IBWOh's: Brian Carlisle, Christopher Carlisle.
Summary: It's too damn hot to hike, so Brian brought his 12' johnboat, which I have named the Lindsey in honor of Brian's wonderful wife. We spent much time boating today, surveying Hutson Lake, then Davis Eddy, a smaller lake to the north, across the highway, yet still within the Pascagoula WMA.
We plied the waters of Hutson Lake at dawn. Prothonotary warblers were abundant, present in numbers I have not seen since our foray into the Leaf Wildnerness some miles to the north. The place was teeming with woodpeckers: red-heads, red-bellieds, Pileateds. The air rang with the raucous cries of redheads. We observed several different Pileateds, of which Brian was able to get some nice photos. Woodpecker drumming was nearly constant, and several times we were startled by what sounded like possible double-knocks in the distance.
We left Hutson Lake, and proceeded north to Davis Eddy, a lake deep in the north end of the Pascagoula WMA. There we found a trail, which we hiked for less than a mile before the heat and humidity became unbearable, around 11 o'clock. The forest seems to get younger the farther north one goes from the highway, so that on the trail by Davis Eddy we were in mostly third-growth woods; but there were initially impressive stands of older growth, with some individuals of note. The ground was deeply rooted in places by hogs, particularly near the oaks and hickories, which comprised the majority species. Live oaks and willow oaks were especially common, as were groves of American holly. Cypress of course dominated the lakeshore.
Summary: It's too damn hot to hike, so Brian brought his 12' johnboat, which I have named the Lindsey in honor of Brian's wonderful wife. We spent much time boating today, surveying Hutson Lake, then Davis Eddy, a smaller lake to the north, across the highway, yet still within the Pascagoula WMA.
We plied the waters of Hutson Lake at dawn. Prothonotary warblers were abundant, present in numbers I have not seen since our foray into the Leaf Wildnerness some miles to the north. The place was teeming with woodpeckers: red-heads, red-bellieds, Pileateds. The air rang with the raucous cries of redheads. We observed several different Pileateds, of which Brian was able to get some nice photos. Woodpecker drumming was nearly constant, and several times we were startled by what sounded like possible double-knocks in the distance.
The Lindsey at the Hutson Lake launch.
The water of Hutson Lake is a nice, deep brown, not muddy at all. We would have a fairly clear view of a 14' alligator before being devoured.
I fingered my knife from time to time, thinking of Brad Pitt's character at the end of the film Legends of the Fall. A bear got him.
An osprey, our first catch of the day.
The Lindsey's trolling motor aided us tremendously.
Brian steered us swiftly past the cypress and water tupelo.
We soon found this tree with bark scaling, in deep water.
The tree is very much alive.
The bark is tight, and is beginning to heal.
Remains of an old cypress.
Nice gouging work on a dead snag.
Dawn on the north end of Hutson Lake.
Brian took me to the cavity he'd discovered on his prior boating trip.
I am still impressed by this cavity.
Anhingas, a common sight on the lake that morning.
Yeah. Time to turn the boat around.
Double-crested cormorant, another common species on Hutson Lake. Observing their flight, I could see perhaps how they might be mistaken at a distance for an ivorybill, especially as the sunlight shines on their glossy black wings.
Cormorant, pre-poop.
Cormorant, post-poop.
We left Hutson Lake, and proceeded north to Davis Eddy, a lake deep in the north end of the Pascagoula WMA. There we found a trail, which we hiked for less than a mile before the heat and humidity became unbearable, around 11 o'clock. The forest seems to get younger the farther north one goes from the highway, so that on the trail by Davis Eddy we were in mostly third-growth woods; but there were initially impressive stands of older growth, with some individuals of note. The ground was deeply rooted in places by hogs, particularly near the oaks and hickories, which comprised the majority species. Live oaks and willow oaks were especially common, as were groves of American holly. Cypress of course dominated the lakeshore.
Trailhead near Davis Eddy.
Large river birch.
Scaling on upper trunk of a living red oak. This was 30-40' up.
Live oak. 17'4" circumference.
We returned to the boat ramp, and launched the Lindsey. The waters of Davis Eddy are a muddy brown, unlike the clearer tannin-stained waters of Hutson Lake. Here dwell white ibis, belted kingfisher, and great egret.
Gator (right) and gator bait.
A small one.
With Davis Eddy offering nothing more save rising temperatures, we departed for Angel's Quick Stop for chicken fingers and Tater Wedges. We drove on to Lucedale, then took Highway 98 West, which would take us back to McLain. On an impulse, we stopped at the Charles Deaton Preserve near the Chickasawhay River, and drove through some pretty unimpressive cutover land until reaching a nice oxbow (with alligator), with some impressive-looking stands of mixed bottomland beyond. We drove on, until we reached the Chickasawhay itself, probably only a couple of miles before it joins the Leaf River to form the Pascagoula.
The Chickasawhay is a wild, rugged Southern river, his headwaters up above Meridian. I have crossed and recrossed him many times to the north, in Wayne County, where I grew up.
A small, clear stream empties into the Chickasawhay from the Deaton Preserve, along its east bank.
The stream flows from at least one oxbow, deeper in the Preserve.
Conclusions: I am very encouraged by Hutson Lake. Based on our boat trip and our prior survey, I believe the area warrants a close study over the next several months, especially when cooler weather sets in and the leaf-fall may expose signs of peeling. I was very impressed by the peeling upon the red oak near Davis Eddy, but the area is not high on my list due to the tapering of mature forest so soon beyond the lakeshore. I was initially disappointed with the Deaton Preserve, as it encompasses the important Pascagoula headwaters area, until we reached the oxbow; beyond it loomed a mighty belt of mixed bottomland that begs exploration.
Time constraints may keep me out of the field for at least a week, which may be no bad thing, considering we are in the "dog days" of the Mississippi summer, which can be brutal. Hiking times are limited, from early to mid-morning; and the gloom of the swamp lingers long after the dawn, limiting visibility somewhat.
Every foray into the swamp and forest strengthens my faith that the Ivorybill yet lives.
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