Into the Wild

Scarlet Tanager

The boss and I adventure around the county on an almost daily basis. Early mornings often find us at our favorite birding hotspots, both official and personal. Yesterday though, we hit a trail...or I did while he waited...that we only visit a couple of times a year. This is not because it isn't birdy; I had a dozen species before I left the parking lot.

It's because it's wild. And also because I forget it is there even though two of our other favorite spots, the Schoharie Reserve and Sara Lib Road are right next to it.

Lost Valley State Forest...it lives up to its name. The road dead ends in a sort of a circular parking lot and a somewhat road-like trail leads out of same. The bugs are eager and able. Just in case you wondered, Blackfly season, which normally ends in July, is not over yet. Just breathe and they are your friends for life. They revel in the taste of Skin-so-Soft, and Repel, which are my insect deterrents of choice. They also revel in the taste of...me...but that's another story.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

We had a go at LVSF on my birthday. Alas the holiday had the woods full of the sounds of racing engines and general mayhem. I mean it sounded like a chainsaw convention in there, although I believe the noises were off-road vehicular, so I walked a few yards into the wild...not your usual woodland wild, but plenty wild all the same...and then retreated to the car.

Yesterday it was quiet except for bird song and the hungry whine of attacking insects. I thought casually to myself, as I have been considering black bears lately on my hikes, that this would be a good spot to encounter one. Lo and behold I immediately came upon some great big, very plain and clear tracks, right across I puddle I was muddling around. Then I noticed the scat. The track was fresh, the scat was probably from last fall...not much left but wads of reddish deer hair. It was well distributed though.

I am no expert. This could have come from a large coyote but...

These didn't

 

We don't visit LVSF during any of the hunting seasons because that seems just plain foolish.

Anyhow, I thought about chickening out and going back to the car, but I quickly noped that idea. There were birds all around, singing even this late in the breeding season, and I wanted to be out there counting, and hopefully photographing them.

Red-eyed Vireo

To cut to the chase, if there was a bear around it didn't want to see me any more than I wanted to see it. Scarlet Tanagers were another story. I encountered at least six, singing all around me. Their raspy calls were so ubiquitous that they became background noise. Then almost at the end of the trail I encountered a whole family, a ridiculously vibrant red-and-black male and a mess of greenish yellow young uns. They obligingly paused in a snag while i grabbed some photos with my new camera.

Eastern Wood Pewee

I ended up with 29 species, not a great number compared to spring when the warblers are passing through but not terrible for July. I made close acquaintance with the mosquitoes of the shade and the deerflies of the sunlight, as well as a lifetime supply of Common Yellowthroats, Veerys, and tons of other fun birds. I don't think they are birded much, as just a little bit of pishing brought them right out to scold me. List here. It's a fun place to hike if you are not an utter coward (like I usually am) and there is the added bonus of nice red raspberries here and there. 

Yard birding is becoming interesting again. Apparently the dispersion of birds from their nesting sites has begun and both a singing Eastern Towhee and a frantically foraging Blue-winged Warbler hit the yard yesterday. Today it began to rain just as I passed the front porch door this morning, so most likely we will not seek any excursions into the wild...maybe tomorrow. Have a great weekend.