Well, Mother Nature has been teasing us quite a bit lately! Here at the Breaks, it seems that for every cold, frosty day that we have, we will have just as many mild "Spring like" days in between. The presence of the loud calls of Wood Frog choruses (they sound just like squabbling ducks) on these warmer days this past week have made Spring Fever arise in many of the employees on the park. And while there is still some time to go before Redbuds and Dogwoods begin to flower, there is still no lack of outdoor activities to be had.
Birding here at the Breaks is still available, and I am still seeing a nice variety of species despite the fact that many birds are still closer to the Equator for the winter. The lack of foliage on the trees provides a great opportunity to view birds that may be more difficult to spot when the leaves are full of green.
Some of the birds I have been seeing around the park are as follows:
Red Headed Woodpeckers
Pileated Woodpeckers
I have been a sucker for creepy crawlies since I was a youngster. As far back as I can remember I was out and about, wading in streams, creeks and ponds and flipping over logs and rocks in search of snakes, frogs, salamanders and similar quarry. I would catch them and bring them home to keep and observe, much to the dismay of my mother. Even though she lacked the fondness for reptiles and amphibians, there was never a time that I brought something home to keep that she told me no. She fostered that interest and kept it alive in me. The only agreement that we had to make was that she wanted all of the cages in plain view where she could see everything and not be surprised when opening a dresser or closet.
One of the first salamanders that I can ever remember keeping was a Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). Given to me by friend and biologist Dan Dourson, to me this was one of the coolest salamanders that I had ever seen! They are a large salamander and can grow up to ten inches in length. They are a member of the Mole Salamander group, and members of this group derive their name from the fact that majority of their lives are spent in burrows underground. In fact, they spend so much time underground that the only time that they emerge is on rainy nights during the breeding season to breed.
Tri-colored Bat napping in Cascade Cave at Carter Caves.
Growing up, I was very fortunate to live on and near Carter Caves State Resort Park. It was always a special place to me. Beautiful scenery, spectacular caves, and wonderful staff made visits to my Aunt's (a park employee) an always welcome trip. In fact, as I grew older, my first job was as a Cave Guide at the park, and Carter Caves played as much of a role in the shaping of my career as Park Naturalist as any one person (and there were many) could have done. One of the things that fed my love for wildlife during this time were the bats that could be found in any of the caves that were toured during the summer. Roughly fifteen or so species of bats could be found in one location of the park or another, and the park was home to one of the largest hibernating populations of Indiana Bats (a Federally Endangered Species) in the United States. Getting to see these protected animals in their natural environment was something that fueled my desire to conserve natural resources and educate the public about the importance of these fascinating animals.
While doing a routine trail check on the park last week, I took this photograph of a track in the snow that came from what has to be one of our coolest park residents! Black Bears (Ursus americanus) were at one time completely absent from our area. This was due to a combination of habitat destruction and unregulated hunting. It was guessed that by the early 1900s the American Black Bear was all but extinct here. Over the years as regulations were put in place to control logging and other such activities, and our forests once again began to grow and mature, Black Bears slowly began to make their return to our region from areas in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.
Black Bears are now frequently seen guests at the park, and have no problem making themselves right at home. In fact, campers have to be careful not to leave garbage out after dark or they may awaken to find that their garbage has been scattered all over the campground. Although our bears are very used to being watched by people, they are wild animals so if you want to observe them, do it from afar.
American Black Bears are one of the true success stories for our area, and one that we are very proud of. So if you are in the area this summer, stop by and you may be lucky enough to see one of the most interesting animals that call Breaks Interstate Park their home!
What you see pictured here is a photo of The Breaks Canyon here at Breaks Interstate Park. This is wonderful representation of the power of water. Over a time of 180 million years, water from the Russell Fork River etched out the sandstone and formed the gorge (which is the largest gorge east of the Mississippi River) that is now visible here at the park. That water is still doing its work, and continues to cut away at the underlying rock, deepening the gorge.
Wintertime is often the best time of year to examine and explore geology. Leaves and other foliage that is present in the other seasons will obstruct the view of cliffs, rock formations, etc. Winter is also the peak time that people use to discover natural arches because a lack of foliage clears the forests and makes it possible to see skylight through the arches. Coming to our park in the winter gives you the opportunity to see much more of what makes the sheer cliffs of the gorge so spectacular.
So if time allows, take a day or an afternoon to visit the park and see all of the natural beauty and geologic wonder that makes our park so unique.
