Tug-O-War

While I enjoy my hikes in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, I must admit that Summer is not my favorite time in the woods. A few days ago I was off-trail, trying to find my way from one trail to the other. Once committed, I kept going though I was sometimes in brush that was over my head. Wearing shorts because of the heat, I was stung so many times by stinging nettles that my legs were bleeding by the time I made it out. Of course, the flies found the blood irresistible.

Yesterday, I decided to take a 6 or 7 mile loop around Long Meadow Lake. I was hoping to make it around before the coming rain started. There is an undeveloped trail that usually affords some good wildlife encounters. Last time I had been on it I was “charged” by a baby woodchuck. Eventually on this trek, I can link up to the Bluff Trail which is usually an easier hike, though there is some elevation and yesterday, I found that the recent storms had left fallen trees on the trail.

When I started out, I was hiking along the river under the trees when I heard the unmistakable sound of a Bald Eagle. Then I heard two. They were close, and as I walked out of the trees I looked upwards and saw them circling me.

I have had these magnificent birds “swoop” me before when I happened to walk in the vicinity of a nest, but I knew where the nest was, and I was thinking that I was far enough away. The babies were long fledged by now too. Mother eagles can get rather aggressive when they have little ones. The two raptors circled me, rising slightly higher with each revolution.

Further along on my hike, I was deep in the brush, since the undeveloped trail can get pretty grown over. I heard the familiar crashing sound of deer running past. I did manage to see two of them. One stopped a safe distance from me, and watched me as I took its picture.

The wildflowers were prominent. There was Vervain, Black-Eyed Susans, Thistle, Prairie Clover, and Jewelweed. The butterflies noticed the flowers too, and they were all around. I had wild currants to snack on, and the wild grapes were growing, though not yet ripe.

After reaching the Bluff Trail, I worked my way back to my car. Before I ended this hike, I was treated to something really special. I heard a ruckus in the brush –just off the trail. When I looked in, I saw two mink; playing tug-o-war with a large Garter snake. They were so busy with their competition, that they didn’t pay much attention to me until I took their picture. Then they took off in opposite directions. I don’t know which one got the snake, or if it managed to escape.

It was the perfect ending to a great hike. It made me forget that there were a couple of dozen deerflies circling me at the time. As I walked back to my car the rain started. Sometimes things just work perfectly.
KJC