We are halfway through July, and the heat continues. In four weeks, I'll be headed out of state with the Teenager as she officially becomes The College Student (I'm undecided as to if I'll continue to call her The Teenager, or change it to The College Student or The Young Adult. Hmmm. Decisions). Since we'll be headed north, it will be slightly cooler at our destination- a break from the heat will be nice, but I'll probably still cry after I leave my baby girl all alone in a strange place to fend for herself. Anyway, I'm still hiking in the heat because I am obsessed with nature, and even though it's hot there's still plenty to see out there. Yes, I am bringing plenty of water. Yes, I have a hat.
Yesterday evening, I had one of the cutest experiences I've had out on the trail. My kids love raccoons (they call them "trash pandas") and the rest of the Household of No seems to feel that a pet trash panda would be an outstanding addition to our family. I don't think this is a good idea for many reasons. Anyway, I digress. As I was turning off the boardwalk to head back to my car, I first heard a strange "cooing" sound, and then I saw two small raccoons chasing each other through the vegetation. If they ever noticed I was there, they didn't seem fazed by it. I tried to get some good photos but alas, they never stopped moving and I am just not that good at taking photos of moving critters. I need them to stand still. I did get one photo in which you can actually tell that there are two raccoons.
I could also tell that I wasn't the only one on the trail feeling the heat; as I got closer to my car, I saw a great blue heron trying to cool off by gular fluttering (opening its beak and fluttering its neck muscles) and opening its wings. I was astonished as to how close I was able to get to this heron; apparently it was really involved in cooling off and didn't sense that the crazy bird lady with the camera was any kind of threat. Blue herons are common here; I see at least one almost every time I hike this trail (which means that I see one almost every day) but they really are beautiful, elegant birds.
On the marsh itself, I haven't seen a whole lot other than the usual green tree frogs, red-winged blackbirds, slaty skimmers, jade clubtails, and great blue skimmers. With all the lily pads, it's hard to see anything lurking underneath, although the occasional green heron will jump out, startled, and fly off. The lily pads look more brown and frayed every time I walk down the boardwalk to the high blind. I did see a raccoon pop out its head a few days ago; as soon as it observed me coming its way, it took off. I hear birds, but I don't see the birds.
Seen on the trails: lots and lots of dragonflies: great blue skimmers, jade clubtails, slaty skimmers, neon skimmers, eastern pondhawks, roseate skimmers, swamp darners, regal darner, swift river cruiser, widow skimmer, cobra clubtail, band-winged dragonet, Comanche skimmer. This has not been a good year for butterflies; a red-spotted purple, a viceroy, a common buckeye. The anhinga continues to hang out, plus the great blue herons, snowy egrets, great egrets, Western kingbird, Eastern phoebe, indigo bunting, Northern cardinal, a solitary sandpiper. Green tree frogs at the high blind, and armadillos and raccoons.
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