Quabbin - South Carolina & Chiggers

Congaree NP large Bald Cypress Tree

Our Charleston SC trip finished with a trip to  Caw Caw swamp in Ravenel ,S.C. It's approximately a 650 acre wildlife sanctuary which includes rice fields and hardwoods. This area is used by many local and migrating birds. Our several mile walk revealed. one alligator . several blue herons. .
many ibis,and a few barred owls calling .

An alligator alongthe rice fields

 

Many information signs In Caw Caw swamp

 

A rat snake along the Congaree trail

Quabbin this weekend.I hiked nearly fifteen miles  in pursuit of a  moose. I found many tracks unfortunately no moose. I did break the 900 mile marker this weekend.

 

Chiggers

While in SC I got into chiggers . The most NASTY  bites I have ever gotten!

 

Jim

 

 

 

Congaree National Park South Carolina

I had a chance to visit Congaree in the spring. It was while on a business trip and only had a few hours to see what I could. Yesterday we spent the afternoon hiking this floodplain forest. The Bald Cypress trees along with the Loblolly Pines are truly amazing. We hiked the Oakridge Trail which took us 6.6 miles through the flood plain.
Pileated Woodpeckers could be heard squawking or hammering throughout the afternoon. Several barred owls where calling " Who Cooks For You". The trail lead to a overlook at Weston Lake. Stopping to rest for a few minutes five yellow-bellied slider turtles were seen.
During the hike we did see a number of wild hogs and one rat snake occupying the trail.
The hike was certainly eventful and I would recommend if you are in South Carolina. I will add pics when back in Massachusetts.

Jim

Mt Greylock Western Massachusetts

I took a detour today, missed work & Quabbin. Mt Greylock has been on my agenda for a while.The day started real early so that the arrival time would be at first light.
Driving up Rockwell Road slow I did see a handsome six point  buck with a doe, Much to early for any pictures.

The view for the summit was nice.

Jim

Worked Hard At It !

No Luck ! Yesterday I hiked out to Graves Landing in pursuit of seeing a moose. Rut is getting closer and the males should be more active a good part of the day. I did  see two white trucks with a signs on the door , National Observatory ..... Couldn't make out the rest of the name. I'm thinking that they were a team of folks probably going to watch and count raptors migrating.

Started my hike early on Saturday. Got pretty close to this doe.

This morning I headed out to Gate 37. It was a beautiful morning with a light fog over the reservoir.
I enjoyed breakfast watching the east branch of Fever Brook flow into Quabbin. Not many boats this morning. On the hike back to the truck I did see two does .

Jim

Very Quiet Today !

This mornings hike would take me to a east side swamp right at dawn. I stood  well after the morning  had set in, with hopes of seeing a moose. The stillness and quite was unusual. Other than a few distant jays ,

a chickadee and half dozen sparrows the hike was uneventful. I  also watched for any migrating birds.

A short distance from my truck I did meet a number of folks with binoculars and several spotting scopes in pursuit of watching for raptors starting the migration south.

When I arrived home there perched a sharp shinned hawk over seeing the bird feeders in perfect light.
Unfortunately it had no patience with getting it's picture taken.

Jim

Hiked All The Major Roads In & Around Quabbin Reservoir

This morning I headed out to Gate 12 in hopes of possibly seeing a moose. The rut is only a few weeks away. Not much going on ,so in my effort to hike all the major roads heading into Quabbin, I needed to hike a portion of Gate 12 and Gate 5 . I was able to get that done this morning. The high-lighted yellow shows the many roads I have hiked.

Below  is a picture from the waters edge looking toward the lookout tower in Quabbin Park.

Jim

A Few New Additions To My Library ( Not from Quabbin)

My wife and I spent last week camping in south central Vermont. I spent four sun rises hunkered in the edge of a flood plain swamp in hopes off adding new pics to my library.

The first morning driving in I did see three adult Great White Egrets and two young perched in a tree several hundred yards out into a swamp.

.                                                                Green Heron

Great White Egret

I was entertained one morning watching a Broad Hawk harass several  Egret young.

Talking to a local birder several Black Herons were seen a few days prior to me arriving

Jim