Puck
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Nancy Pond Trail Mountain Bird Watch
I left the trail head at 2:30 am. Fearing a bear and I might startle each other I was a bit nervous hiking into this area with just a headlamp. The woods were wet from rain the day before. A mist hung in the air and was illuminated into a ball of light around my head, I could only see ten feet in front of me.
The stream crossings were not too bad and would have been easier in day light. There were frogs and toads on the path and singing in the woods. By the time I had reached the top of the cascades light was breaking over the eastern sky. The first song I heard was a Swainson’s Thrush soon a few White throated Sparrows had joined in . I found the bog bridges to be very slippery and in need of repair or replacement. I founds slog though the bogs to be safer.
At my first station at the beginning of Nancy Pond I had two Bicknell’s Thrush and some of the other target birds. My thrush count went to zero after this point as I moved on along the side of the ponds. I heard Common Yellow Throated Warbler, Chestnut sided Warblers, Blue headed Vireos and Yellow bellied Flycatchers, Magnolia Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Boreal Chickadee and plenty of Blackpolls This area had a mix bog- shrub and boreal forest habitat. My data sheets looked like a mess as I was trying to record everything. Of everything I heard I only saw a female Blackpoll and three White Throated sparrows. I did hear a frog peeping of in the distance but my imagination and honesty could not turn it into a Northern Saw whet owl.
At the top of Norcross pond I heard a loud splash. I hoped it was a loon or black duck…I might be the first to record these species for this study. It turned out to be a curious beaver trying to figure out what I was. Mammals can be so disruptive.
Some of the trail along Norcross Pond is flooded and hard to pass through. Boots and gaiters were needed. This is not an area for trail runners.
After I completed the main study and the Pilot protocol I made my way back down the mountain stopping to take some photos (which I will post later.)
All in all the trail is in pretty good shape.
I left the trail head at 2:30 am. Fearing a bear and I might startle each other I was a bit nervous hiking into this area with just a headlamp. The woods were wet from rain the day before. A mist hung in the air and was illuminated into a ball of light around my head, I could only see ten feet in front of me.
The stream crossings were not too bad and would have been easier in day light. There were frogs and toads on the path and singing in the woods. By the time I had reached the top of the cascades light was breaking over the eastern sky. The first song I heard was a Swainson’s Thrush soon a few White throated Sparrows had joined in . I found the bog bridges to be very slippery and in need of repair or replacement. I founds slog though the bogs to be safer.
At my first station at the beginning of Nancy Pond I had two Bicknell’s Thrush and some of the other target birds. My thrush count went to zero after this point as I moved on along the side of the ponds. I heard Common Yellow Throated Warbler, Chestnut sided Warblers, Blue headed Vireos and Yellow bellied Flycatchers, Magnolia Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Boreal Chickadee and plenty of Blackpolls This area had a mix bog- shrub and boreal forest habitat. My data sheets looked like a mess as I was trying to record everything. Of everything I heard I only saw a female Blackpoll and three White Throated sparrows. I did hear a frog peeping of in the distance but my imagination and honesty could not turn it into a Northern Saw whet owl.
At the top of Norcross pond I heard a loud splash. I hoped it was a loon or black duck…I might be the first to record these species for this study. It turned out to be a curious beaver trying to figure out what I was. Mammals can be so disruptive.
Some of the trail along Norcross Pond is flooded and hard to pass through. Boots and gaiters were needed. This is not an area for trail runners.
After I completed the main study and the Pilot protocol I made my way back down the mountain stopping to take some photos (which I will post later.)
All in all the trail is in pretty good shape.
