Blue Goose ~ Day 122

September 29, 2014 ~ Jeffersonville, OH to Miamisburg, OH

In my map box, I had an Ohio Prairie pamphlet. These are the tallgrass prairies here in the Midwest with several areas in southwestern Ohio. I used to think of prairies as mostly a monoculture of waving grasses but:

WWW.NPS.GOV

Tallgrass prairies are an extremely complicated web of life. At first sight, one sees a landscape dominated by grasses. Eighty percent of the foliage is indeed made up of grasses, from 40 to 60 different species. The other 20% of the primary vegetation is made up of over 300 species of forbs or flowers. The prairie also has over 100 species of lichens and liverworts as well as numerous species of woody trees and shrubs along creeks and protected areas. 

Historically, periodic fires and grazing (buffalo) helped maintain these landscapes, but the plow changed that. Wikipedia states that "99% of the original tallgrass prairie is now farmland." Of course the birds and mammals dependent on them disappeared also. Today, remnants are found in old cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way, on high bluffs above rivers. And there are the restoration projects.

Possum Creek MetroPark is one of the places where tallgrass prairies are being restored. I wandered about several habitats in this peaceful park, trying to imagine a tallgrass prairie to the horizon. This time of year, it is a melange of drying flora, including autumn wildflowers, not brushy or woodsy or impenetrable but still dense with plants 6-8 feet in height and home for an insect orchestra. The bugs were much fewer in the woods. Instead, dry and crinkled leaves dropped continuously - a leaf rain - making a crackling sound as they landed. I stood with my eyes closed and that was all I heard, other than an occasional buzz or a very sporadic bird call...a relatively uncommon wood-music.

It was 85 degrees, not humid, sunny, with few other park visitors. Many of these preserved places have educational and/or historical information at the trailheads. I came on two old rusted streetcar frames back in the woods, leftover from the days when a WWI veteran bought the land and created a grand park for the people.

WWW.METROPARKS.ORG

Argonne Forest Park was founded in 1930 by Daytonian Null Hodapp, who returned from WWI and had a successful career as a judge in the area. Null purchased nearly 400 acres of wooded land along Germantown Pike and named the property Argonne Forest Park in honor of the Unit he served in during the war. Development of the park began with the construction of a veteran’s clubhouse. Behind the clubhouse, to the south, was a carnival-like midway. Development of the clubhouse area was followed by other additions. These included a swimming hole and diving platform, baseball diamond, shooting range, dance hall, pony and horse tracks, and a figure-eight auto race track.

Possum Creek MetroPark - OH (near Dayton) 

I am a reluctant historian but keep coming on fascinating vignettes, like this one but go right on by thousands of others. Wherever I travel in this country, here are the back stories...

Indecisive about my immediate next NWR, I found a Starbucks, then very unexceptional Mexican food and finally a Walmart.

Blue Goose ~ Day 121

September 28, 2014 ~ Marietta, OH to Jeffersonville, OH

I had the idea I would go to Athens, OH, home of Ohio University. I have a vague memory of driving through an Ohio college town years and years ago and thought maybe it was Athens, although now I think it was Bowling Green. Anyway, I was up early, drove to Athens, found a coffee shop in the campus area, parked right in front on an old brick street and settled in. The place was almost empty...for about 15 minutes and then it filled up, first with a girls' soccer team and then with parents and other students. As it turned out, it was Parents Weekend. Definite nostalgia and mild envy... the girls were lovely, the boys handsome, and the parents proud (maybe).

I couldn't resist one of many nearby bookstores and bought two by Philipp Meyer: American Rust and The Son. I have read The Son; it is historical fiction and one of my favorite recently read books. I gave it to Richard who also liked it and passed it on. So this is a recommendation. The setting is Texas.

I decided to work another several hours so made a Priceline reservation for Athens and, too late, discovered it was for Athens, Georgia. Damn! as it was non-refundale, or so their web site said, but I spent an hour dealing with customer service and finally, finally got half of my money back IF I made another reservation ("Due to the extraordinary circumstance....we will refund....."). I then reserved a nice Marriott in Jeffersonville at a very reasonable price, it being Sunday. I cannot be the only person who has made this mistake. A simple warning ("Are you sure you mean Athens, GA?" or any of the hundreds of towns carrying the same names) is definitely within Priceline's capability, but then they wouldn't get their fee for stupidity.

The motel was in my favorite venue...out in the country along a major road but with windows overlooking fields. DHC, it was like Falfurrias, with a nice sunset, which is happening earlier every day. This I do not like...the shorter daylight hours.

On the road to Athens, OH

Blue Goose ~ Day 120

September 27, 2014 ~ Canaan Valley, WV to Marietta, OH

When I asked the proprietress of the motel if there were laundry facilities, she first said no, that they were too small, but then reconsidered and said that if the people in the rooms above their washer and dryer were up by 0830 (I needed to leave by 0945 for the bird walk and the dryer makes a lot of noise), she would knock on my door and I could wash and dry my clothes...which she did and I did and it all worked out perfectly. Another generous gesture on the road. I was glad I stopped and spent the night as I almost went on by.

The bird walk also was good. An extended Asian family with a young boy (probably grandparents, parents and this kid) were present, along with two other women and the volunteer guide, Steve. We drove to a small boardwalk trail and took our time moving on a loop through rather open fields and by an area of tiny springs with open water all year. Watching closely, I could see the mud consistently bubble. It was such a perfect morning...with warm sunshine and blue skies...again. We saw a few birds...not many, moving slowly and stopping frequently. We had a good look at a Swamp Sparrow and Solitary Sandpiper probing in the mud, saw a flicker, goldfinches, a Cedar  Waxwing, a meadowlark....but mostly I felt blessed to be in this place, on this incredible fall morning, chatting quietly with the others, and feeling I was more than holding my own as a birder.  Note the resourceful book-reading, never-bored kid.....

I get it! Canaan Valley NWR bird walk - WV

I went back to the trail from yesterday for an hour, walking down to the Blackwater River, through sunny hardwoods where warblers and chickadees and phoebes were rummaging. I spent at least an hour, half the time just standing, looking and listening, which is getting easier to do all the time. I usually see at least one Nashville Warbler as I did today, along with a female Black-throated Blue and always a mystery bird or two, usually too flitty to see well.

Canaan Valley NWR - WV

All afternoon, I drove US 50 west up and down mountains with warnings for the 9% down-grades posted for trucks. It was a beautiful and scenic drive, with 500 curves. The side roads are often named "Runs" and go up into the hills  along the creeks.

The only other NWR in West Virginia is Middle Island, part of the Ohio River Island complex. Access to Middle Island is from the river town of St. Mary's, over an old steel bridge with a 90-degree turn at the top onto a steep road down to the island. I only drove the auto route here. There were trails through the trees and brush, although some were closed to the public to allow bow hunting. The island is one of 22 protected islands along 362 miles of the Ohio River in this complex. It had that lonely feel, although I did see a few other people. A Huck Finn hideout sort of place.

The first Walmart had a huge parking lot but with not one tree so I moved on to Marietta, OH. There is usually at least one large RV nowadays (one from Utah a few days back) and I park sort of close, feeling an unacknowledged road-trip affinity. It is hard to tell who else is "car-camping/sleeping" as there are always other possibles nearby.

I bought two more packages of the delicious new favorite Almondina cookies and some deli potato salad, read more of The Boys in the Boat and slept fitfully. It is getting colder at night. I have more blankets so will get them out soon.

Middle Island (Ohio River Islands) NWR from the WV side

Blue Goose ~ Day 119

September 26, 2014 ~ Frederick, MD to Canaan Valley, WV

Finally, finally I got out of traffic. I felt that since early August (for nearly 2 months) wherever I went, so did everyone else. Yes, there were a few exceptions, like in parts of New England, but too few.

I drove in thick fog to a nearby Starbucks, left in bright warm sunshine and spent several hours riding into increasing fall loveliness as I went into West Virginia and specifically to Canaan Valley NWR at an elevation of 3200 feet. Of course, as WV is mountainous, the road constantly meandered up and down and around but the leaves were stunning. Every single fall I am awestruck by this spectacle, and today was a surprise since it was unexpected. It was warm but not hot, with no insects except a few grasshoppers.

West Virginia

I passed through Davis, WV, as they were setting up for an annual Leaf Peepers Festival, a typical small town celebration with inflatables, tents, yard sales, a police presence for crowd control, music - all colorful and very different from an urban event. Kids, a horse carriage, people in lawn chairs or moving slowly up and down the 2-3 blocks of the main street, ice cream, hot dogs, the enticing aroma of barbecues grills and smokers, pickup trucks, families pushing strollers....

It took some to actually FIND Canaan NWR. At one trailhead, I met a gentleman who was also looking for it, a professor scouting out venues for birding trips next spring. He taught Recreation  and Ecotourism at West Virginia State University, and we began talking. He had visited many refuges and could speak my language...St. Marks, Necedah, Santa Ana, Bosque del Apache, Bombay.... Between us, we figured the headquarters was only a bit farther down the main road, so off we went, and he talked with a helpful volunteer about contacts and got more information, and I wandered about hoping I could resist buying another book...or anything...successfully.

He told me (the refuge-visiting guy) that he would never forget the time he was visiting St. Marks NWR in Florida. There is a lighthouse here and he arrived the morning after a foggy night in which hundreds of birds got disoriented, were attracted to the light, crashed into the lighthouse and died. He saw bird bodies (all types...big and small) lying on the ground that day. For further information about this hazard, google Lights Out. Many large cities are now at least aware of this problem and are educating the public and industry to take measures to mitigate lethal lighting. Hundreds of thousands birds are killed this way every year.

I learned that there was a guided bird tour the next morning. Since it was one of the loveliest of days and now well into the afternoon, I stopped at the only motel, a quarter mile away. I was wary as it looked a bit marginal so asked to see the room and emphasized that I needed a good Internet connection.  The room was OK, about what I've come to expect from a 1 or 2 star motel, and I was assured re the Internet. I reserved it and went back to the trailhead where I sat there for an hour, in the sunshine in almost total silence at the edge of a woods. Actually, the last 15 minutes I did walk a very short distance on the beginning of a trail leading to the Blackwater River and watched Carolina Chickadees repeatedly return to pick at some weed that emitted white fluffy stuff when they poked at it. Back and forth...back and forth. It was such a perfect day, so evocative (as fall always is for me) of a sense of goodness and well being.

Carolina Chickadee at Canaan Valley NWR - WV

I remembered the last fall Maria was alive, and how we went to the UP for a color tour, which exceeded anything we had ever seen before...or so we told ourselves. We were in cabins on Trout Lake. We collected rocks at the mouth of the Two-Hearted River...a very poignant memory, but I love to remember how she was able to do this and still fully revel in nature. The sun shone that whole weekend. We also went to Whitefish Point and saw a Harris' Sparrow and unsuccessfully looked for Black-backed Woodpeckers on old logging roads in the burned areas. And had completely unmemorable meals, although that was mitigated at one restaurant because it was situated high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

Back in Canaan Valley, there were two restaurants next to the motel, though this was not even a town and, if not ON the refuge, then directly adjacent. Almost all of the refuges have irregular borders which change as more land is acquired, by purchase or donation, so things are dynamic regarding pre-existing properties.

In the first place, a kid that looked like Matthew told me they didn't serve alcohol but "right across the pawnd" was another restaurant that did. I looked around the room since it almost seemed there were two adjoining places wondering what he actually and said, but he repeated himself and I realized he was saying "pond."

And yes, across the pawnd was a small pizza/Italian place, the door was open to the air, the customers a mix of locals and tourists. I learned about the Blackwater Falls Astronomy Weekend event nearby in the state park which I googled when back a the motel. I learned mostly how ambient light is the enemy at a"star party," and all participants (this was mainly a free event, scheduled when the skies were dark) were asked to observe rules concerning whatever light sources they might potentially bring. It takes at least 15 minutes for eyes to adjust again to the skies after exposure to ambient light.  A group at the table next to me were visiting for this, which I learned when I left (paying with a check requiring no ID since credit/debit cards were not accepted) and a gentleman was smoking outside. We got to talking when he told me about the astronomy deal and that one of his party was from Michigan - "the part just below Canada..." And he told me something that still amazes me: the pronunciation of Canaan hereabouts as Ka-nane' - rhyming with sane, the accent on the second syllable. I keep thinking on this and, in fact, asked two other people, thinking maybe he was kidding as it seemed so unlikely to me.

There were tall pines, the pond and surrounding hills all with flaming fall foliage. The people in the house next to the motel were playing bean bag toss. The ambiance worked on me; the motel was modest but not marginal. It was the kind of place that left a key on the desk for a late-arriving guest. The Internet service was fine, the sheets actually kind of silky and the tub/shower worked well.

Canaan Valley NWR - WV

Blue Goose ~ Day 118

September 25, 2014 ~ Bowie, MD to Frederick, MD

Wet red leaves were plastered on my windshield this morning. It was still raining and felt like fall with cooler but not cold temperatures. I found a nearby Starbuck's and spent a couple of hours before heading to Silver Spring on the beltway with the combination of rain and five lanes of heavy traffic significantly reducing visibility, AND my gas warning light was on. 

But it all worked out, and I had a delightful lunch with my former roommate catching up on 50 years....spouses, kids, grandkids, retirement, jobs, vacations, trips, mutual friends, current interests books, parents, future plans, memories.... I had only seen her twice in the years since college. 

She gave me easy directions to "get out of town" so to speak, and I stayed in Frederick, MD, eating Chinese where my fortune cookie stated that "You are not one to give up" or something like that. Not that I had serious intentions of doing so, but......

Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA

Blue Goose ~ Day 117

September 24, 2014 ~ Fredericksburg, VA to Bowie, MD

I woke at 4 in the morning, but the Starbucks 1/2 mile down the street was open 24 hours. Lucky me. I hung out there until the sun rose and then some before traveling north on old US 1 to Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR...another refuge illustrating what one determined person can accomplish:

WWW.FWS.GOV

In the early 1960’s a developer sought out land on Mason Neck to build a planned community and airport. Elizabeth van Laer Speer Hartwell, a local resident, who valued the pristine nature of the peninsula, organized an effort to stop this development. She recognized the potential of the Mason Neck peninsula as a safe haven for the endangered bald eagles along the Potomac River. Armed with enthusiasm and a gift for writing and public speaking, her citizen crusade convinced key Federal, state, and local officials the value of protecting the Neck and the bald eagle for future generations. Elizabeth Hartwell’s steadfast work resulted in the establishment of the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge in 1969 earning her the nickname of “The Eagle Lady”. On August 6, 2006, Congress approved a name change for the refuge to the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge in her honor. 

Mason Neck is just north of Quantico along the Potomac and, since I've read Vince Flynn novels, I felt I was probably on camera somewhere which was actually reassuring as the refuge was wooded and deserted for the most part. But definitely not swampy.

Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR - VA

I walked the paved ("mobility accessible") Great Marsh Trail through gorgeous mature hardwoods to an overlook where I spent an hour, mostly watching the Great birds - Blue Herons (one of which flew in and perched just above me so I got to inspect its reddish thighs, long legs, knobby knees and impressive black feet) and White Egrets which stood in one place preening or resting, and then flew about croaking before setting into a new spot. I saw a Bald Eagle, a Belted Kingfisher, an Eastern Phoebe and Grey Catbird and a Sharp-Shinned or Cooper's in the distance. It was nature-quiet with only large yellow/brown Chestnut Oak acorns dropping and a light breeze shushing in the canopy. The woods here were remarkably lovely even on this day with no sunlight.

Mason Neck is part of the Potomac River NWR Complex, which also includes Occoquan NWR (across a little bay from Mason Neck) and Featherstone NWR (not open to the public).

Great White Egret at Mason Neck NWR - VA

I had an hour of indecision: start moving west or try to connect with a college roommate who lives in the area, and while I was dithering in my mind, I was also on BirdsEye checking out area hot spots. I saw that a Connecticut Warbler had been seen yesterday at the Visitor Center at Rock Creek, a 2-mile long, 1/2-mile wide park administered by the National Park Service right in DC, with dense foliage, steep hills, massive hardwoods and paths and roads and horse stables, a space big and wild enough to support populations of coyotes and grey and red fox. I did eventually get there (no thanks to Siri who directed me in confusing circles through and around downtown Washington, around Dupont Circle, through neighborhoods, passing by the Lincoln Memorial, the Kennedy Center, the Tidal Basin...basically having me go in circles and constantly "re-routing" in her monotonal dispassionate way). I finally pulled over in a bus stop and figured out exactly where I was, where Rock Creek was and how I could get there. I really really love driving in a big unfamiliar city with no good paper map and an impersonal voice directing me willy-nilly, all the while trying to stay in the proper lanes, avoid encounters with other vehicle or pedestrians or not find myself headed toward major limited access routes or beltways or tollways.

All part of the grand adventure and still not as bad as getting on and off Long Island.

At the Visitor Center, two different employees told me precisely where to go to see birds, but I saw more at the garden there, including three warbler species, a juvenile rumpled and very vocal Carolina Wren, robins, catbirds, chickadees, cardinals, jays....

The special spot directions were: "Go to the Maintenance area and walk along the fence and you'll come to an open area, but don't stray too far since there's quite a drop-off; it's steep in there....often birders come after work, or if you're here at 7 in the morning, there will be 10 birders..."

So I went there after a couple of wrong turns and talked the only other birder present, a gentleman who looked like a relative...like he could have been my Dad's brother, and I the immediate thought that my brother would look like this guy in 20 years. He hadn't seen any "neotropicals" in an hour of watching, but I could see this would be a prime viewing venue. I saw three modest metal stools with "Birding Stool" written on the seats. The gentleman had birded all over the US....northern Ohio, Arizona, the Atlantic coast, etc. He noticed my Calvin College jacket and knew Calvin was in Michigan although said he gets it mixed up with Hope and Albion, etc. He indicated he taught (or had been a teacher). I didn't see the Connecticut Warbler, but he told me I might find one at Cromwell Park in Baltimore where the local birders give "very specific" directions as to where they see specific birds. I thought about going there, perhaps tomorrow if the roommate deal doesn't work out.

For the next 30 minutes I listened and watched for the flutter of leaves or movement in the trees indicating bird presence but never got a decent look at anything.

It was now late afternoon, so I emailed my roommate and headed for a Walmart somewhere to the east, wending my way through city traffic until I crossed the Anascostia River in Bladensburg and saw a couple of crew boats on the water. I am reading The Boys in the Boat so pulled off in time to see the kids carrying their boats overhead. Now I wished I had gone to the big venue for rowing on this river at the Anacostia Community Boathouse. And I learned that sculling involves two oars per person with 1, 2 or 4 people in a boat, while rowing (sweep rowing) involves one oar per person with teams of 2, 4 or 8 people per boat. And that coxswain is pronounced cox-n.

Anacostia River - MD

I moved from one Walmart parking lot (sketchy and prohibited parking) to another farther east at Bowie, had delicious salmon at a restaurant across the street and read for awhile. I woke to rain and felt totally cozy in my wee house.

My roommate had responded, so I'll meet her for lunch tomorrow.

Blue Goose ~ Day 116

September 23, 2014 ~ Virginia Beach, VA to Fredericksburg, MD

I woke to a definite change in weather. It was fall-like for the first time this year with much cooler temperatures, overcast skies and dry leaves skittering in the parking lot.

Smart phones are everywhere....everywhere. I too use mine constantly to navigate and find places and check on bird sightings and text and email so shouldn't have been annoyed this morning when I sat too close to a 60+ year old woman who acted as though her iPhone was the most interesting thing in life. She chattered incessantly to a male companion about what she was seeing on the phone and how she uses it and what she does with it, ad ad ad nauseum. Like she was so flushed by her tech knowledge. Her inane chatter at loud volume showed she had a disregard of the rules of the social interface in a public place. Then a 30-something woman came in, did the air kissing thing, talked about kids and vacations and houses, but mostly wanted someone to go "shopping" with her. Occasionally, she would expertly and quickly get the phone woman back on track as she jabbered about her tech issues and couldn't figure something out. The older woman was tanned, trim and almost for sure "enhanced" if you get my meaning. Sad for women who do too much to retain a youthful appearance, like the whole boob thing....

Back on the road, getting turned around trying to find the bridge across the James River before I finally got on the interstate to Richmond and listened to NPR as Terry Gross talked with new actor and rap musician Andre Benjamin and director/writer John Ridley (who also wrote 12 Years a Slave) about the new film All Is on My Mind, a year in the life of Jimi Hendrix when he lived in London and before he became a star. NPR is my companion through the days of driving. I will go through the dial and 50% is that hyper-manic advertising; the rest is country music, Christian radio, occasional right wing spouting, very occasionally a blues or jazz station, rock music or lots of forgettable music which isn't my style and seems bland and generic most of the time.

Having said that, I did actually listen to a show in Virginia hosted by a black preacher in which issues of domestic abuse were discussed in a candid, refreshing, realistic way, pointing out how family and social culture and customs are complex and complicate the dialogue, and that asking why women don't "just leave" is naive and simplistic. All done with humor and hard facts and concluding with a blessing for all of us.

The day cleared and the traffic increased by the time I got to Fredericksburg where I stayed. The sky at sunset was glorious behind Walmart.

The other day, I paid $2.99 a gallon for gas in Virginia!

First signs of fall - Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA 

Blue Goose ~ Day 115

September 22, 2014 ~ Virginia Beach, VA to Virginia Beach, VA

After I typed a couple of hours, I had breakfast in the motel (crab omelet), and chatted with the waiter whose parents lived in Ada, MI, at one time. In fact, he also lived there for awhile. He wasn't Dutch, but Irish. Now his mom lives in Texas and his dad in Virginia Beach. So it goes....

For the rest of the day, I hung out at Red Mill Commons, catching up on bookwork and basking in the sunshine. The Starbucks had outdoor couches and tables and chairs. I had a fruit smoothie and read and watched the affluent clientele (and military) come and go. A kid and his dad reminded me of Steve and Donovan. It was as perfect weather as it gets, and I worked on feeling less sorry for myself and more grateful for all the good in my life.

What helped was the best dining experience I have had in years...or one of the top ten anyway. Nothing like good food to satisfy and gratify.

This was in a small restaurant, Masala Bites, with Indian cuisine. I loved it from walking in the modern glass door to leaving an hour later. Only one couple was eating when I arrived and a single other customer came for take-out, but it was a Monday night. The tables were already set, including linens and fresh flowers. All was elegant without being pretentious. The friendly but professional waiter advised on the menu, and I had a veggie dish with a slightly spicy sauce (and rice, perfectly cooked, of course). The music was eclectic and not obtrusive, a blend of modern and Indian; the drinking water just the right temperature with no ice; no condiments cluttered the table (and not necessary as the food was perfectly seasoned); the restroom was stylish; the dessert, a lovely plate with a modest half log of vanilla ice cream with bits of something, sliced so one could eat half moons....

I am still mulling over, however, how to cook most of my meals most of the time....it's my challenge.

For some reason, there was a police presence off and on all afternoon and evening in the general shopping area with patrol cars sitting for long periods of time watching the crowds. Jets flew overhead. The US bombed Syria. This town has a subtly heightened sense of what that means as military personnel are a presence most of the time, doing errands, shopping or eating or getting coffee.

Intersection of Barbara and White Marsh near Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA

Blue Goose ~ Day 114

September 21, 2014 ~ Williamston, NC to Virginia Beach, VA

The specific plan for my days begins starts early as I've been waking up between 5 and 6 in the morning. I am feeling the need to slow down for a few days and will head back to Virginia Beach. It's not much out of the way since I'm heading north anyway. I will get to stay in my favorite parking lot again and who could resist that inducement...

It was still drizzling in Williamston, but I found a nearby McDonalds, got breakfast and free coffee, read awhile and watched the customers, mostly African Americans, many dressed for church, the middle-aged and elderly ladies very proper and elegant with dresses and purses. Excuse the gross over-simplication, but older white men in the south are either handsome with a full head of white hair, often wearing jeans and not that overweight....or they look like Rush Limbaugh. The black men of those ages are gentle, quiet-spoken men. I love eavesdropping and hearing the cadence of their voices and their frequent laughter. Blacks laugh more than whites....  The employees are nearly all African-American.

The Roanoke River NWR is just north of Williamston, but it is mostly river bottom. The highway passes through a part of the refuge, and there was a turn off. I checked it out and found wet weeds and un-mown grasses around the information kiosk. The trail was closed for "Permitted Deer Hunts" at various times from September to November. (It actually was open today as it was  Sunday, but I declined to venture into this weedy, wet, dark, dank, snake habitat.)  It was not inviting to the public, but perhaps very different on a sunny day, and it certainly should be marvelous in spring migration. I need to get over my petulance about whether or not a refuge is 100% welcoming to the public and, admittedly, I often see only one access point or investigate just a small portion of the larger refuges. Besides, what would I expect of a southern swamp / riparian habitat? Another limiting factor at Roanoke River was the mosquitos...clouds of them, eager to get in the car and find bare skin. I would have had to really prepare with repellent and clothing were I to hike here. It was like the North Woods of the upper Midwest earlier this summer.

For most of my adult life, the name Great Dismal Swamp has had a romantic appeal...and today I went there.

Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

The Great Dismal Swamp is in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between theJames River (Norfolk, Virginia) and the Albemarle Sound...^[1] The original swamp was estimated to be over 1,000,000 acres (400,000 ha);^[1] however, human encroachment has destroyed up to 90% of the original swampland.^[2][3][4]

 Beginning in the 1660s, an established community of escaped slaves known as the Great Dismal Swamp maroons lived freely within the Great Dismal Swamp.^[3][5] Most maroons settled in mesic islands, the high and dry parts of the swamp. Maroons were not the only people who lived inside the swamp— some residents had bought their freedom, others were still slaves who lived semi-independently.^[6] In addition, some escaped slaves used the swamp as a stop on the Underground Railroad as they made their way further north.^[5] Nearby whites often left the maroons alone so long as they paid a quota in logs or shingles.^[6]After centuries of logging and other human activities which were devastating to the swamp's ecosystems, in 1973, the Union Camp Corporation donated 49,100 acres of land; the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was officially established by the U.S. Congress through The Dismal Swamp Act of 1974. Today, the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is now just over 112,000 acres (45,000 ha) in size.

It is heartening to read that a lumber company donated nearly half of this land.

Management of this refuge includes prescribed burning for "fire-dependent habitat" which is done 35 days a year. The websites constantly put this information out for the public as prescribed burning is controversial for the uninformed. As always, for anyone interested, there is so much interesting historical information about Great Dismal online.

Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA

Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA

I thought of slaves moving through, hiding and living in the swamp as I drove several roads. Perhaps because it has such a frankly descriptive name and because it is relatively close to large cities, it didn't feel so remote or Deliverancy or oppressive. The sky was beginning to clear, and I could see how mysterious and lovely this place can be. I read that the entire swamp had been logged at one time. (Maybe that's why Union Camp donated the land.) There is a wonderful photo at epod.usra.edu. (Add Lake Drummond in the search somewhere also.) Because of the logging, there are huge ditches for drainage and old logging roads throughout the swamp. I debated walking the boardwalk at the Washington Ditch area, but, again, there were too many mosquitoes and it was still dark and wet and a bit spooky.  I also drove to the Jericho Ditch access point so at least was IN this refuge / swamp for several miles.

I laughed at one of the web sites which stated people would not be drawn here because of its name, but that is exactly why I always remembered it as a place I wanted to check out someday.  It has a perfect name. What stories it holds, and I intend to research what has been written about the people who found this a refuge...and maybe still do.

Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA

The sun finally broke through completely, and it got hot as I drove to a nice motel in Virginia Beach and worked. Sundays are good days for deals on motels. This was a Crowne Plaza for less than $80.

Blue Goose ~ Day 113

September 20, 2014 ~ Nags Head, NC to Williamston, NC

Before leaving Nags Head, I watched the early morning surfers, relishing the fresh ocean air, and then drove east across Roanoke Island to the mainland. The bridges across these watery places are impressive…several miles long, close to the water but with an elevated piece to allow for boat passages. 

WWW.ROANOKEISLAND.NET

In 1584 an English fort and settlement with more than 100 men was established on the north end of the island, but it was abandoned the following year due to weather, lack of supplies and poor relations with the Native Americans. The colonists and natives didn’t get along despite the fact that the two local chiefs, Manteo and Wanchese, had been taken to England in hopes of forming good relations.
In 1587 another party of 110 English colonists, including women and children, set sail for the New World, reaching Roanoke Island in July of that year. On August 18, one of the colonists, Eleanor Dare, gave birth to the first English-speaking child in the New World, Virginia Dare. A week later, the baby’s grandfather, Capt. John White, was forced to return to England for badly needed supplies. Due to Spanish attacks on England, White was waylayed in England for three years, and when he returned to Roanoke Island in 1590 there was no sign of his granddaughter or the other colonists. Their houses were gone, and the only sign of human presence was the letters “CRO” and “CROATOAN” carved on two trees. This led some people to believe that the colonists had sought the help of the Croatoan Indians on Hatteras Island, but they were not there. The fate of the lost colonists is as much a mystery today as it was then, and their story has been retold in the outdoor drama The Lost Colony since 1937.

The railings were lined with Great Black-backed Gulls; none had yellowish legs so none were Lesser BBs. 

This was a swamp day. Really, it was alien (to me) and dank half the time, reminiscent of my limited Louisiana experience, and I didn’t expect it here. I started with Alligator River NWR and drove slowly for 10 miles on the refuge roads.

Alligator River NWR - NC

Great Egret - Alligator NWR - NC

I still have not totally given up on settling in one place for an hour and do try now and then. I sometimes try six 10s…stopping 6 times for 10 minutes each in a particular locale. And I did that twice...the 10-minute deal. I THOUGHT I saw a Prothonotary Warbler (very common in NC) but which then dipped into the weeds along the ditch never to reappear. The refuge is home to the only wild Red Wolf population in the world and Howlings are held throughout the year - a Full Moon Howl in November and a Holiday Howl in December for instance, very cool for a kid (or an adult), and certainly not intrusive for the wolves. I met two women peering through cameras into the brush. They were out today hoping to see Black Bear, also on this refuge and usually seen at dusk or dawn. They didn’t know much about what birds might be present and gave me some other places to try, which wasn’t going to happen, but I’m learning not to blather on about why not. I just nod and act like perhaps I will try this or that. 

Almost always a pleasing little encounter occurs while on these back roads. Today it was Great Egret Standing in the Road, zen-like, and calmly keeping an eye on me. It finally did fly but only into the ditch joining two other, more timid egrets which flew much sooner as I very slowly approached in the car. 

No Red wolves; no Black Bear, but knowing they were here was nice. 

On to Pocosin Lakes NWR with its impressive VC on Ludington Drive in the town of Columbia, NC. 

But first I had to eat and randomly chose Mike’s Diner. I love these unpretentious little eating establishments in small towns. One never knows if the food will be dismal or acceptable or extraordinary. My very basic eggs, toast, bacon and “chopped” hash browns were more than acceptable; less than extraordinary. The potatoes were very tasty, small crispy fried cubes with a hint of garlic. A lady I took to be the owner’s wife (Asian or Samoan...I wasn't sure of the ethnicity) came and sat by a frail elderly customer for a long time, giving her a lot of attention and then a gentleman (the owner?), a large man with a Fu Manchu mustache, came and also sat and talked with her. There was an eclectic collection of objects all over on shelves and walls: a soft, black leather Harley-Davidson head bandana, glass birthday dolls (for sale), what looked like a carved ivory tusk (could it actually be that?), a beautiful old framed poster/print of ducks - these were just a few of the items. The harried middle-aged waitress apologized for taking too long as “I am the only one here…” The ambience grew on me; it had a good neighborly feeling. It is "ma'am" country, for sure...

There was a short boardwalk, partly along the Scuppernong River and the rest through swamp. Weirdly, given my generally negative southern swamp love, it was quiet and green with the peacefulness evoked by some Oriental art. In fact, I saw an Asian lady walking slowly along with nothing in her hands: no kids or camera or phone or purse or backpack or binoculars. 

I drove through a brief but torrential rainstorm as I drove south to Mattamuskeet NWR, a refuge that pretty much surrounds the large, very shallow Lake Mattamuskeet, described as "18 miles long, seven miles wide, and a swan’s neck deep." What is interesting is that the origin of the lake is unknown. Speculations include a meteorite shower or underground peat fires. It is the largest natural lake in NC and was drained and diked for agriculture in the early 20th century with the creation of the nearby community of New Holland (named after similar reclamation projects in the Netherlands). But one of the owners eventually sold his portion to the government, effectively ending all of this. It is now a haven for migratory birds. The VC was open and I checked out the adjacent muddy brown river but didn't linger. I am not drawn to this landscape; it feels creepy to me, and weekends especially are just too quiet. I guess this water seeps rather than flows. 

I now need to be aware of  four species of venomous snakes: copperhead, cottonmouth, canebrake and Carolina pigmy rattlers. The website says these are the "only venomous snakes" of a population of 31 snake species.  

Mattamuskeet NWR - NC

There was one more refuge in this area, namely, Swanquarter NWR on the shore of Deep Bay in the bigger Rose Bay in huge Pamlico Sound. As I said, water, water everywhere....My visit consisted of driving 2-3 miles down a perfectly straight gravel road through an open marsh / swamp, which ended in a parking area next to the Bell Island Pier. People were arriving to fish, including a van full of Baptists. I did a 10-minute sit and saw a kingfisher and a wren. I am definitely in between bird seasons in this part of the country this time of year. 

I am tired of swamp and low ground and black/brown water but do recognize the true refuge nature of such for flora and fauna.  

Driving these back roads and through small towns, I thought of race a lot. One town had a group of African-American teenagers lounging on bikes at one end of town while a man across the street was fussing with what looked like a burning 4-wheeler on a lowboy. Lots of acrid smoke and people looking from up and down the street. The other end of town had bigger homes and mowed lawns. There are many modest brick one-story dwellings along the country roads, usually with screened porches and comfortable chars. I passed a man sitting on his front lawn typing on an Apple laptop. I drove through tobacco (not positive about whether I was seeing tobacco) and cotton fields with white bolls and wondered when this is harvested...(just googled and it's October in NC). The land was totally flat most of the time with ditches everywhere and, if not drained, it was swampy. Do these people just live with the snake/chigger/tick presence as we in Michigan live with the mild annoyance of mosquitoes? 

There was one more place I wanted to see, although I was really really getting irritable and out of sorts and questioning (again) this whole BG idea. It was Phelps Lake, the northern boundary of Pocosin Lakes NWR; how could I not check this out? But getting there required some navigating skill, and while checking roads on my phone to Pettigrew SP, there were calls from Kzoo about the latest issue, distracting me. I found myself in a waste disposal dead end, turned around and found myself at The Somerset Place (plantation with slave quarters) which is an Historic Site and ON the shores of Phelps Lake.

It was 5:00 on a Saturday, the buildings were closed but I wandered the grounds and thought more about race. 

I saw several abandoned houses and often couldn't resist a photograph. 

North Carolina near the James River

I slept in Williamston, NC, in a parking lot where cars cruised intermittently with radios thumping. And it was raining. 

Blue Goose ~ Day 112

September 19, 2014 ~ Virginia Beach, VA to Nags Head, NC

The sun rose as I was driving to Pea Island, NWR. I entered the country of OBX, the Outer Banks, crossing over Currituck Sound to Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hill and Nags Head before reaching Pea Island. There were areas on the road where trucks were removing drifted sand. It was windy; I didn’t do any trails here at all but poked around the Visitor Center, looking at exhibits and reading history and not buying anything. The summer resident birds mostly have left and the migrating or winter birds haven’t arrived yet, but all these coastal refuges see a massive influx of geese and ducks in late fall. The refuge is 13 miles long and I drove to the town of Rodanthe at the southern end, which had hundreds of beach homes and condos, either on the ocean side or the sound side. Most have porches on the second and third stories and the ground level space is open and used for parking or storage. These barrier islands are not wide...often much less than a mile.  

Pea Island NWR - NC

There is an amazing contrast between protected and developed land. Most of the time, I couldn’t see the Atlantic as there were small dunes between the road and ocean, although I could have accessed the beaches via small paths through the dune grasses here and there. This route continues south to Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Ocracoke, but I turned around in Rodanthe, wandered through the marina at Oregon Inlet and stayed in Nags Head INTENDING to work. The Priceline-reserved motel was very marginal for the cost, and the WiFi/Internet connection too sketchy to work. I got a hot dog and milk shake and sat on the balcony reading. And walked across the street where the amateur Eastern Surfing Championships were happening at Jennette's Pier, a major attraction judging by the people fishing and by the historical photos and stories. For me, the coolest thing happened: I was watching the surfers and suddenly saw manta rays jumping out of the water. This went on for about a minute, and as I walked further out on the pier, I saw one gliding right below me, looking as big as a kitchen table! No one seemed excited; maybe this is no big deal here, but it was the only time I saw them, and I was there at least an hour. 

Amateur surfing championship - Jennette's Pier - Nags Head - NC

It was a middle class crowd with kids, grandparents, guys smoking cigars, people with cigarettes and coolers of bait, families and the intense parents of the surfers with their telephoto lens: “Go on Hannah, don’t go in yet; try again! you’re not finished….Oh, maybe you are….” Not that Hannah could hear her mom. 

Early the next morning I walked on the pier again. The sky was partially overcast, but it was warm, and the surfers were already out. 

I found the second ring of this trip. I now have one earring, a bracelet and two rings. Not much money though; just pennies.

KOA at Rodanthe - NC

Blue Goose ~ Day 111

September 18, 2014 ~ Virginia City, VA to Virginia City, VA

Most Starbuck's open at 0500 or 0530, which fits my schedule. There was one within walking distance. I said good morning to an African American gentleman in the parking lot, checking the waste receptacles with his flashlight, seemingly a gentle soul, getting by...just getting by.

I did computer stuff and had coffee and a breakfast sandwich (bacon-gouda, ignoring the high salt content) and easily found my way to Back Bay NWR on another brilliant sunny deep blue-sky day. The deal seems to be to develop the barrier beaches ignoring the inadvisability and destructiveness of building on sand in hurricane-prone areas; thus, the refuges protecting beach and coastal habitat are SO important.

Many times lately, there is a fee for entry but my Senior Pass (National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass) allows free entry to all Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management properties, USFish and Wildlife land (including NWRs), USDA Forest Service and National Parks...all for a one-time $10 payment.

But here begins a problem: venomous snakes. Back Bay, a benign lovely coastal beach venue warns repeatedly about the cottonmouth - in their brochure, in a loop video playing in the VC and on signs at trailheads. I admit to a snake phobia, although got used to rattlesnake warnings all over the west and would see them occasionally, usually on roads. In much of the southern states, there are large areas of swampy still waters and wet dank places with tangled impenetrable brush and vines and mush underneath....harboring venomous snakes, but this wasn't that type of habitat.Yet, away from the beach itself, there is dense scrub with grasses and ditches and a surprisingly amount of standing water. As the sign said, "Look ahead of you as you walk the trail...." Well, I could at least do that (look where I was walking) and not venture off the trails which is prohibited anyway.

Back Bay NWR - VA

And the beach itself was fine with adorable Sanderlings frantically running back and forth on the wet sand where the waves end in foamy scallops, and Black-backed Gulls, a single Black-bellied Plover... Not paying close attention, I saw a smaller gull half asleep on the beach but then noticed a long stout bill and realized it was, in fact, not a gull but a Willet.

Willet at Back Bay NWR - VA

Back Bay was like Cape May in that the protected beach was prisine but flanked at the northern boundary by a thousand beach condos.

It was a stunning afternoon. I walked on hard-packed sand...waves crashing, blue sky, white clouds, sea breezes, sunshine, no insects, the perfect temperature...Again, lucky me...

Researching maps and my refuge book, I realized that Mackay Island NWR was, in fact, accessible by auto, so off I went.

These states are defined by water in their eastern regions; the rivers are several miles wide; there are the grand sounds like Currituck, Pamlico, Albemarle, great expanses of water separating the barrier islands and the mainland. There are swamps and tidal creeks and bays and boats and bridges. Mackay Island is not exactly an island but a mushy tip of a peninsula in NC with a wee bit in VA. Much of this low land has been drained historically so there are also canals and ditches and dikes which partially control the water. Of course, when there is a major storm, especially the hurricanes, nothing really is efficient or sufficient enough to protect people and property and the sea comes raging through. 

Mackay was one more refuge with managed impoundments contained by earthen dikes. A man in a wheelchair was fishing in a canal as were the few egrets or herons I saw. Even though these refuges are heavily managed, there are not heavily developed, and one goes from farms and small towns and beach condos to areas with no houses or stores or billboards. They often have a lonely feel, but this is my subjective response. 

I arrived by road and decided to leave by a free ferry across the Currituck Sound; however, it didn’t leave for over an hour. I almost waited anyway, just for the experience, and actually parked in the designated ferry space, but then got impatient and drove off Mackay the same way I came in which is when the Check Engine light in the van came on with its warning ding. (The whole time I had my last Subaru, the Check Engine light was on.) I wasn’t TOO worried but didn’t exactly want to ignore it, so googled and was told to bring it to an auto parts store which would probably do a quick diagnostic check for free and at least come up with a code. At that point, I decided to go back to Virginia Beach in case I needed to get the car checked and on the way pulled into a Napa Auto Parts store. Within 10 minutes, they did check it for free and assured me that it probably wasn’t serious and could wait until I get back to Michigan. And as I drove away, the light went off. I actually didn't mind going back to Virginia Beach; the “accommodations” were more acceptable than most, in Red Mill Commons, with a hundred stores and several restaurants but designed so it felt like a social venue. After school kids with or without parents, on their cells, all age groups milling and mixing and walking about, doing errands, eating, shopping...sitting in the sun. With another willpower lapse, I chose Italian and had calamari and a salad for dinner. The home-made marinara sauce for the calamari was the best part of the meal. 

I called bro Bill for their address from the UPS store next to the restaurant. He had to look at his mailbox, which was easy as he was hanging out at the wetlands figuring out another engineering project so he can use his barn wood that smells of cow shit.

There is a strong visual and aural military presence in Virginia Beach with men (and a few women) in camies constantly in and out of Starbuck's and jets thundering overhead.

Back Bay NWR flanked by condos at its north end - VA

Blue Goose ~ Day 110

September 17, 2014 ~ Chincoteague, VA to Virginia City, VA

I woke early but just missed the sunrise over the marsh when I walked on the bridge with a cup of coffee. The air was balmy and in the low 70s. Forster's gulls were also on the bridge but few other birds visible.

I had the motel breakfast and drove back to the refuge but only walked a 1/4-mile to the lighthouse. The trail consisted of broken pieces of white shells.

Lighthouse on Chincoteague NWR - VA

As I drove due south down the Delmarva Peninsula I passed signs for small towns like Horsey or Cherrystone. I felt I was sliding into the real South on this lazy afternoon in the sunshine and pines. The branches begin high in these trees so there is an open airy feeling underneath and sunshine was glinting off the dried brown needles. I stopped at a Subway which has better choices that most fast food places but I had stopped for the coffee as a sign outside said they were now serving Keurig-brewed coffee, which took too long and wasn't worth the wait. The chicken sandwich was good, on flat bread with spinach, red onion, black olives, cucumbers and a little sweet onion dressing. Riveting, isn't this.....what I eat. Jeez louise Barbara....

Last year, DHC and I had stopped at Eastern Shore of Virginia  NWR which is actually the tip of the peninsula. There were two gentleman volunteers at the VC, both of whom were definitely interested in my travels. One immediately called to ask if I could have the map showing all the refuges (I have this map but it is getting worn); however, the refuge only had one and didn't want to give it away. They told me that a young woman who had recently worked here just moved to the International Detroit River NWR as her husband was going to school in Big Rapids. One of the men lives locally and the other also volunteers in Florida and at Muscatatuck NWR in Indiana.

Of course I revisited the various places we lingered last year, and it all was so different. Of course it was; how often are the most memorable times repeated?  Last year, there was a large group of teenagers getting into brightly colored kayaks and heading off into the salt marsh water; we also talked with several people in the parking lot - an employee and other birders. I specifically remember talking to a USFWS guy about doing this very trip, all the while eating left-over Greek salad. There were more birds that day also. I remember primarily white ibises and a cooperative sandpiper in the parking lot. Today there were only fishermen out for pleasure or out working.

Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR - VA

But another friendly staff person pointed out an island in the marsh where a family comes intermittently in the summer. I always am very curious about who, what, how, why....The island was pretty much in the marsh and not far from land, but it was an island, accessible only by water. An in-holding? or perhaps not on refuge property??? He was at the boat landing generally checking on licenses, monitoring the grounds, maintaining a presence so to speak...

I was again entering another period of very few birds...not on the water nor in the woods where I parked at a trailhead and listened and looked for 15 minutes. Still, it was a sweet sunny September afternoon...and it is hard not to be grateful for sound health and mind...to be able to be doing this.

Having said that, I am questioning it all more lately, as I wallow in a slightly melancholic mood. It seems so self-indulgent at times to only have to consider myself (although, believe me, I get several phone calls on some days from the K-zoo crowd, often with "issues"about which I then worry for hours until I just let them go if there is nothing I can do). But I have to learn the letting go lesson over and over. I think of how perfect western Michigan is in the fall and how, for the last 5 years, I settled  down in September or October, relishing the way the lake effect extends the season, sometimes well into November. And my car needs de-cluttering / cleaning. I feel like I'm living in a hovel. I miss the ease of brushing my teeth without thinking about where to do that. And I didn't factor in how the days are getting shorter and will continue to do so for the next three months. Or did not realistically think about how many miles I have to drive to see what I'm seeing. But, but, but.....almost every morning I wake up and am ready for the next stop, and I actually have been driving about 50-100 miles a day in the east rather than 200-400 as I did out west. It's just that every single time (well, nearly so) I look in the rear-view mirror, someone right on my ______. No dawdling or pulling onto a shoulder (often non-existent) or impulsive turns or stops....

Leaving Eastern Shore, I drove across Fisherman's Island NWR (not open to the public) to get on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge / Tunnel which is amazing and beautiful in concept, design and function. Twice in its 23-mile length, one goes from the bridge over the water into tunnels under the water. Short mile-long tunnels and necessary to accommodate large vessels, shipping and military. Tunnels are not my favorite. Tunnels under water verge on a phobia. Bridges are fine.

I found the best Walmart yet in Virginia Beach at the impressive Red Mill Commons, a large but tasteful area of stores and restaurants, including a Starbucks and Walmart almost next to each other. I pulled in and noticed half the light yellow leaves were off the trees already. The late afternoon sky was a pearl grey; it was definitely fall-like, but the venue was upscale and not depressing.