7.8 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
(Madison Ave Pinelands & Great Dune)
Friday, April 24, 2020
Started late because I needed to take a nap after work wrapped up for the day - I almost skipped tonight's run, but I'm glad I didn't. Especially since other than a person walking off in the distance and two runners a little later, I encountered no on else on the trails I went on tonight.
Early on I heard and was able to watch a male towhee calling - another sign of spring, the towhees are back. A little later I heard a barred owl call several times - one of the pluses to running in the evening.
Much later I surprised a porcupine, who scrambled deeper into the bushes before I could get a picture of him. I also startled several groups of deer along the way.
The real treat of the evening, however, was the 4 woodcocks I heard, trying to attract females. One was actually close enough that I was able to see him when he headed up into the sky for his courtship flight. I never get tired of hearing them call and listening to them fly at dusk in the spring.
(That's Venus shining brightly in the night sky.)
JMH
