . Dick has been hiking Quabbin for decades and it was enjoyable talking with him.

Just about back to the truck I met another photographer . I was nice to see folks out taking pics and enjoying  Quabbin.

Jim

  

A Different Twist

Twenty eight when I left the house this morning. Figured I walk the shoreline . The wind was strong and SHARP ! Waterfowl was abundant so I figured I would give birds in flight a try. I had a number of pics that needed to be deleted . However, a few shots came out okay.
Mergansers are extremely timid and fly with minimal disruption. This was my first attempt.

 

Mallards hold tight a little longer then mergansers. This pic isn't to bad for a amateur.

Also got a quick shot of this nuthatcher

Jim