I wasn't alone in the woods today.......

Did a little birding the morning of the 26th October (Sunday). Pretty good couple of hours, got a new bird for the list (Philadelphia Vireo), saw a covey of quail which had eluded me all summer, and started seeing some sparrow species that show up around this time of year. Then on the way out I noticed a set of tracks I had not noticed on the way in. Now I realize I am never alone in the woods, there are always lots of critters to keep me company. But when you see these kind of tracks it brings on some new meaning...... a different more primal awareness creeps in and afterwards you are a little more awake than before....... I promise!

Louisiana Black Bear tracks, October 26th 2014, 9:41am.

Louisiana Black Bear tracks, October 26th 2014, 9:41am.

Louisiana Black Bear tracks, October 26th 2014, 9:41am.

Couldn't have planned it to do this well........

At the end of last year I drove an hour and a half southwest to collect some submerged aquatic grass from some shallow ponds near Pecan Island. Judge Edwards (Vermilion Corporation) and I waded through his ponds pulling a pirogue and raking up grass (Widgeon Grass, or Southern Naiad, Najas guadalupensis) and  bagging it in garbage bags, then later into multiple ice chests for transport. The next day I brought it to the large shallow pond on the property and waded through the water punching fistfuls into the shallow soft mud bottom and hoped it would take.....
Well, it took. Now the water is crystal clear and almost every square inch of the pond has it up to two inches below the surface! Take a look.

Could not have planned it to turn out this way if I tried. Wow.



October 4th 2014....approximately one year after introducing to pond.






 

Surprise !

I made a trip to the property today to do a little birding early in the morning and make a walk through with Dr. Mohlenbrock  for an upcoming plant identification course he puts on. At the same time the LSU Youth Wetlands Outreach Program came to the property to plant some trees for service hours. I didn't see anything outstanding or new (bird wise) before the visitors got there (7 -9:30 ), however about thirty minutes after everyone left  (12:30 ish) the place really came to life. I have been trying to get some photos of Prothonotary Warblers and an Orchard Oriole that I have seen but yet to photograph . Anyway I figured it was a long shot but went back to a spot were I had seen both in the past few weeks also where 20 screaming kids had just tromped through and planted trees. I settled down by a flooded pothole on the Levee next to the Weeks Canal to see what would come by. Within a few minutes (no birds yet) a deer came out and I got the pleasure of watching for maybe a half hour or so at a distance of about 30 yards. After the deer had wandered out of site behind some tall rushes I snuck back onto my main trail quietly as to not disturb the doe that was still unaware I was there. I took two steps out onto the trail looking up into the trees for birds and when my eyes came down to look at where I was going.....SURPRISE !......maybe twenty feet from me stood another doe with fawn ....also with a look of surprise. We stared each other down while I slowly inched my camera up and snapped a few.....then they were gone. Check out the birds page for an update from todays trip.....turned out to be a good one.