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