While searching the woods near my house on MSN birdseye I found an almost unnoticable body of water in a cedar swamp. The cedars cast a shadow over the imagery and I found it mostly by accident. It was unusual because it did not appear to be a spung, yet there were no obvious streams leading into or exiting the area.
It is near my house and I was getting a real late start, so I figured I would give it a shot. It was approx. 3/10ths of a mile from the nearest dirt road so I figured my chances were good of making it a quick trip. I would post the location, but I soon learned that the watering hole was actually 81' on private land. I know who owns it, and they own thousands of acres and would probably not care, but just to play it safe I won't post it here.
By the time I left my vehicle the sun was already very low on the horizon. It was after 4:30. So my pictures are not the best. I started by descending from an upland oak-pine forest to a quick drop into the cedar swamp.
The cedar swamp was easier to navigate than many I have been in. This cedar had a hard death.
I noticed dramatic tempeture changes in the cedar swamp. I would be walking and hit a warm pocket that honestly felt 10 degrees warmer, would last for 5' and then I would walk right out of it. I hit about 3 to 4 of these within a 20yard stretch.
As quickly as the woods changed from upland oak to cedar, it quickly changed to a blueberry/maple wetland.
I arrived at my target. It was dipicted on the birdseye as a sliver shaped hole, but that must have been because of the shadows of the cedars. It was oval. It had a cedar forest on one side and blueberry/maple swamp on the other.
Examining the boarders, I could see evidence of man made berms and a crude dike. This photo was the best I could do to capture that.
I conclueded that this was most likely a very small, perhaps never completed, cranberry bog system. On the eastern side was a savanna/bog, now overgrown with new cedar, running from the hole.
I will have to go back and check old maps to see if any bog is depicted there. 1930 aerials only show the savanna.
Here was an interesting,though typical, find on the way. Notice the nubs.
Afterward, with a little daylight still lingering, I ventured into an old confirmed cranberry bog. It was filled with cottton grass. The water level was low, a maximum of 4", and it was filled with grasses. Pine trees were taking root and I was surprised by how little leather leaf there was. I think this would be prime habitat for PBXBob in the spring.
I took a bunch more photos but it was getting too dark and I needed to head back. I found my way back by moonlight and a fading glow over the horizon. A lone coyote howl reveberated across the bog as I left it behind me.
Jeff
It is near my house and I was getting a real late start, so I figured I would give it a shot. It was approx. 3/10ths of a mile from the nearest dirt road so I figured my chances were good of making it a quick trip. I would post the location, but I soon learned that the watering hole was actually 81' on private land. I know who owns it, and they own thousands of acres and would probably not care, but just to play it safe I won't post it here.
By the time I left my vehicle the sun was already very low on the horizon. It was after 4:30. So my pictures are not the best. I started by descending from an upland oak-pine forest to a quick drop into the cedar swamp.
The cedar swamp was easier to navigate than many I have been in. This cedar had a hard death.
I noticed dramatic tempeture changes in the cedar swamp. I would be walking and hit a warm pocket that honestly felt 10 degrees warmer, would last for 5' and then I would walk right out of it. I hit about 3 to 4 of these within a 20yard stretch.
As quickly as the woods changed from upland oak to cedar, it quickly changed to a blueberry/maple wetland.
I arrived at my target. It was dipicted on the birdseye as a sliver shaped hole, but that must have been because of the shadows of the cedars. It was oval. It had a cedar forest on one side and blueberry/maple swamp on the other.
Examining the boarders, I could see evidence of man made berms and a crude dike. This photo was the best I could do to capture that.
I conclueded that this was most likely a very small, perhaps never completed, cranberry bog system. On the eastern side was a savanna/bog, now overgrown with new cedar, running from the hole.
I will have to go back and check old maps to see if any bog is depicted there. 1930 aerials only show the savanna.
Here was an interesting,though typical, find on the way. Notice the nubs.
Afterward, with a little daylight still lingering, I ventured into an old confirmed cranberry bog. It was filled with cottton grass. The water level was low, a maximum of 4", and it was filled with grasses. Pine trees were taking root and I was surprised by how little leather leaf there was. I think this would be prime habitat for PBXBob in the spring.
I took a bunch more photos but it was getting too dark and I needed to head back. I found my way back by moonlight and a fading glow over the horizon. A lone coyote howl reveberated across the bog as I left it behind me.
Jeff
. Great little skatin' pond.
