Along the Upper Trail

Wednesday my daughter and I walked along the upper trail from Old Mans Cave to Rose Lake.

It was a beautiful day for a walk and there were quiet a few other hikers out.

It was a little noisy at the beginning of the trail with all of the construction going on there putting in a by pass around the parks parking lot.

But as you get closer to the lake and over the hill it gets quiet again.

The water on the lake was a little choppy from the breezes but it did not keep away a few people that were fishing from the banks.

A few Dogwood trees were still in bloom near the lake.

 

 
And at the bridge over the upper falls the Pagoda Dogwoods were starting to bloom.

Bluets were spotted all along the upper trail.

Canadian Violets were blooming in the shadier areas along the first part of the trail.

Common Violets were growing everywhere.

A few Yellow Wood Violets were spotted among some fallen, decaying trees.

Golden Ragwort was also spotted at the beginning of the trail.

The native Geraniums are now starting to come into bloom.

And we spotted a few lyre leaved  Rock Cress.

One White Avens plant was just starting to bloom.

And of course the ever present Dandelion fluff blowing on the breezes,

Some Red Admiral butterflies were spotted and then there was this little brown Skipper flitting around.

Spring Wild Flowers

 

 
Cut-Leaved Toothwort

 
Bluets

 

Winter Cress or Yellow Rocket

Spring Beauty’s

Bluebells

Blue Violets

Large Leaf  Trillium

Downy Yellow Violets

Dutchman Breeches

Golden Ragwort

May Apple

Jack in the Pulpit

Trout Lily

Brown-Headed Cowbirds

 

This week three Brown-Headed Cowbirds dropped by to eat from the birdfeeders.

This species is much reviled, as it is a parasitic and lays eggs in other birds’ nests. The baby Cowbirds normally outcompete the hosts species young and thus the cowbirds have a determined affect on the songbirds.

Brown-Headed Cowbirds give a distinctive, high-pitched gurgling call that is unlike any other species.

This bird is well named; they are often seen in pastures foraging around cattle.
They are found throughout the state of Ohio.

 

 

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The Dogwoods are Starting to Bloom

The Dogwoods are now starting to bloom in the Hocking Hills area along with the Redbud trees. Everything is blooming earlier this year. It was the middle of April last year when the Dogwoods were in bloom.

 

 

Spring has Arrived in the Hocking Hills

 

A walk last week along the upper trail at Old Man’s Cave showed the first signs of springs with the blooming of the Coltsfoot.

The streams were filled from the resent thunder storms.

The Upper Falls was thundering with the falling water.

And the basin below the falls was full.

The water in the basin below the falls appears green when it is full in the spring.

My daughters German Shepherd puppy “Twilight”  did well on her first hike.
Even when a giant Husky came charging at her which was not leashed. All pets are suppose to be on a leash at the parks so hikers remember this for the safety of others and their pets.

 

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The Swans Are Nesting

My daughter and I checked out the Swans at Lake Logan over the weekend to see if they were nesting.
The lake is very low now where they had it dredged and it really looked awful in the upper end where the swans usually nest.

Their was one pair that was nesting there. We spotted two eggs in the nest where at this time last year there was five eggs.
We do not know if that is all that was laid this year or whether something had gotten to some of the eggs.
 

All of last years cattails were broken off and used for the nest for this pair.

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The Rock Bridge

  

Rockbridge, Ohio near Logan got its name from a local rock formation in the area.

 
A huge slab of rock lies across a large ravine at the now Rockbridge Nature Preserve.

  
The slab of rock lies atop huge boulder's which includes a large cave  beneath making a rock bridge across the ravine.

 
The crevices between the boulders here are very deep.
Ferns and plants always find a way to grow on the surfaces and cling to the walls.

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