I'm starting to realize that there's no better way to spend a spring weeknight than speeding away from work at 4, throwing on some already dirty hiking clothes, and heading out the door en route to a nearby park. With today's sunny weather, and the temperature hovering in the mid 60's, it was impossible to not do just that. With the weather staying cool the past few days, I figured my chances of seeing any reptiles or amphibians wouldn't be great (at least, not like Saturday), and for the first couple miles this thought process proved unfortunately correct.
(
Five-lined Skink at the park, taken 4/26/08)
Following through with my normal circuit of the Northwest River Park in Chesapeake, VA, I started with the Molly Mitchell trail. The trail was littered with debris brought down in the extreme wind Hampton Roads has gotten in the past several days, and in several places the trails were still completely blocked by fell trees. Seeing almost nothing in the way of wildlife along the trail, I started to think that at least I was getting some exercise and breathing some cleaner air than Virginia Beach can provide me. After hitting the gravel shuttle road and ducking into the Otter Point Trail, I finally started seeing some things. First off was an everyday
American Toad, (
photo below taken 4/24/08), but it caught me by surprise so I was pretty happy to see anything.
Not long after I saw the only
Ground Skink of the day, and as always, caught it & tried taking photos, which unfortunately couldn't focus on the 2" lizard with any success. I'm not used to seeing only one of the little guys since usually I probably see, or hear, a hundred or more in a day's walk through the bottomland forests of the park. Just before the Otter Point Trail hits the picnic area along the Northwest River itself I spotted a couple
White-tailed Deer about fifty yards off the trail standing with the ears up, staring my direction. Just another of those moments where even I'm wondering how I managed to stop at that instant, look in that direction, and pick them out against the background. Like I always think, it's just caveman's instinct... When I reached the shuttle trail & picnic area, I noticed the usual Crayfish burrows in the ditches along the gravel road. If it hadn't have been for digging one up & actually finding a Crayfish at the bottom 2 years ago, I'd still not believe it. These delicious crustaceans construct these mounds out of clay before the ditch they inhabit dries up completely. By trapping a column of water 2 or 3 feet deep, the crayfish ensures its own survival during dry spells. Up north, the crayfish just lived in lakes, who knew.
Next up on the walk was the Marjorie Rein Walkway which passes over the top of a cypress swamp & floodplain. Here I saw a
Common Yellowthroat cruise over the boardwalk and disappear into the underbrush. Saturday was the first time I'd ever seen one of these birds, and now, 50 miles away, I saw another one. They must be making their spring migration through the area right about now, so hopefully I'll continue to see them. This area is where the park offers its best view of the Northwest River so I took a few minutes to get some water, and take a few photos. Afterwards, I kept heading clockwise along the Indian Creek Trail, and spooked another deer. This one didn't stick around long, and instead bound away, huffing & puffing along the way (really was huffing). Aside from that deer, the remainder of the ~5 mile circuit brought a few Pileated Woodpeckers, a Great Blue Heron, and multiple Thrushes & assorted songbirds. For just a couple hours out, I showed myself yet again that you don't have to venture far from home to see some interesting things, and that yet again my initial statement is holding truthful.
I'm starting to realize that there's no better way to spend a spring weeknight than speeding away from work at 4, throwing on some already dirty hiking clothes, and heading out the door en route to a nearby park. With today's sunny weather, and the temperature hovering in the mid 60's, it was impossible to not do just that. With the weather staying cool the past few days, I figured my chances of seeing any reptiles or amphibians wouldn't be great (at least, not like Saturday), and for the first couple miles this thought process proved unfortunately correct.
(Five-lined Skink at the park, taken 4/26/08)
Not long after I saw the only Ground Skink of the day, and as always, caught it & tried taking photos, which unfortunately couldn't focus on the 2" lizard with any success. I'm not used to seeing only one of the little guys since usually I probably see, or hear, a hundred or more in a day's walk through the bottomland forests of the park. Just before the Otter Point Trail hits the picnic area along the Northwest River itself I spotted a couple White-tailed Deer about fifty yards off the trail standing with the ears up, staring my direction. Just another of those moments where even I'm wondering how I managed to stop at that instant, look in that direction, and pick them out against the background. Like I always think, it's just caveman's instinct... When I reached the shuttle trail & picnic area, I noticed the usual Crayfish burrows in the ditches along the gravel road. If it hadn't have been for digging one up & actually finding a Crayfish at the bottom 2 years ago, I'd still not believe it. These delicious crustaceans construct these mounds out of clay before the ditch they inhabit dries up completely. By trapping a column of water 2 or 3 feet deep, the crayfish ensures its own survival during dry spells. Up north, the crayfish just lived in lakes, who knew.
Next up on the walk was the Marjorie Rein Walkway which passes over the top of a cypress swamp & floodplain. Here I saw a Common Yellowthroat cruise over the boardwalk and disappear into the underbrush. Saturday was the first time I'd ever seen one of these birds, and now, 50 miles away, I saw another one. They must be making their spring migration through the area right about now, so hopefully I'll continue to see them. This area is where the park offers its best view of the Northwest River so I took a few minutes to get some water, and take a few photos. Afterwards, I kept heading clockwise along the Indian Creek Trail, and spooked another deer. This one didn't stick around long, and instead bound away, huffing & puffing along the way (really was huffing). Aside from that deer, the remainder of the ~5 mile circuit brought a few Pileated Woodpeckers, a Great Blue Heron, and multiple Thrushes & assorted songbirds. For just a couple hours out, I showed myself yet again that you don't have to venture far from home to see some interesting things, and that yet again my initial statement is holding truthful.
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