By Gary Lee
The folks in the Midwest are being hit hard today (6/22) with winds stronger than hurricane force and some of that weather will be here tomorrow.
We will have to see what Mother Nature brings. We’ve had enough water from the sky and many of my loons are already on their second nest after being flooded out of their first one.
One pair has lost their second nest and probably won’t renest this time and take the summer off.
Last year Ellie George had one pair of loons nest four times and lost every nest.
This year that pair is two days from hatching its first nest in a couple years.
One of my pairs at Twitchell Lake built up their nest over a foot and still lost it to high water. They did the same thing last year and saved the nest.
This pair has renested and will probably have to add to this nest if we get much more rain.
Most of these loons will have to sit through the Fourth of July weekend so if you see any on a nest, steer clear and leave them sitting as they will be close to hatching their young.
New York state is offering free fishing this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28.
So get out that old rod and give some of those fish a try…you might even enjoy it.
The state has stocked fish in many local waters and these fish are just waiting for a worm to be put in front of them.
I’ve had many good reports in the last week of some nice brooktrout taken from local ponds and lakes.
An article I wrote about fishing in the Moose River Area is included in the new Adirondack Outdoor Magazine, which is currently available at local stores.
My sister-in-law appears on the front cover with fish taken on a Perfect Day Charters boat.
Karen and I went down to Ballston Spa last weekend to visit her sister Dawn and see her new apartment.
Her place is right across the road from the Saratoga County Fairgrounds where a Balloon Festival and Craft Fair were being held, so I went down to get some shots of the lift off.
They went up without a hitch on Saturday morning but we left before the take off that night. The winds were very strong and rains were coming so I don’t think anything went up.
While we were there we took a short trip up to the mineral spring along Route 50 at the entrance of the Saratoga State Park for giggle water.
Most people don’t like it but we were brought up on it. We think it’s great and brought a bottle home.
If the radon in the water doesn’t get you the salt will.
The Saratoga Vishy Water Plant is just around the corner and uses some of the same bubbling water for their drink with a little carbonation.
I had a nice Remsen Bog hike on Father’s Day…the flowers and weather cooperated.
A couple people got stuck in the bog but were pulled out boots and all.
We keyed out a few of the orchids and found a new one right along the road edge which hadn’t been cut by the mower.
One party came all the way from Florida to make the hike. They came last year also… now that’s dedication.
They were both in their eighties and hoped they would be able to make it next year. They found a nice Canada Lily that I hadn’t seen there in a couple years.
I took Tammy Huckabone down with me and she was going to meet her father Frank there as his Father’s Day present so they could see the flowers together.
Her father’s father was born in the lumbermen’s lodge near Moulin Mountain north of Old Forge.
Tammy had found the remains of the lodge last year and she asked me if I could tell her how to get to Gibb’s Lake.
Her father and grandfather had gone fishing there many times in an old wooden rowboat. They caught many trout at the time but her father hadn’t been there for over twenty years.
When we got back into Old Forge we went up off the snowmobile trail system and walked into Gibbs Lake. Tammy’s dad told several stories about his fishing trips there and we took a few pictures. He got two Father’s Day presents… and I got one also.
There are lots of fawns being born in the area in the last couple of weeks and many of these are right in town.
If you see a deer crossing the highway slow down as a little one may be right behind.
Many of you are using the South Shore Road with all the construction on Route 28.
Slow down a little and use some caution as there are many hidden driveways and some wildlife that is not used to such fast traffic.
There are a couple turkey families using the shoulders for feeding, a lot of deer and several walkers and bikers. Keep trash in your vehicles as it’s a nice green highway without litter.
Some pretty wildflowers are blooming… but that’s another story. See ya.