Mushroom Experts?

I love to take pictures of mushrooms but I have a hard time identifying them. If there are any mushroom experts out there I'd love for you to take a look at my gallery and tell me if you can know any of them. Thank you in advance.

Sleeping Giant State Park: Hamden, CT (12/28)

Since I'm still trying to catch up with my blogging I plan to write every so often about the adventures that I had this winter. The outings may be a few months ago but hopefully you will still enjoy the stories.

Right before the end of the year I made a solo trip out to Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, CT. This was a park that I hadn't been before so I took a while to explore it. It was a mild sunny day, the kind which is perfect for hiking. Unfortunately it was also the kind of day where ice melts and makes steep climbs dangerous.

I didn't realize that the park was so mountainous when I started at the bottom. I should have figured it out when I read the brochure which indicated that the park is named for the mountains which resemble a giant in repose. But, I didn't. I started at the bottom of the mountain where the roaring river made the view very picturesque. I hiked over some tight trails which were very slippery. Eventually I made it to some ruins. I believe that they were from a abandoned mining operation but I never found out for sure. Near the ruins was the giant's "mouth". This was an unbelievably impressive cliff that did look like sharp teeth.

All around the cliff were trees just struggling to survive. I found this one with most of its roots exposed.

At this point, I headed up what I would later discover was the most challenging terrain in the park. I hiked for some time sweating through my light jacket. Eventually I made it to the top and was rewarded by a nice view of the valley below (even though it was pretty overcast). The climb down was as difficult as the ascent but with about a million tiny steps I made it down off the mountain and onto the gentler trails that led back to the parking lot. By this time, the setting sun shown beautifully thru the bare trees.

I'm definitely looking forward to returning to Sleeping Giant for more exploration this spring.

Outdoor Acivities in Decline

The Nature Conservancy has just published a report on the decline of outdoor activities in the United States and Japan. The team's findings are that as video entertainment (television, video games, and the internet) has grown, hiking, camping and fishing are in decline. They make the correlation that a nation less involved in the natural world will be less likely to protect it. This is bad news for nature lovers. So, get out there and experience the world while you can.

You can read an interview with the two researchers here.

Bird Sightings

In the past week or so I had a few chance birds sightings. The first was a pair of adult bald eagles in a tree along RT 9 in Middletown. They were perched very close together. Could they be a mated pair? I'll have to keep a watch out for a nest.



And, today as I was leaving working in Middletown, a pair of Killdeer flew overhead. They looked to be scoping out the roof of Pratt and Whitney for a good place for a nest. Spring is surely on its way.

Events in CT

For those of you who live in or near Connecticut, I have a few events that you might want to check out. The first is the photo show at the CT Audubon Center in Glastonbury. I went there with family two weeks ago and there were some very nice pictures. The show runs through the end of the month. Its definitely worth your time.

Also, this weekend (February 17 and 18) Essex holds its annual Eagle Festival. I've gone a couple of years and have always had a great time. And, looking at the schedule, it looks like this year is goingto be fun too. I just hope that the weather is good.

Turtle Atlas

I finally got around to entering some of my turtle sightings in the MA and CT turtle atlas. It was really quick and easy and the researchers on the other side are thankfull to get the data. If you happen to live in one of these states, think about sending your information in the next time you see a turtle. Every piece of data matters.

Back Again!

Well, it has been a really long time since I last posted to this blog. It wasn't because I outgrew it. I used to be able to write my entries during my lunch break but my company ended up blocking the site. And, life has been so busy lately (serious girlfriend, family, etc.) that I've gotten away from it.

But, I never stopped getting out and seeing the natural world. It's in my blood now... I know I'll never be able to let it go. And often times when I was out seeing something I would think about how good an entry it would be. I missed sharing my "expeditions" with the world (even if no one was reading them).

So, here I am back. I know now that if you love something, you can never let it go. The adventures that I've had since August of '07 are probably gone forever. But, I'm going to try my best to get this started again. I hope you enjoy.