River talk

Some oddities found in a forest

By SCOTT RANDO
Posted 7/14/21

When walking through a forest during this time of year, there are usually quite a few things to see and hear. From the hermit thrush calling near the higher trails to the wood frog trying to …

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River talk

Some oddities found in a forest

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When walking through a forest during this time of year, there are usually quite a few things to see and hear. From the hermit thrush calling near the higher trails to the wood frog trying to camouflage itself on top of leaf litter, there is an abundance of life present. We usually see things even as we move at a hurried pace and looking down occasionally to avoid stepping on any red efts on the trail.

Sometimes we move quickly and miss some of the small things nearby or under our feet. There may be things unusual enough that even experienced wildlife folks may not recognize the plant or animal; it could very well be a first occurrence for the species in a particular area or just uncommonly seen. With the diversity of the plants and animals in the wild of our region, the chance of finding something unusual is very good if you watch and listen long enough.

The images in this week’s column are not overly unusual events or species, but they are examples of things that are frequently overlooked while traversing the forest. It used to be that you couldn’t carry enough field guides to identify all the flora and fauna in the forest. However, most of us now carry a cell phone with some sort of camera included. This makes it easier to capture an image to bring back from the field for later identification. 

There will be lots of good hiking days over the course of the summer; be safe and enjoy!

river talk

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