TNR (SD), IRS

Tuesday, I met up with the Squirrel after work to get in a couple of laps around the Back Cove.  There were hardly any parking spots; what a difference the weather makes!  There were actually breaks in our conversation...because we had to separate to pass the two or three abreast walkers or slower runners.  We also went must faster than usual.  Amazing what flat ground, no ice, no roots, and no mud can do for pace. 

Tonight (or last night now), the IRS convened for an another amazing, and amazingly different, run.  We were less than .25 miles in when I started noticing the nightcrawlers.  I made Unstrung stop to witness the big, slimy suckers slither into their holes.  It so brought me back to my childhood.  My brother and I always would go out with flashlights - Whoa!  If we had headlamps, we could have caught twice as many!!! - to get them for fishing.  About every other year we'd try to get enough to sell, but, instead, would end up with a bunch of dead worms.  If you haven't ever smelled them dead, well, good for you!  Xar took just a little bit to start noticing them as we ran.  I had to stop to demonstrate proper pulling technique once.

The next surprise, there were a few June bugs out.  Their name always seemed well earned since they seemed to appear the first nights of June.  Well, I hope some raccoon gets an early treat.

We talked pretty non-stop, perhaps why we only saw creepy crawlies and no mammals.  I keep thinking we'll see a skunk, coon, coyote or porcupine, but...probably not gonna happen.  I believe, besides more nightcrawlers, our next sighting was the leach.  In our stream crossing, I thought I'd show Xar the crayfish that live in the water.  Instead, we were grossed out by the leach.  I'm glad Unstrung was the first to stop  to check for unwanted parasites.  I was a close second.  I think I stopped more. The fields were very wet, with areas of nearly extreme mud.  I think the mud made us think we had icky creatures on us.

It was across the street, on the only real hill around, that we saw both of the blue-spotted salamanders.  We were both pretty excited.  I've never seen that type before.  After the second one, Unstrung proposed our nature show, very similar to Crocodile Hunter, without the crocs or poisonous things. 

I forgot to mention that all this time we were being blessed with the sounds of peepers and wood frogs.  I wouldn't say they were in top form, but they were definitely making a beautiful noise. 

We saw Venus and Jupiter in the west.  Mars was in the east.  I know Saturn was supposed to be up, but we couldn't pick it out.  Looking skyward, I saw a shooting star! 

The meeting adjourned.