Catskill Wildlife

[MattC]

Yesterday I did my 14th and 15th of the Catskill 35, Eagle and Balsam respectively. As I bag peaks, I am also trying to learn more about the living things in the forest. Several questions for anyone who might know this stuff. All along the trail over Haynes and Eagle, there were many piles of, er... solid waste. They were fairly large, black, and contained lots of round berry pits/seeds. There was some on Balsam as well. Is this bear dung? Deer? Something else? What are the berries they're eating and then spreading around the forest?

There were also a lot of birds on Haynes and a few on Eagle. I never got a good look, but I think they were pale gray or tan, and not that large, not that small. They were hanging around the forest floor looking for bugs, and when I came along they'd take off for the treetops. Their wings made a loud, rapid beating sound, almost startling. Anybody know what these are?
While on the topic of birds, anyone know a good place in the Catskills to see falcons, turkey vultures, maybe an eagle, or anything else besides the ubiquitous hawks?

Thanks,

Matt

Lastly, probably the wildflower I've seen the most of would be the plant with little yellow flowers which stings, causing a brief itch. Is this some kind of nettle? Anyone know a website with lots of wildflower pictures and info? I'll eventually get a Peterson field guide.

 

[snowshoe]

The poop you saw could have been either bear or Coyote. If it was a hudge pile then it was bear. If it was Coyote then it would have looked more like dog poop but much smaller. Most likley it was bear. The seeds in the poop was either rasberry or blueberry. The bird you saw sounds like a morning dove or a grouse. The itching was from the famouse nettle. I really hate them. A good place to see voltures is on any dry ridge top like the eastern Catskills and for Bald Eagles go to the reservoires. Like the Roundout

 

[Jay H]

The big black stuff with berries in it is most likely bear scat, berries being blueberries, blackberries, etc. etc. that it eats that some don't completely digest, hence are spread throughout the bear's territory. I saw a bear north of Balsam about 2 weeks ago, might be the same bear(s). Deer scat would be small roudish brown pellets, certainly not as big as a bear which is an omnivore, whereas deer munch on plants.

The birds that scare the living daylights out of you when you come upon them are most likely grouse. They usually hang around in bunches and when you come upon them, they'll take off through the trees, making loud flapping wing noises and making you jump. That's as much as I know about them.

Re: nettles, yeah, the stinging nettle is a green leafy plant that can have yellow flowers on them:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/weedspeciespage/stinging_nettle/stinging_nettle_page.htm

Hate them..hate them... hate them.

Jay

 

[percious]

Along these lines...

My bud and I are doing the DP over 2 1/2 days in October. Need we take a bear container?

-percious

 

[TomEske]

Percious,
I'm getting to know the DP better than I ever expected to know a trail. No, you don't need a container, HOWEVER I strongly reccomend a properly hung bag, at least 150ft from your tent. I also cook well away from the tent location and hang my pack on a tree that is not too close. Mini-bears (coons, porkys, skunks, etc.) are more of a real threat aslong this trail. Bears are occaisional visitors, unless you really have something that gets their curiosity up.
Lots of wildlife in the notches on the eastern half at night. Jimmy Dolan Notch has a nice campsite just south of the three way trail junction (no signs) which has a great (legal) view of the valley. (You can see my house from there with binoculars.) This site seems to have a game trail through it and I have had deer stomp at me in the middle of the night.
Great Hike, Enjoy,
Tom

 

[Jay H]

I might be haunting the catskills at night. I like ice cream, but then I've not seen many hikers with ice cream around .

Yeah, a bear canister is probably not necessary, there are a lot of bears in the catskills but since we don't have the masses as the ADKs (I like it that way too!), it's not as big a problem as the porcupines (And not David G). Like Tom says, lots of little creatures to spook you at night though.

2 1/2 days, where you planning on camping, Devil's Kitchen and Devil's Acre leanto?

Jay

 

[MattC]

Snowshoe and Jay, thanks a bunch for the responses. I keep trying to pick up wildlife/plant knowledge here and there. I'll definitely have to check out those areas for the birds.

Percious, have fun on the DP. I know you'll love every minute of it. Great views from Sugarloaf and Indian Head, and the notches are cool too, especially Pecoy Notch. Also do Plateau if you can. Good strenous ascent, views at either end, and a dense beautiful forest. I haven't yet done Twin, and actually may around the time you're there.

 

[tonycc]

Around here, western part of NY, this could also describe racoon scat. Lots of large piles, many times found on tree braanches or fallen logs. They particularly love wild grapes this time of year. Don't know about coons or grapes in the Cats.

Tony