Great Bay Wildlife Refuge (fully handicapped accessible)

Visited the Great Bay Wildlife Refuge today for the first time in a long time
to see what might be running around ! I was in for a delightful time.
The .50 mile loop trail is completed by following the raised boardwalk for the entire time. It took me past many vernal pools, which by the sound of it were filled with spring peepers, although I did not see any of them. At about the mid point you can take a left and head down to the water front and the duck blind. While looking around the blind I saw two small flocks of Ring-necked Ducks, my first and required my field guide to ID them beyond..yep they are ducks of some kind. Continuing on up the boardwalk again I found a small red squirrel who posed for me but scolded me the whole time !! As I continued on I saw someone swimming along in the pond -- an otter or perhaps a beaver but he dropped below the surface without being ID'd for sure. Many local birds kept me company - downy woodpeckers, Titmouse and nuthatches flew from tree to tree and a mourning dove kept a quite cooing in the background.

Leaving the Refuge, I drove a long very slowly and spied a red fox beside the road, he paused and looked right at me, but by the time I could get my camera up he was on his way into the tree/brush line. The trip ended with a stunning sunset over the pines of the refuge. Just perfect.

Publicado el marzo 23, 2012 01:23 TARDE por