CDC information on Lyme's Disease

Please follow this link below for information on Lyme's disease.  Please do not let this keep you off the trail.  Bug spray, checking often can prevent this from occurring.  I will see you on the trail in a few days once I get a few days of the antibiotics behind me.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/

Lyme's Disease on the Trail

A recent diagnosis has been one for Lyme's Disease from a tick received on the trail.  After 5 to 6 days of flu like symptoms, a bulls-eye shaped rash appeared at the site of a tick. Please be caustious to check yourself,kids, animals for these little critters.  My family are out in nature "alot" and know to check for ticks.  In a 10 day period of time, I personally had 5 already inbedded.  I stay usually to the trail and am not walking through brush.  Please check yourself often while out and about.  I have lost a week of time to no energy and what seemed like the flu.  Take care Trail Walkers and I will see you out there in a few days. 

Friday

It is a beautiful day today.  It is getting a bit warm again, but beautiful.  Puppy and I enjoyed a nice walk along the Mainland Farm end of the trails.  We stopped to let no less than 15 deer cross our path.  The deer were ranged widely in age and size.  We crossed over the Mainland farm and could see more deer out toward the Jamestown end of the fields.  The wheat is beautiful at this time and about 2 feet high.  Other than a few squirrel and the Great Blue Heron being out on the pond, it was just a nice walk. 

Deer

Yesterday, our walk included more deer, woodpecker, a frog nesting.  At a side trail, we startled the Great Blue Heron.  I tried to get a picture of him in flight, but was tangled up in the dog leash. Further down a trail a deer grunted at us before running off.  I also saw a few Cardinal.  I heard the call of the Pileated and the hammering of another woodpecker, possibly the Red-Headed I had seen the day before. I hope to capture this little guy on my camera. 

Monday in the Park

Yesterday was a cool morning followed by a day of downpouring rain.  In the morning we saw a few deer, cardinals, mourning doves, the Snowy egret was in her usual spot.  I did notice where the Pileated woodpecker have moved to since the babies are now out of the nest.  I also noticed a Red-headed Woodpecker which my bird book says is quite rare in the Northeast.  There is at least one alive and well living on the Beaver pond.  I am heading out this morning with the camera to see what I can find on a cool morning. There is never a quiet moment.

This past saturday I saw a snapping turtle in a field and where at first I thought she was trying to move away, I soon realized she was preparing to lay eggs.  I looked yesterday and there is a "nest" now in the spot.

A nice week

This has been a nice week on the trail.  The storm which blew though on Wednesday left the trail littered with leaves and sticks but it was refreshing.  The wetlands were filled a little more.  There was not too much activity on Thursday morning.  The baby pileated woodpeckers are no longer nesting.  There is another tree of woodpeckers but they have been rather elusive.  The wheat on the Mainland farm is about 16 inches high and as green as ever.  A beautiful site to look across the land knowing the history and that it has been producing crops for almost 400 years. 

Friday, 7 May 2010 - a day to remember

Photos are of a Snowy Egret, Unkown, Adult pileated and two baby pileated woodpecker, a Great Blue Heron and a second picture of the unknown bird.

Late April

The following photos were taken last week.  The amount of undergrowth is fantastic.  This photo is of two parents transporting precious cargo across the wet lands. It also shows another look at deer.  Last weekend, a newly born fawn was sighted. It was so new the spots were not visible and the fur was matted. 

Photos coming

Mid April

These photos were taken in mid-April along the trails.  It is amazing to me how fast everything comes alive.  There are always deer along the trail and the Canada Goose is everywhere.

May on the Trail

Today, we had an amazing walk.  The weather has been warm and their is a bit of humidity in the air.  I did not have my camera "of course".  I noticed a Piliated woodpecker flying overhead and land on one of the large pine trees, then I noticed a second piliated woodpecker.  As I walked further along, I heard another one call out.  This was all along the Virginia Capital trail portion along the Greensprings wetlands area.  Further down the trail there was a tiny turtle about 4 inches across making an attempt to climp up the hill coming out of the water area.  That turtle must have thought he was climbing the Mt. Everest when you compare the size of the hill to the turtle.  He had obviously been working hard, so we left him alone and continued along our journey.