Swamp dogs

 

This past July 4th extended weekend I headed up to the Berkshires to Cokane's father-in-law's place.  I drove up Saturday morning partially using printed out directions, a map, and my gps.  Anyone that uses gps knows that sometimes its preferred route is not really a preferred route.  I tried to avoid major cities and highways that I thought would be full of traffic. I ended taking smaller highways through picturesque towns and eventually onto unnecessary dirt roads.  I say unnecessary because my gps made no distinction between a dirt and paved road. I was met by a sign that said "not a through way. no winter plowing" or something along those lines. But I continued onward and made my way to the house. No one was home but I immediately heard some cool birds and was happy to be out of the car and walking around in nature. 

After lunch, grocery shopping and some scenic driving, we headed back to the house.  It was a gorgeous day and we headed out for some stick playing and a walk with the dogs.  The dogs couldn't have been more excited regardless of the constant bombardment from mosquitoes.  We headed towards an emergent marsh along that same dirt road that I drove in on.  Cokane restrained the dogs while I snapped a couple pics and briefly searched for any herps.  Then the dogs were released and immediately dove into the mucky water.  As you can tell from the top pic, they didn't mind marsh muck treatment and we very pleased with the results.

The next day was pretty much all rain, but I arm-twisted Cokane into heading in the backyard swamp and towards another open marsh area surrounding a network of streams.  From an aerial photograph, it looked delightful and full of possible herps.  We suited up in rain gear, walking sticks, rubber boots, and hip waders.  Alas, it was an alder shrubby wetland and the rain got more serious as we got there. So we turned around and headed back to the house.  Maybe next time, I'll continue the hike in hopes that it'll get better as it goes downstream.

I just can't win

I was back at the big lake and beavers galore site. It's my third visit and each visit comes with its own mishaps and setbacks. I'm usually remember everything and I'm the person most likely to carry everything that one could possibly need in a day. I'm beginning to think this site has a curse of mishaps.

Day 1 - I grab the wrong pile of maps and data sheets. So all the maps and datasheets I need are sitting at the office. Thankfully, I have an aerial photograph of the site. Of course, the aerial photograph doesn't have the original wetland delineation and it means I'll have to rewalk that portion of the site to take the datasheets later. I initially forget my camera at the car and have to go back for it.

Day 2 - The first day I drove from the office to the site. So taking a different route straight from home, I miss the exit because its number was wrong on the web directions. I take an alternate exit and wrongly believe that it is quicker to fumble my way through the scenic back way rather than turn around and go back to the correct exit. I end up driving in a big circle and run down a squirrel. I'm 15 minutes late meeting my co-worker and surveyor.

Day 3 - Even though I leave 10 minutes early, somehow I'm still 5 minutes late to the site. I try to call my coworker to see where he is, but it goes straight to voice mail. He calls back and we eventually meet up. He is stuck in bad traffic and comes late. We flag a small wetland and then decide to walk the big mountain. I discard my light rain coat since it was warm. We make it up the big mountain and it starts to pour. Neither of us has any rain gear or water resistent gear. It then starts to hail. The rain doesn't stop and we get to the car 30 minutes later. I call the office and find out this rain just formed right over my site. We are drenched and decide to head back to the office. I have a change of heart about 5 minutes down the road. I frantically call my co-worker but he repeatedly doesn't pick up. I get gas and some lunch and head back to the site. I call him again and he's back at the office. I convince him to come back and things are going well. Weather is great and I'm starting to dry up. Then he drops my camera in the water. Thankfully it's my work camera but its game over for it. It's the swamp in the top pic that killed the camera.

Here's a cool shed made of logs and morter.

Here's the last photo before the camera mishap.
Here's what the pictures look like after the drink of water. Nevermind the camera won't zoom. Looks like I'll be rewalking a part of the site for the third time.

Swamp goats

I was at a sprawling farm in the richy richy area of Jersey. The houses and buildings looked unoccupied so I'm guessing this is another piece of property that's been handed off the to the heirs of the previous occupants. My mission was to approximate the location of the wetlands. I knew that the majority of the property was wetlands but that still didn't make things easier. My back is aching from all the soil borings I had to do. Hopefully I can spring back quickly.
On my way out the long driveway, I noticed some goats next door. Of course, I popped in reverse and attempted to lure the goats over.
Here's the brave on. Although it got freaked out when I would take a photo and the flash would go off. But when I bleated back to it, it came back and bleated back. Poor thing with its horned cut...probably had given too many butts to the farmer.