You never know what to expect in the swamp

The big grasshoppers didn’t seem to mind the heat. These guys were involved in making more grasshoppers, at least the victor was. The loser was headed south. There were enough pools in the swamp to keep the mosquito fish in business, but for Rocky Raccoon, it must have been troublesome to wash his dinner. There were lots of ‘coon tracks wandering the mud flats.

Hot ‘n dry in the swamp

It’s been hot and dry, and water is low in the swamp. The webs were sun- baked, not moist, this afternoon. This one took on a golden sheen where a shaft of sunshine peeked down through the trees. I enjoy seeing spider webs with dew droplets glistening on them, too. Close up, they look like beads on a necklace. But they kinda give me the creeps… they give me shivering memories of walking into the sticky stringy messes, and spiders crawling on me. I love the woods, but those encounters are unwelcome.

Hotter ‘n a hen in a hayloft

My grass- mowing project in the country had progressed to bush- hogging weeds. I needed to get it done before it got worse; it surely was hot, though. The recent spell of cool nights seemed to have ended just when I needed it… it never did cool off last night. I took my boy along for an overnight in the hills, and, despite the heat, we had a pretty good outing. We took a detour on the way, for some sightseeing and discussions of people and places and happenings from bygone times. We visited Cousin’s house and caught some nice- sized brim from the pond. We were planning a fish- fry, so we needed enough fish to go around. We had caught several, but wanted two more before going back to start cleaning fish. Wouldn’t you know it... I kept missing strikes, losing fish in the water weeds, and hanging backcasts in the trees and bushes. My boy could only catch bass (I caught two of those, myself). The bass were only recently stocked into the pond, so it’s too soon to start depleting their numbers. We finally gave up, one fish short, and hiked back to start the cleaning and cooking. Supper was good, as was the company, and we had plenty fish.

As we were leaving, there was a buzzing sound from the driveway that I couldn’t recognize. It was a constant monotone and was too low- pitched for cicadas. There, in the shadow, a cat was crouched low. She faced toward a pile of coiled rattlesnake, about two feet away. There was rapid deployment of lights and guns and, at the first shot, Kitty made her escape; I hope she hadn’t already been bitten. That excitement, right there in Cousin's yard, kinda messed up my work projects… it's hard to concentrate on getting things done when you’re constantly watching the ground and flinching at every leaf you brush.

You never know what’s lurking in the swamp

This guy is a white ibis, and I had never seen a wild one this close. I was able to confirm my identification with a picture they had at the swamp's nature center. I also saw a green heron, a few songbirds, and a broad head skink (those guys get pretty big). I visited the swamp today, on my way to work. I usually get to see some critters on Sundays… they open at noon, so I get to the trails before other visitors have frightened the wildlife. Weekdays, in the summer, there is youth programming… day camps. By the time I get there, in the afternoon, the animals have usually had all the excitement they can stand and are in hiding. The swamp will host a couple of night hikes next month, and I think I might like to join them if time permits.

A little work, a little play... glad to escape the city

Well, I had to come back to town… even part- time work interferes with my fun. It’s been a busy few days in the woods; I played some, got some things accomplished, and greatly appreciated being away from the city. I got my weedfield mowed with a big tractor and that saved me the sweat and toil of marching behind my little one over all that rough ground. I was glad to get that mowing done to enhance the wildlife habitat, and I need to plow a piece of it too. Unfortunately, I still have to leave a wide swath of the frontage grown up with weeds, to avoid all those good citizens poaching deer from the road. There are multiple shift changes… all day and all night, so a lot of trashy people pass on that road. I am continuing to work on developing a hedgerow across the front; progress is slow and it is slow- growing. I think I have stopped the power company from continuously destroying it, but I am beginning to doubt whether I can live long enough to complete it.

I continued my fence repairs at the old family cemetery, and have most of that completed, now. Wow, that’s a hot job and I’m not accustomed to such. Working short stretches, early morning and late afternoon, and drinking lots of water, I have made good headway. I probably would never be able to repeat that project, but I hope the repairs will last until after I have claimed my own plot there. I was working there on my Dad’s birthday (he would have been 86), but was too busy and too hot to do more than merely acknowledge it. I had never spent long periods at the cemetery, and was amazed how much traffic there was. Lots of people visited while I was there and everyone felt the need to interrupt my work… I won’t go back on a weekend. An interesting side note: next weekend, the annual hummingbird gathering will be held at the Rogillio property, which surrounds the cemetery. I must work, but maybe next year… They will capture, band, and record biometric statistics on the hummers, and enthusiasts come from all over.

I had some first- rate critter encounters on this trip. Lots of birds were flitting around and singing. After an afternoon shower, two armadillos came charging through the woods. They were of adult size, and I don’t know whether this was a matter of foreplay, or some kind of territorial dispute. Then a rabbit came nibbling things around the yard, eventually hopping off toward my garden spot. Just as daylight was fading, a young ‘coon, about half- grown, came prowling around. Soon after dark, I heard a deer snorting nearby. So, it was quite an interesting wildlife parade, that day.

The next day, I drove into the yard, returning from my cemetery project, and a deer bounded away. She seemed to have been under the pear tree, probably feeding on fallen fruit that those pesky squirrels have been knocking down. A rabbit passed my window the next evening, too; I think he was smaller than the previous one. Maybe the whole family is over there, gobbling up my young plantings. When I walked over to check the cutover field, there was a coyote poking around. He was successful at finding food… I saw him catch something and give it a shake… maybe a mouse or bug of some sort. After watching him for a while and taking a few pictures, I stepped out into the open. He soon spotted me and loped off to the woods.

At church, Cousin was telling me that I should come fishing at their new pond. It was reworked and stocked about a year or two ago. It was a pond Uncle had built years ago; I had fished it a number of times, but it’s been a long while… I recall some nice bass.

I really needed to get back to the fence- work after lunch, Monday, but first I wanted to check for ATV tracks in the creek… those kids get out of hand and tear up the land if you don’t stay on top of it. On impulse, I kicked off my boots and went wading up the creek, squishing the sand between my toes… I hadn’t done that in a while, either. I didn’t find a fishing hole or even a spot for skinny- dipping, but I had a nostalgic time. I was relieved to find no ATV tracks, even in Panther Creek, but erosion damage from the recent rains was obvious on the neighboring property.

So I shorted my Monday afternoon fence- work. After my sunshower (by the way, 98- degree water is not warm enough in a breeze), I headed over to try fishing the pond. . When I arrived they were talking about the hogs rooting up the pastures. I happened to have my bow along for some practice shooting, so I dragged it from behind my truck seat and went for a hike. Sure enough, there were a number of rooted- up spots. I saw no hogs, but the sun was still high; I probably should go back and try to help with that hog problem, dontchathink? Barbecue? It was a great walk! I went all the way to the farthest pasture. I saw a hen turkey along the way. The coyotes were howling all around. Their sounds carry farther and longer in those open pastures, than they do in the tight coverts of my place. On my way out, the two donkeys caught my attention. I was walking along, watching the donkeys and something fluttered away right beside me—brrrp—scared the wits out of me. I didn’t see it; had to be a quail.

I took my fly rod, walked over the hill to the pond, and caught a fish on my second cast. The pond had been stocked with fast- growing hybrid brim, and this one was bigger than my hand, heavy and thick through the body… beautiful fish. They were aggressive and gullible, and put up quite a fight… I’ve got to bring my boy. I made only about 9 casts and missed 3 strikes, but I caught and released 4 big brim and was quite impressed with the pond.

High water in the swamp chases the critters out of the flood- plain. This little skink was still smiling, but perhaps a forced smile. Bunnies were grazing around the parking lot, risking the people- threat to gain higher ground.

Swamp's fillin' up

I had a quick rainy- day jaunt in the swamp, yesterday. The water was rising, but had not yet covered the boardwalks. It was cool and the birds were singing happily. The wood ducks sailed through the woods, squealing; they didn't seem to mind the weather. The ground is already saturated and this wet stuff is likely to continue for a while.

Maypops

I have always been impressed by these... some call them passionflowers. They are so showy and exotic- looking! Maypop vines are quite common in my neck of the woods, growing in clearings and along field edges. The fruits are about egg- sized and they turn yellow as they mature. They are said to be sweet; I know they are full of seeds and make a "pop" when squeezed. But, like some of the other wild fruits, I never seem to get a sample because the critters like them so much. Maybe I could cultivate some of these and keep them out of reach. I bet they would make jelly or wine.

Swamp Creature

I met this weird moth yesterday,on a trail in the Bluebonnet Swamp. It [she?] was running toward me rather quickly, was impressively large, and had only vestigial wings. The moth was nearly the size of my finger. She was about the same size as that water oak leaf which is also in the picture. While I was stopped with the camera in hand, she climbed on my shoe. When she headed up my leg, enough was enough! I went on about my business and left her to her's.

Friends said it may be a luna moth; that had been one of my guesses, too. I finally matched a picture of it on this website.

First Thursday

After the daily monsoon, I got away for a quick Tramp through the Bluebonnet Swamp trails. The rain left it very cool and the air was washed clean. Not many critters moving, but the flora looked fresh and sparkly. While I was there, the director helped me with some map questions about BREC facilities. I am on a determined search to find a variety of convenient fishing spots.

Thursday night’s meeting of the hiking club included an interesting discussion of gear; and I was especially pleased that Little Sister joined me for the meeting. She seemed genuinely enthused and observed that “those people are really serious about hiking”. Little Sister is emphatic that she is a day hiker and “not going to sleep in the woods”.

And I won a door prize, a fine pair of Smartwool hiking socks. I had been admiring those in the catalogs and they get good reviews, but I never could justify the expense to test- drive a pair. Up- close and personal, they look really good. I’m washing them right now, and will try them this weekend.

Nature Deficit Disorder

I have always suffered from this malady, knew the symptoms, and knew what was needed to cope with it. However, until I saw the term in Backpacker Magazine, I did not know it had a name and was not aware that fellow- sufferers were out there. Although I have more free time nowadays, work and domestic demands continue to keep it cut up into awkward chunks. Frustrated by inefficiencies of time use and today’s high cost of rambling, I have been seeking outdoor opportunities that are nearby, convenient, and cost- efficient in terms of time use and travel expense. I have found some interesting hiking options in the local parks; those are much more to my liking than pounding streets or sidewalks, and I would stay in bed rather than go to a shopping mall. Along these lines, I have been pondering and researching local park options for fishing spots. Today’s cross- town trip was to the Blackwater Conservation Area, and I was very pleased to find such a lovely park site. This is a reclamation project by the Corps of Engineers and managed by BREC, of former gravel pits located along the Comite River, and the site is dedicated to casualties of the September 11th attack. There are lakes, river access, gravel- paved trails, and woods. I saw bunnies and birds and not- too- many people. Bank- fishing was difficult, with willows and brush along the shores and water- weeds extending out into the shallows. I only managed to catch a few small brim, but there were bass swirling and I saw some larger brim. I’m going back soon, with my canoe to access better spots and at a better time of day. Wish me luck!

Nemesis of my garden

I may have discovered my garden problem; I thought it was deer eating up my plants. Maybe I need to cook some jambalaya. It’s difficult enough, on a part- time basis, to keep my gardening ahead of the weeds. Then, what the weeds don’t choke out, this guy eats. I found him hopping around the yard, apparently checking whether there were any new edibles planted; he doesn’t seem to like squash or tomatoes. I’ll try stringing some wire to keep him out of my fall planting; and a short fence will also keep the armadillos from rooting in the garden. They’ll be easier than contending with deer; I may need to just plant extra for the fence- jumpers.

Summer Solstice: Hike- naked Day

Did anyone out there celebrate the occasion? Here’s a link to some explanation. High summer in Louisiana is almost too hot to hike; better to do short trips that end in a creek or a hammock.

Tickfaw Report

I took a new fly fisher over to Tickfaw State Park today. It’s an excellent location for novices: close to home, civilized amenities, and the fish are biting. The Tickfaw River is fairly easy to fish, too. The current is easy to paddle a canoe in, either upstream or down and there’s lotsa fishing structure to cast to. There are holes and shallows, treetops, logs, cutbanks, sandbars, grass edges, and overhanging trees (I decorate those with my flies sometimes).

It was a nice afternoon trip. We got off of work at 2 pm and got there with plenty of time for fishing. The weather cooperated, too. Deer flies buzzing around us were a bit of a nuisance; one must swat cautiously to avoid upsetting the canoe or embedding a hook. On our paddle back to the landing, there was a log blocking the bayou and we thought we were lost. With no bug spray and no flashlight, that could have turned into a miserable night in the swamp! Apparently, the log was floating around and the free end had swung across the channel. We squeezed around the end of the log and found familiar landmarks. On our paddle back to the landing, we saw a hen turkey and her half- grown chick perched on a log that leaned across Gum Bayou.

The fish were small, but lotsa of bites are good for a novice and the scenery is nice. It’s also worth noting that they have rental canoes… you don’t have to own a boat. I noticed that there is a pond on the park property, too. I must explore that in a year or two; I learned that the pond was built about a year ago and stocked two weeks ago. I have been wanting to set a line for catfish, too. And bass; I have only fished for brim, but I often catch a small bass or two, so I know they are in there. Maybe there are some big ones. The state record spotted bass came from somewhere in the Tickfaw River. Around the state park, there is certainly ample forage for big bass. There are lotsa small brim and we saw schools of mullet or shad popping along the surface. I’m ready to go back!

Take a hike

Summer hikes in Louisiana are best in the mornings. I recently joined the Louisiana Hiking Club (check out the website) and today I went on my first outing with them. We visited several spots without ranging far from home. The summer heat built quickly, but I was back in BR before the afternoon showers began. At Port Hudson SP we hiked the trail to Fort Desperate. Some climbed observation towers on the way to the museum. The air conditioning felt good while we wandered around the exhibits, and we were refreshed for our guided tour of some battlefield sites. We lunched at Audubon SP, saw a presentation on Audubon’s life there, sampled soft- drinks typical of the 19^th century plantation, and had a guided tour of the Oakley House. The Mary Ann Brown Preserve was nearby, and we made a brief visit, mostly to see where the facility is and what it is like. Naturally, I spotted the pond and wanted to learn about fishing possibilities. Today’s trip was a very nice getaway. I enjoyed hiking with old friends and meeting new ones. I’ll definitely involve myself in more hikes with this likeable group.

They’s ticks in them hills

I think I’ve never seen so many ticks; they are in the woods, in the field, in the yard, in the berry patches, in the trees, in the grass. I saw a recent message- board post on the computer, complaining about somewhere out west…. Seems this guy was finding hundreds of ticks while hiking; I didn’t see anything like that. Still, there were more ticks crawling on me than I was accustomed to. I was pondering the reasons why there seems to be so many ticks; I guess it could be global warming. Space aliens seem unlikely, and communist plots are not as threatening as they once were. Maybe our assault on biodiversity has diminished some important tick- predators. Whatever; the ticks were a good excuse to stay out of the woods. I forgot to bring my sun- hat, so I should avoid too much heat and bright sunshine. Lots of birds were out and very busy, so they required watching. Church with the cousins didn’t start until 9 and then there was a sendoff for the pastor who was being replaced. It’s amazing how many reasons require me to avoid work. Oh well, I’ll just recycle my To- Do list… maybe that is a good conservation practice. I was touched by that church visit; I hadn’t been inside there for a long time… it was coming home, and there was a communion service. Mostly it was family, and it was a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Whenever I enter that little church, I think of my grandfather’s funeral there. It is not troubling thought, just a memory that always comes to me. Beside the road this morning, a pair of quail flushed and flew away together… another half- century- old memory… my grandfather was a bird hunter and would save quail to feed me when I visited.

Indian pinks… learn something every day if you’re not careful

I found a labeled picture of these at the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature center (they are celebrating their ten- year anniversary on Saturday, by the way). These native wildflowers are Indian Pinks, Spigelia marilandica. My own picture was taken in the Tunica Hills... serendippity... it was a place where I started down the wrong trail from a hilltop. It is amazing how a small miscalculation at the top of a hill can translate to such a great mess by the time one reaches the bottom, with briar- patches, ravines, blow- downs and sheer distance between you and your destination. My post is rambling… anyway, I happened upon this patch of flowers and was astonished. They were beautiful and their bright colors stood out boldly against the greening of early spring. I’ve seen something like these before, but I didn’t know they were natives; and I didn’t know they grew in my woods. I guess my forays to the forest have always been brief during the spring… too busy trying to make a living… seems I have been missing a lot.

Happy Mother’s Day!

I heard a turkey gobbling across the road this morning. There was a dove cooing and every time the dove would call ”ku-coo, coo, coo, coo”, the turkey would gobble in response. I figured they were both serenading for Mother’s Day. I listened for a half- dozen times, but I had to move on… I, too had mothers to visit.

Another cottonmouth encounter

I saw another snake, perhaps the same cottonmouth as in my recent picture, on the creek bank. He was about the same size and only about 100 yards away. This time he was lying in a small drainage close to my cabin, beneath the foot- plank that I use to cross the stream. It made him nervous when I stepped one foot down onto the footbridge… he reared his head and opened his mouth in his threat display. It worked, too. Seeing that white maw, which gives cottonmouths their name, upsets me… I backed off; it was too close for comfort. He didn’t seem to like my company, either; and slithered off into a hole, allowing me to cross the bridge. Seeing so many snakes certainly keeps me attentive to where I am stepping. Mid- afternoon, I hiked to a high point on Hickory Ridge to get a cell phone signal and check my messages. I took a round- about route back to camp and within 50 yards of that same footbridge, there was a cottonmouth in the trail. Now, I needed to come down off the ridge and that trail was the only reasonable way. The snake was headed up and I was headed down, and we sorta found ourselves at an impasse. I took another quick step toward him and tried to appear as big and as bad as possible… my aggressive, threat- mode. Well, it got his attention and made him nervous, but it was counterproductive, as he held his ground and assumed his own aggressive threat- mode. My adrenaline was pumping, but he wasn’t getting the best of me! I was armed with a hiking staff and a revolver, and I fully intended to come down that trail. I flailed the ground and stirred the leaves with my staff and finally got the snake moving, but he only went up on the bank about shoulder- high and within striking distance of the trail… not good enough! But I could reach that position with my staff, so I goaded him a little. He wagged his tail and gaped his mouth and coiled up; he was getting mad now. This cottonmouth was difficult to convince, but I kept poking him, and he reared his head and gaped his white mouth, and hid under the weeds, and let out a terrible stink. Finally, he moved on off and let me pass. I’m a little uncomfortable about having a poisonous snake hanging around so close to my cabin, but I killed too many of them when I was a kid. They had me believing that all snakes were vermin to be exterminated, and I was very efficient with my pellet- gun. I came to regret that eventually, and don’t like to bother snakes if they don’t bother me. This guy is showing up too often, though. On the other hand, maybe I would like to propagate his non- aggressive genes… he was slow to anger, didn’t come forward to attack, and didn’t strike when I was poking him. We'll see.... Here's an interesting link I found about cottonmouths.

Why am I a morning person?

I love sipping coffee and watching the day wake up. Out my cabin window, I see the first graying of the sky in the southeast. An owl hoots. The gray turns to a vague light, as the stars fade out. There are scattered bird- calls; some critter is rustling around in the grass and leaves… maybe an armadillo. Across the creek a turkey yelps; my cup is empty and I’m feeling lazy… I probably should fix a refill. Light has come from behind Hickory Ridge now, and is gradually filtering across the sky. The birds are singing in earnest now, fluttering around, and hopping from limb to limb. Daytime is here and I have things to get done; it’ll be hot soon and I’m burning daylight… better get moving.