Caps Ridge Trail, The Cornice, Mt. Jefferson, Bicknell's Thrush!, Independence Day

[forestgnome]

God Bless America! What a day for wildlife and hiking! I was on the Kancamagus at sunrise and saw this young bull...

I followed him into a little clearing and just before I got a nice portrait he was scared away by some thrashing in the woods nearby. I thought it was another moose until a new bear cub emerged and stopped and looked at me with wide eyes. Before I could get a shot it spun around and darted back to mama. I waited and heard more crashing as they all left the area.

Continuing to the trailhead, I saw this young cow...

On Bear Notch Road, this young bull would have been toast if I was driving the way most do. He was standing on the yellow line as I came around a curve. He nearly fell down when he saw me and took flight...

This aquatic bird (comerant?) was hunting for breakfast up in Saco Lake...

A river otter darted across Base Road. Up in Jefferson Notch, these butterflies were busy...

continiued...

 

[forestgnome]

Caps Ridge Trail is special. As soon as your boots hit the trail you're at 3,000'. It was nice and cool and the forest here is lush and alive. I heard winter wrens shortly before the first outlook. Then I realized I also heard the call, but no song, of Bicknell's Thrushes. There were three of them. I had my first visual sighting!

Here's a view back at the first cap...

Labrador Tea on The Cornice...

I guess this is blueberry, but it seems late...

I was happy to find mountain heath in bloom. These are rare...

What a wonderful Independence Day. On the summit of Mt. Jeffereson I said a prayer for our nation and prayed that Atlas won't shrug at year's end.


On the way home this cow and her female yearling were near the Kancamagus...

God Bless America

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Wow!

Love the butterfly and the heath! What time did you leave the summit? A group of 17 VFTT'rs including moi were there roughly between 10 & 11. Check BIKEHIKESKIFISH's report. Wish I'd have got to meet you!

KDT

 

[marty]

Great job, FG! Amazing as usual

I also saw two Bicknell's Thrushes on the 4th near the summit of Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, ME. Guess they like to celebrate Independence Day in a similar manner to us

Regards,
Marty

 

[Jazzbo]

You say you saw a cow and a yearling. Aren't the cow moose is supposed to have chased the yearlings away by now? Do you think the cows chase both female and males yearlings away?

 

[rocket21]

Brilliant trip report - you see more on your relatively short trip to the trailhead than most see on their hikes! I especially enjoyed the patriotic nature of the trip report - God Bless America!

 

[forestgnome]

Thanks, all! Pleasure to share!

You say you saw a cow and a yearling. Aren't the cow moose is supposed to have chased the yearlings away by now? Do you think the cows chase both female and males yearlings away?

I find moose to be quite individualistic, like bears. It's hard to say any behavior is universal. I once heard a report of a cow with a yearling and two new calves. Also, I've seen yearlings with mama in early winter, when they were actually 1.5 years old.

Kevin, I was around the summit maybe around noon. I'm usually oblivious to the time of day, especially if I'm taking lots of pics and stalking wildflowers and waiting for clouds. I wandered down the Six Husbands Trail before heading up to the summit. I saw a single man with a small dog from a distance near the lawn and I wondered if it was Atticus or Emma. I'll check Tim's TR right now.

happy trails

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Well you just missed us then... we arrived at 11:18 and departed at 11:51, according to the EXIF information from my photos

Tim

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Darn!

Yeah, as Tim pointed out we just missed. We saw the guy with the dog, too. I was dogless on this hike. Learned my lesson on Boott Spur. Too hot in the "desert" above treeline for pups, especially thick coated black ones, this time of year.

KDT

 

[arghman]

I guess this is blueberry, but it seems late...

Looks like probably two species here, Vaccinium uliginosum (bog bilberry) and perhaps V. angustifolium (the one with the flowers). You can V. uliginosum tell by the round leaves w/ smooth edges and blunt point; it normally has a 4-petaled corolla which is unusual for the heath family. V. angustifolium has the usual blueberry type leaf (longer than wide, point at the tip), and small serrations on the leaf edges. Around 5000' in places where snow collects in crevices, plants are often delayed a few weeks from lower elevations & it's about right for the various Vaccinium sp. of the area (V. uliginosum, V. caespitosum, V. boreale, V. angustifolium)

 

[forestgnome]

Thanks, Jason!

 

[cooperhill]

This aquatic bird (comerant?) was hunting for breakfast up in Saco Lake...

I'm pretty sure this is a Double-crested Cormorant. Great pictures as always. Thanks.