6.6 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
BIRDIES, BIRDIES, BIRDIES...
Driving All Around Montezuma NWR
Sunday, May 10, 2015
After breakfast Ann and I headed to the main headquarters for Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. We started out by checking the birds visible from the viewing deck - a small flock of terns, lots of Canada geese, and a lone snow goose. We also spotted an osprey hunkered down on the nest near the HQ.
From there we made our way along the wildlife drive... where we saw even more geese and quite a few herons, ducks (including both the typical mallards and a few unusual suspects like a redhead, a blue-winged teal, and several shovelers), more snow geese, an occasional grebe,and quite a few common gallinules. We also spotted four or five immature bald eagles and even one mature eagle flying off in the distance.
From there we headed north and made our way out to the sandhill crane unit... sadly no cranes in evidence (I definitely got lucky last May when that pair flew in and landed near the HQ) but still more geese and ducks, and wrapped things up with a visit to Lock CS-1, where one of the young bald eagle was visible on the nest, and where it looks like a pair of ospreys may have reclaimed the nest on top of the tower across from the parking lot.
JMH
Driving All Around Montezuma NWR
Sunday, May 10, 2015
After breakfast Ann and I headed to the main headquarters for Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. We started out by checking the birds visible from the viewing deck - a small flock of terns, lots of Canada geese, and a lone snow goose. We also spotted an osprey hunkered down on the nest near the HQ.
From there we made our way along the wildlife drive... where we saw even more geese and quite a few herons, ducks (including both the typical mallards and a few unusual suspects like a redhead, a blue-winged teal, and several shovelers), more snow geese, an occasional grebe,and quite a few common gallinules. We also spotted four or five immature bald eagles and even one mature eagle flying off in the distance.
From there we headed north and made our way out to the sandhill crane unit... sadly no cranes in evidence (I definitely got lucky last May when that pair flew in and landed near the HQ) but still more geese and ducks, and wrapped things up with a visit to Lock CS-1, where one of the young bald eagle was visible on the nest, and where it looks like a pair of ospreys may have reclaimed the nest on top of the tower across from the parking lot.
JMH
Saturday, May 09, 2015
Friday, May 08, 2015
... AND THE BIRDIES ARE SINGING...
11.7 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, May 8, 2015
I had hoped to ride a bit further from my usual stomping grounds tonight, but I got on the road later than I intended and didn't want to risk finishing in the dark... so I stopped at the Rotterdam Kiwanis Park and spent some time on the bike path along the Mohawk and the old Erie Canal.
I was a bit surprised at how few people were out, especially after last night's packed parking lots and bike path... not that I'm complaining. Maybe the unseasonal heat is getting to folks - I know I'd like to see it dialed back to spring, instead of early summer.
Lots of birds singing tonight... while I didn't spot them, I definitely heard several towhees and orioles. The geese are still nesting, but I would imagine they'll be hatching in another week or two - I think it was a couple of weeks ago that I saw them setting up their nests.
Another short ride so that I don't fry my legs before tomorrow's duathlon... maybe next week I can get in a longer ride again.
JMH
11.7 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, May 8, 2015
I had hoped to ride a bit further from my usual stomping grounds tonight, but I got on the road later than I intended and didn't want to risk finishing in the dark... so I stopped at the Rotterdam Kiwanis Park and spent some time on the bike path along the Mohawk and the old Erie Canal.
I was a bit surprised at how few people were out, especially after last night's packed parking lots and bike path... not that I'm complaining. Maybe the unseasonal heat is getting to folks - I know I'd like to see it dialed back to spring, instead of early summer.
Lots of birds singing tonight... while I didn't spot them, I definitely heard several towhees and orioles. The geese are still nesting, but I would imagine they'll be hatching in another week or two - I think it was a couple of weeks ago that I saw them setting up their nests.
Another short ride so that I don't fry my legs before tomorrow's duathlon... maybe next week I can get in a longer ride again.
JMH
Thursday, May 07, 2015
GREEN EVERYWHERE...
12.8 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, May 7, 2015
I can't remember the last time I saw the parking lots for the bike path as packed as they were tonight... guess people were taking advantage of the sudden shift to summer-like weather. Personally, I'd rather we went back to some cooler spring temperatures...
Rode west to the base of the old landfill, and then east to the wastewater treatment plant before heading back to the car. A short ride, but then again I'm still recovering from last night's trek up and down Platte Clove Road, and I really don't want to fry my legs before Saturday's Du the Lakes duathlon.
It's incredible how the plants have responded to the warmer weather... seems like just last week things were grey and brown, and now everything is green and flowering. I must say that's one of the things I really enjoy about spring...
JMH
12.8 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, May 7, 2015
I can't remember the last time I saw the parking lots for the bike path as packed as they were tonight... guess people were taking advantage of the sudden shift to summer-like weather. Personally, I'd rather we went back to some cooler spring temperatures...
Rode west to the base of the old landfill, and then east to the wastewater treatment plant before heading back to the car. A short ride, but then again I'm still recovering from last night's trek up and down Platte Clove Road, and I really don't want to fry my legs before Saturday's Du the Lakes duathlon.
It's incredible how the plants have responded to the warmer weather... seems like just last week things were grey and brown, and now everything is green and flowering. I must say that's one of the things I really enjoy about spring...
JMH
Wednesday, May 06, 2015
Sunday, May 03, 2015
Saturday, May 02, 2015
Friday, May 01, 2015
TIRED LEGS & TRAIL REROUTINGS
2.8 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Friday, May 1, 2015
I had hoped to run 5-7 miles today... but it became clear very quickly that my legs are still pretty beat up from last Saturday's paddle triathlon... while I'm sure I could have finished a longer run, I've got the Medved Madness trail race coming up in two days, and I'm hoping to actually run all three loops this year. So I listened to my legs and cut the run very short.
The trails through Karner Barrens West have undergone a slight re-routing... where the trail used to run slightly into the interior of the preserve and then went up and over one of the dunes, now it runs straight along the perimeter, much closer to the Thruway. No big surprise - the Pine Bush Commission seems to be moving more and more of the trails to the preserve perimeters, presumably to reduce "habitat fragmentation." In some ways I think that's unfortunate, because many of the newer trails run along noisy areas or past backyards or more developed areas, away from some of the more attractive parts of the Preserve.
JMH
2.8 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Friday, May 1, 2015
I had hoped to run 5-7 miles today... but it became clear very quickly that my legs are still pretty beat up from last Saturday's paddle triathlon... while I'm sure I could have finished a longer run, I've got the Medved Madness trail race coming up in two days, and I'm hoping to actually run all three loops this year. So I listened to my legs and cut the run very short.
The trails through Karner Barrens West have undergone a slight re-routing... where the trail used to run slightly into the interior of the preserve and then went up and over one of the dunes, now it runs straight along the perimeter, much closer to the Thruway. No big surprise - the Pine Bush Commission seems to be moving more and more of the trails to the preserve perimeters, presumably to reduce "habitat fragmentation." In some ways I think that's unfortunate, because many of the newer trails run along noisy areas or past backyards or more developed areas, away from some of the more attractive parts of the Preserve.
JMH
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