by Gary Lee
The Midwest heat wave is going to hit this week so even here in the Adirondacks we will need to get out the fans or turn on the air conditioner. How many years has that happened?
The showers that came through Saturday night dropped different amounts of rain over the area.
I got three-quarters of an inch that night, which refreshed my bee balm patch and made it so I didn’t have to water my garden.
There are still several fires out west that are out of control, but a cold front was coming through which will help get a handle on some of them.
The Reynolds Creek Fire in Glacier National Park went from 2,000 to 4,000 acres in one day and moved out lots of campers.
Many spectators watched from a distance as the fire and smoke rose in front of snow-capped mountains.
The rugged terrain is hampering fire-fighting methods so lots of water drops are being used by fixed wing and helicopters which take water from nearby lakes.
The wildlife in some of the National Parks is also reacting to the hot dry conditions by attacking cars and people.
Buffaloes seem to be taking the spotlight. They are not dairy cows in the pasture, they are wild animals.
More people get hit by the buffaloes than any other animal in the parks.
A video I saw shows a group of school children on a boardwalk in Yellowstone with one buffalo.
They are not more than five feet away and it appears the buffalo can move faster in short bursts than they thought.
A lady got out her iPhone and held it up to take her picture with the buffalo behind her.
Then, you guessed it, the buffalo charged and threw her several feet in the air. I hope she was running some video at the time.
Sometimes I wish the loons could jump into a canoe or kayak with some of the people who get too close when they try to get a picture of them with their iPhones. I say, get a bigger lens and stay back.
When I was out yesterday I saw a lady in a kayak get not more than ten feet from a loon family that had just come off the nest. I told her she was too close.
After taking several pictures she replied that she doesn’t disturb wildlife.
If that bird came up and pecked her it would have been the bird’s fault, not her’s.
Same goes for does with fawns. They can be aggressive with people and dogs to protect their young.
And if something happens, it’s the doe’s fault. Keep your distance and keep your dogs on a leash.
Nearly every day I listen to the Moose radio station there is a story about missing dogs.
Most of these take off to chase deer and may never be seen again.
Many people take their dogs out on the hiking trails unleashed.
If a deer jumps up not far from the trail most dogs will give chase at that white tail going through the woods.
Some will come back after a short chase while others will not be seen again.
All of my loons have come off their nests now and have chicks on the water.
If you see one of these families, give them some space so the chicks can get something to eat.
If the parents spend all their time watching you and trying to get you away, the chicks don’t get fed and may die.
Take your picture and leave, don’t ride hard on them for hours waiting for that special shot. The chicks may not make it with all the disturbance.
Also, if turtles and other predators hear the commotion and see that the parents are distracted, they will have an opportunity to move in and pick off a chick.
The current weather has been good for some orchids and bad for others.
The white fringed in Ferd’s Bog are few and far between as the bog mat flooded many times and they didn’t bloom.
Some of the upland orchids have enjoyed the rains and wet weather. They bloomed early and lasted a long time.
Most of these blooms have been eaten by the deer so there will be no seeds from them.
The large and small purple fringed orchids have been prettier than ever this year.
I have a butterfly hike today. Leaving VIEW, the arts center, at 10 a.m. and hope to find some monarchs.
Loons have a third nest with two eggs…but that’s another story. See ya.