I took an increasingly rare opportunity to get afield on President's Day. I spent most of the morning meandering along the ridgeline where a beech/holly/pine slope forest meets baldcypress/tupelo swamp. Birds were quiet, though I heard and observed downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, and heard heavy tapping that was probably a pileated woodpecker. It was cool (50's F), and windy in the trees atop Holly Ridge, as I call it, but the swamp was still.
Heavy rains later in the week will likely render much of the habitat in the Pascagoula River Basin inaccessible.
Thanks to all who continue to visit this page.
Looking down into the swamp from Holly Ridge.
Beaver work on a pine along Holly Ridge. I found more beaver sign like this along the ridge.
An impressive beech.
Pine snag, one of many in the Leaf. The area is still littered with pines killed in the passing of Hurricane Katrina.
Young spruce pine.
Extensive scaling on a dead tupelo. Likely pileated woodpecker work. The species is very active in the Leaf Wilderness.
Heavy rains later in the week will likely render much of the habitat in the Pascagoula River Basin inaccessible.
Thanks to all who continue to visit this page.
