The Winter River Trails at Suffolk showed a very different side from when we snowshoed there five months ago. On Sunday it was 27c with very little wind and insect life was in full swing. The complete route is 6.4kms and the elevation change around one hundred feet, so plenty of uphill slogs and downhill slithers during our two hours and ten minutes of hiking. But that is to get ahead of myself.
In the gravel parking lot at the trailhead we paused to slather on sunscreen and insect repellant.
"Are you walking like that?" Susan asked, pointing to my face. I glanced in the car door mirror and saw I had unabsorbed sunscreen spread on my nose and cheeks and a good part of my glasses frames. A quick rub and a final primp in the mirror and I was good to go!
The Spring melt has uncovered exposed tree roots and fallen branches. Nonetheless the path was not difficult for us seasoned walkers! We saw very few people, and none when we reached there remote northern loop. That was where we had our nicest surprise of the day.
There was a mighty clattering in the high branches above us followed by the airy thumping of huge wings. To judge by the colour I first thought this was an osprey however when the bird soared out over the river we could see it was a juvenile bald eagle. We stood quietly on the river bank and watched and listened. A number of young eagles were squawking for food and we saw them chasing the parent birds looking for handouts on the wing.
In all we counted around twelve American Bald Eagles with at least seven perched together in the upper branches of a single tree. Watching them fish in the Winter River was a truly exciting spectacle as they swooped down and raced across the water, dipping in briefly to grab their prey.
After this personal demonstration we were pleased to find four large feathers, each at least a foot long, which the girls will be happy to add to their collections.
No comments:
Post a Comment