Tanya Wagner

In the spring, Chuck and I watched muskrats busy building their nests. We knew exactly where quite a few nests were; we watched the parents swimming to and fro, bringing big bunches of leaves to their dens. Since then, I’ve been looking for the babies, but I had not been able to spot any until today!

We were walking along the marsh near Big Met Golf Course. All the wood ducks were posing for me today. I was happy to see the young ones looking so grown up and healthy. I was watching one of the ducks preen his feathers, when I saw a ripple in the water. I looked closer and saw that it was a muskrat. I sat down at the edge of the water to try to get a clear shot. Then, I noticed that there were other smaller ripples all around the muskrat. Babies! Chuck sat so still with me for ages while I watched them. One little one seemed to tire of swimming easily and it would crawl out onto a branch where I could see it clearly. Oh, the fuzzy little face with quivering whiskers!

I was so focused on the muskrats, I didn’t realize how long I had been asking Chuck to sit still. Finally, she couldn’t take it any more and plunged into the dark oozy mud at the edge of the marsh. I pulled her out right away, but her legs were coated in stinky mud that clung like tar to her fur. She did not appreciate the cleanup required when we got home!

Chuck and I were back in the Rocky River Reservation today. It’s very familiar territory for us. We started from the parking lot at the marina just at the base of the hill when you head down into the valley from Lakewood. We followed the paved path that winds along the parkway. If you stay on the paved path, it stays near the road. Every now and then it approaches the river or turns away to skirt an open field with baseball diamonds and soccer fields. It’s a bit busy with runners and bikers and dog walkers.

So, as we walk, I look for little dirt paths the lead away into the woods. We found one today that took us to the left of the paved walkway down towards the river and then through woods thick enough to feel remote even though we were just off the beaten path.

The river is low now and there were long stretches where we walked along the stony basin. This brought us close to the stately herons and flocks of ducks navigating the current. Eventually, we climbed back up the bank and found ourselves swallowed up by the green canopy and heavy undergrowth. We must have been the first on the trail because we kept walking into spiderwebs strung across the path. I noticed so many of them today, little silvery bullseyes scattered through the forest.

Eventually, we had to head back up to the road. I didn’t expect to see much before we got back to the car, but a little movement in a tree near the trail caught my eye. I quickly turned, focused and snapped a picture of the bird on the trunk. When I looked again to see what it had been, it was already gone. I figured it was a woodpecker, but only when I got home did I realize, I’d snagged a young red-bellied woodpecker. His little head and gray and fuzzy instead of vibrant red and it has the slightly disoriented look of a young critter starting to find its way on its own.

Yesterday was a slow day. It was overcast and cooler than it has been. I was happy to have my mom join us on the trail! We walked and chatted and looked for critters. She loves the woods and the birds and animals as much as I do and it’s a joy to share any experience with her!

It was after 10am by the time we got down into the valley. The early morning bird activity had slowed and the park was busy with little kids’ camps, people walking their dogs and folks getting a workout on the steps near the Rocky River Nature Center. We parked just east of the center parking lot and stopped to checkout a marshy area I know. I was hoping to spot a beaver, but the only inhabitant was a great blue heron. I see these guys everywhere, but I never tire of them. I love the way they stand so still and so regally in the water and strike so quickly to snap up fish.

We left the marsh and hiked over to the nature center area. Milkweed and other flowers were blooming along the trail and we saw quite a few eastern tiger swallowtails. Their yellow wings are spectacular! Like all butterflies, they are important pollinators. In fact, there are some plants, like flame azaleas, that are designed in such a way that small pollinators (i.e. bees) are not able to effectively pollinate them. Only large butterflies with their broad wings can settle on these flowers and transfer pollen from the anther to style. I love to learn about the various things we find in the woods. Everything always has a place and a purpose.

I’ve been getting up quite early so we can hit the trails before the heat gets too intense for Chuck. Today, I slept in. By the time we got to the parking lot at the Mastick picnic area in Rocky River Reservation, it was hot and humid. We headed into the woods. It was dim – illuminated with dappled sunlight – and emerald green. The path wound along near the river. Despite recent rains, the water was low. We could smell the rich scent of mud and the occasional reek of rotting fish. Chuck insisted that we go down the bank, so we scrambled over roots and picked our way over the rocks on the shore to a little spit of sand in the center of the river. The water gurgled and sparkled in the sun. A family of geese watched us from a nearby island. Chuck was so happy to wade in the cool water, lowering her head and scooping up mouthfuls as we walked.

Eventually, we made our way back to the trail and started back toward the car. I noticed a spot in the woods where a huge patch of ramps was blooming. Ramps are a wild onion that has become very popular among foodies. They have a charming flower that is a cluster of creamy blossoms. As I was focused on the ramps, Chuck found a toad on the forest floor. This time, she refrained from licking it. Thank goodness!

We emerged from the woods into a large mown field. Clover flowered everywhere. Barn swallows soared and swooped, feeding on the insects in the grass. I sat in the field and tried to snag a pick of the swallows in flight, but they didn’t like my intrusion. I still got a nice shot of the field meeting the woods.

Today, Chuck and I headed to Rocky River Reservation near Big Met Golf Course. It’s not a new spot for us, but we went earlier than usual since it’s supposed to be very hot today and Chuck struggles in the heat. When we got out of the car, the grass was still wet with dew. In open fields and marsh areas, the morning sunlight was bright and warm, but the woods were still cool and quite dark.

I worked with manual settings again. It’s funny how I feel afraid to leave the safety net of automatic settings behind. It’s like swimming for the first time without any buoyancy. I’m afraid a great shot will present itself and I will miss it because I haven’t chosen the right settings. It sounds silly to say that I’m “afraid”, but I don’t know how else to describe it. In fact, when I think about it, learning new things always requires one to overcome some element of fear.

Actually, when you are a total novice, it’s relatively easy to start learning something because you have no real expectations of yourself and you can excuse errors because of your inexperience. Once you have a bit of experience, however, you start to expect a certain level of performance and you’re afraid to try new things or admit ignorance because you develop this feeling that there are things you “should” know or “should” be able to produce.

I did miss a number of great shots today. I had an amazing opportunity to get a close up of an indigo bunting, which is a beautiful very blue bird. The picture I ended up with is so dark it’s not even worth sharing. I also had a chance at a baby muskrat, but I missed it while I was fiddling with my settings.

Still, I did get some great shots of wood ducks and a deer in the river. I like the details you can see in the birds. Zoom in on the wood duck and look at her eye; she has a bright yellow ring around it, which I never noticed before. I also like the way the morning light looks so golden; you can feel it chasing away the nighttime shadows and ushering in the day.

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