Animal Attraction

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday's run except that I brought my camera.  I hoped the porcupine would be back out.  While s/he wasn't, I saw lots of wildlife.  You'll have to take my word.  I don't think I got good shots of any of them.  I can't see the picture clearly without my glasses and with the glare.  The only thing I could see was the little red "shaky" hands letting me know I wasn't steady.  Ha!  I knew that : )

I startled a pair of what I thought were Wood Ducks, but really wanted the picture to confirm.  They were away quickly.  I little water bird hung around, apparently not too afraid of me.  I know the little sometime-stream has crayfish and little bullheads (hornpout, to some).  I kicked around some rocks to see if I could locate any, but, no.  As a kid I loved catching Mudpuppies.  I haven't seen them in Maine, but haven't looked that many places either.  The biggest one I caught was probably 4-5 inches, but they were mostly under two.  They look somehow prehistoric or the stuff of old monster movies.

look for the diving duck right in the center

Oh, yeah, the run.  At the Sabattus River, I started more ducks, but just your plain old Mallards.  On my return, the little water bird was still checking out the little trickling stream.  Still couldn't manage a clear shot.  Back near Linda's new pond, I stopped to get a shot of some of the apples floating in the water (Spot likes to try to bob for these : ), but saw a little pin-tailed diving duck duck under the water.  I waited a bit to see where it popped up.  I didn't get a clear shot, but perhaps someone will be able to see in among the branches and cattails.

totally forgot to mention all the turkeys; they're so common

looking down the Sabattus River from the snowmobile bridge crossed in the fatass

pines along the Sabattus

poison ivy...hope not too much was in the non-mowed parts I ran through

the little streamlet

the beaver is somewhere in there, but...

where I dead ended

Off to the hill across the street still with the hopes of seeing the porcupine, an animal that wouldn't even try to get away.  Like I said, no such luck.  I continued on to the beaver swamp.  Since I had the camera, I hung there a little longer, not really with much hope.  BUT!  There the little guy was slightly up swamp from me.  I knew there was no way it would show up and decided to check out one of the little side trails leading off from the head of this one, hoping it would lead to the other end of the water.  While it was a fun diversion, the trail just sort of ended in a tangle of trees, weeds, and muck.  Still, I knew s/he was still alive.

Even with all my stopping for pictures and animal watching, I got in 6.6 in 1:21:something and had a pile of fun.