Towpath

Wow! Today was a magical day on the trail. We got up early and were on the path by 7:30 this morning. (I’d love to make it out at dawn one day, but Chuck is lazy). There was a wild storm last night and the trees still drooped with moisture. Every now and then, a soft breeze moved through the branches and it gently rained down on us. The morning sun streamed onto the path in glorious rays that took my breath away.

Shortly after we started walking, I heard a bird calling off to my right and saw a bright blue indigo bunting perched on a log. I was so excited! I’ve been trying to get a good shot of this brilliant bird all summer and I finally had a good opportunity. The little guy moved around the log, posing for me and singing his little heart out!

We moved on and soon saw a doe standing in the greenery, peeking out at us as she munched on grasses. Small great blue herons were everywhere! They still had some downy feathers and they were more skittish than the mature herons we usually see, so I was able to see them stretch their impressive wings and lift themselves out of the water to glide away with a few powerful flaps. In one wide, calm section of the canal, I saw a great blue heron and a green heron both fishing together. The picture of them isn’t the best, but it was so fun to see them hanging out together!

We walked a long time. As the day grew warmer, the birds retreated from the clearings and their singing was muted. Now, I could hear the cicada’s chatter taking over. It always sounds like summer to me. It starts far off and moves towards you like a wave. It surges and then sweeps past and moves off into the distance only to start again.

We were nearing the trailhead, when I heard a bird calling and calling. I finally found it perched in a tree. It moved around excitedly and finally came out so I could see it. It was a gray catbird. Its mouth was full of a worm or grub of some sort, but it managed to sing even with its mouth full. I wonder if the worm was still alive thinking, “put me out of my misery already!”

Today’s hike was a six mile towpath trek. It’s been a few weeks since we hiked there and the trail is now almost entirely hemmed in on both sides by tall grasses and flowers and reeds. The water level in the canal is very low – entirely dry in some places. The river, too, is slow moving and aching for rain.

We spotted a bunny just off the trailhead. It sat very still and Chuck didn’t seem to be aware of it at all until it darted away. Then, the movement triggered her to jump after it, but the rabbit was far too fast and disappeared into the grass.

When we were able to find a rare break in the grasses, we could see giant carp in the canal. The water is so low that their backs are often breaking the surface of the muddy water as they swim.

We found a little group of mallard ducks – a female and two of her young brood. Right near them, a muskrat was busy collected grasses for his den. It’s not a great photo, but I was able to capture a shot so you can see how close they were to one another. It’s always fun to see neighbors out enjoying a sunny day!

Most of the little warblers and other birds I watched all spring seem to have moved away. The trail is fairly quiet except for the hum of the crickets in the grasses and the drone of cicadas higher up in the trees. Suddenly, I saw a flash of yellow! An American Goldfinch was perched on a branch near the trail. He was out in the clear and he sat still for me for some time so I was able to get a couple nice shots of him. I was so grateful that he posed!

We were almost back to the car when Chuck dove into the grass at the side of the trail and tossed a little mole into the air. It landed on the trail, panting and badly injured. It’s little eyes were scared and desperate. I was holding Chuck back, waiting to see if it would recover and run away, but it didn’t. I was torn about what to do. Should I leave it there to die slowly in the dirt? Should I kill it quickly? Should I let Chuck finish the job? In the end, I could not kill it myself. But I couldn’t leave it there to languish. I loosed the leash and Chuck quickly put it out of its misery.

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Today was perfect!  It was cool and cloudy so there was no one on the trail.  We left from the station road bridge trailhead and headed north.  A few paces in, Chuck found a frog.  Of course,  she had to lick it.  She was foaming at the mouth and shaking her head.  She’s done this before so I knew she would be fine.

We saw loads of blue heron fishing in the canal.  We heard woodpeckers and warblers.  We saw big fish writhing and splashing in the shallow water.  At a bend in the canal, I spotted a belted kingfisher.  We stopped and just stood still for 20 minutes waiting to see if it would land near us.  No dice.

But, as we stood, I could hear so many birds in the surrounding trees.  I could smell the earth and the grass and the honeysuckle.  I could hear the river in the distance.  I was thinking that this must be how a sommelier must feel tasting a great wine.  The delicate pallet picking out individual flavors and savoring the way they feel in the mouth.  They don’t “drink” the wine as much as they experience it.  They sip slowly and taste deliberately.

Like a sommelier tasting a wine, I can only really savor the morning if I take my time.  I have to stop walking and talking and thinking and just try to stand as still as I can and let the sights and smells and sounds wash over me.  It’s cleansing and rejuvenating and one of life’s greatest joys!

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Chuck and I were ravaged by bugs today!  We hiked the towpath and adjacent bridal trail from the Frazee House trailhead.  It’s a great trail with lots of wildlife, but it’s hardly remote or challenging.  Still, at the end of our four miles, we were crawling with ticks and bitten by flies.

I got all the ticks off before they could latch on, and the fly bites are more annoying than painful, but we’ll be better prepared tomorrow!  It’s always a good idea to wear leggings or long pants to avoid poison ivy and pests on the trail.  When ticks are out in force, like they are right now, it’s wise to wear long sleeves and light colors so you can easily spot them and shake them off.  A hat and bug spray are also a huge help!  

Chuck’s thick fur helps protect her, but I am careful to make sure she is always up to date on flea and tick and heart worm prevention.

I did some reading, and it looks like there have been increasing numbers of ticks in Ohio over the last few years. They tend to be prevalent late spring through mid-summer. I’ve never been particularly worried about them, but they can carry Lyme disease, so it’s always a good idea to protect yourself and see a doctor right away if you feel unwell after being bitten by one.

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