Wildlife Sightings

Every morning I rise and shine at 4:45, brush my teeth, and put on my running clothes.

By 5:00 I'm outside and running down the road. Two miles from my house is the Audubon Nature Center and all along the way the Huntington River quietly meanders along. This view of Camels Hump is the treat I get at the end of my run as I round the final corner and head home. Rarely does a day go by that I don't have a wildlife sighting of some sort or another. Often times there are ducks bobbing along one spot in the river bordering a farmers field. There are always birds singing their morning songs. Interesting how those songs change as the seasons change. Once this summer I came upon a snapping turtle crossing the road. I didn't really dare to pick it up so I just stayed there directing cars until it was safely across and on its way towards the river. There seems to be a bear crossing at a rather sharp bend in the river. One day a single male crossed in front of me and on another day a mama and 2 cubs made there way across and into the river for a drink at the very same spot. I've had a woodchuck snort at me, quite loudly too! And the squirrels and chipmunks race through the forest making quite a racket.

Many days I am lucky enough to stare into the eyes of white-tailed deer. Today was one of those days. As I was leaving the Audubon Nature Center a single deer appeared out of the trees on the side of the road. We both stopped at the same time and locked eyes upon one another, its ears twitched from side to side. I told the deer that it really needed to be careful crossing the road as cars tend to go rather fast along that straight away and the forest really was deeper not to mention had the river for nice cool water on that side. The deer blinked at me, turned around and leaped off through the tall grass, disappearing into the forest. That was cool!!