This afternoon I went with Connor, Rowan, and their grandpa to Beaver Lake. Once again I walked in the fivefinger shoes. I didn’t notice any soreness at all with the relatively short trail that is mostly boardwalk. Rowan and Connor both walked the entire distance without getting carried. Rowan was a little slow at times and a couple of times she stopped to look for money in the rocks (I think she heard the rocks clink together and it sounded like a coin). We did the entire loop in less than three hours (but more than two).
This evening Melissa and I walked back from dinner with family and friends along the Cross Trail. It was getting dark, but the evening was peaceful and calm.
Weather: It was fairly warm, sunny in the morning, but increasing clouds throughout the day. This afternoon it was overcast, and a few rain drops were falling this evening.
Birds: There was a duck (appeared to be a Mallard, but was far away) with three ducklings in the middle of Beaver Lake. We heard and saw Hummingbirds, Wilson’s Warblers, Townsend’s Warblers, Robins, Varied Thrushes, and Hermit Thrushes at least.
On the way back between the lake and the hill, I heard a strange call repeatedly that I couldn’t quite figure out. There’s a chance that it was a Northern Flicker that was a little distorted due to the terrain, but it didn’t seem quite right. I could not figure out what it was, but did not have time to wander off trail looking for it (as it sounded a fair distance away).
Swainson’s Thrushes were calling along the Cross Trail. I also heard a Red-breasted Sapsucker nest with young on the Indian River side of the intersection with Gavan Hill Trail. It’s the first one I have heard this year.
Flora: There were lots of flowers blooming along Beaver Lake Trail, but unfortunately I did not really have time to stop and take pictures. Among those that I saw were Bog Laurel, Common Butterwort, Caltha-leaved Aven, Yellow Mountain Heather, Bog Rosemary, Ground Dogwood, Northern Starflower, and Three-leaf Goldthread.