Saturday, April 13, 2013

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

Sunday, April 7, 2013

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