May Green Mountain Recon:

The last weekend in may I traveled to the Green Mountains to conduct some research with Michael Merchant and Kathy Villarreal. Let me say first of all it was our first time out with these two, and they are great folks to do field work with. Both of them were troopers through a horsefly infested weekend, and came down from Maine on little sleep. In spite of all that they were a pleasure to be out with, and Michael was quick to share his knowledge of Field Biology also. There were a number of other folks who had been expected to attend, but a series of events kept them from attending this time out, they were missed. It was the first time I’ve been out doing research with a dog in camp, and that seems to be of benefit. Their dog to clarify, just doesn’t seem to bark at all and is very well trained while in the woods, but her senses were very valuable while out there. She picked on things we wouldn’t have on Friday and at several occasion started whining anxiously which isn’t her normal.

It’s also refreshing to get out with folks who get the hammock thing. So we got into camp that Friday, after passing up the first primitive site as that one had been abused by previous occupants, and set up camp in a more isolated spot, and set up to explore a nearby pond area. Michael and I ach found an interesting tree break, not proof of anything but interesting still. At a point in the afternoon that Friday upon return to camp, we heard three wood knock-esque sounds in the distance. I checked google maps upon returning home, and in the direction the knocks came from, there don’t seem to be ay primitive campsites nearby making that all the more interesting. We conducted a night op at the pond from the afternoon’s hike, and although I had nightvision with me, we had an abundance of moonlight and visibility was pretty good on its own. No specific activity to report, but a buggy fun time in a great spot anyway.

Friday night left me with little sleep, sleeping in a hammock sometimes attracts the curiosity of local varmints, and this night found me the object of something’s interest, it bothered me throughout the night so by morning we were all deprived of sleep. My trail camera was triggered by and failed to capture the pesky little whatsit, but I suspect it to be some form of the weasel family. After Saturday morning conversation over breakfast, and the Merchants resupplying their water and minor car issues, we set out to explore a nearby stream, which had also, and abundance of horseflies. Notice the repetition of the word Horsefly. Along the stream amidst joking, Michael again displayed knowledge of Field biology and we ended up finding a weird sawdust pile essentially in the middle of nowhere. We explored that looking for tracks, and joking about faking the Mars landing.

The hike through the stream was enjoyable although Michael never found the box turtle he was looking for, we did observe various toads and fish along the way. We got back to camp and Saturday night consisted of a less formal, if there is such a thing, night operation combining vocals and wood knocking, this time with nothing responding. The night was interrupted by rainfall though, which remained pretty heavy through the night and morning. But despite the weather, we did have some possible initial activity and had a good time meeting good folks for the time in person.

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