Makepeace Lake, snappers, and a strange animal
On Saturday my wife and I took a trip to Makepeace lake. On the way we took a drive down and around Indian cabin road. We had some very interesting sightings:
Heading down Indian Cabin road we came across a dead pine snake that had been run over. When I left the truck to investigate, I noticed some garbage bags along either side of the road that smelled of decaying animal. upon closer investigation, they were filled with dead candadian geese...weird. We followed the road till we came to where it makes a T and followed it to the left where it becomes dirt. We somehow got off Indian cabin and ended up on a narrow overgrown road, a little too narrow for anyone who cares about their paint job. It appered that the road was frequented by quads.
As we were driving we saw an animal in front of us that I can still not identify, About the size of a fox but far too dark to have been a grey fox. Had a long bushy tail. We only saw it breifly before it took off. I was thinking maybe a young coyote, but on examining the tracks it did not leave claw marks in the sand. Also its' movement was some what feline, which leads me to believe it was a cat of some sort (not a bobcat because of the tail) I would say too large for a ferral cat, but maybe this was one huge ferral cat. Maybe a coon cat?
We also saw a large foundation along the road/trail. It was constructed of cinder block so not real old but pretty old none the less. Old cans and a thermost from maybe the 70's were inside.
We made our way to Makepeace lake. Together with the Great Egg Harbor reserve and the Winslow WMA I was surprised by how much woods is out that way. More than the maps would tend to have you believe. On our drive throught the WMA we encountered a musk turtle (or stinkpot) in the road. I replaced him to the side. Then, driving around the west side of the lake we encountered a snapping turtle in the middle of the road. He was large, though not of spectacular size. As we got out and approached him he exhibited the typical aggressive nature of the species. In fact, he acually came after me, he would follow me, quickly, with a b-line for my right ankle. I let him pursue me to the roadside until he was well enough to the side for us to pass.
Continuing down the road, we made it to the next turn when, another snapper blocked our travel. This was a female getting ready to lay eggs, she had dug a nest right in the middle of the road. So as not to upset her, we turned and found a different route.
I have never encountered two snappers in such a short period of time or distance from each other. It was a rare occurance, or Makepeace lake is some kind of snapper city. The second snapper was larger than the first, but still of average snapper size. We also saw a very young red squirrel, a red winged black bird, a red tailed hawk, a vulture preying on deer carrion, a white egret, and of course, deer. Didn't think it was necessary to list them all but my wife said that I should.
I wish I could figure out how to get pictures on this site. I know trip reports are far more interesting with them. Eventually I'll figure it out.
Jeff
On Saturday my wife and I took a trip to Makepeace lake. On the way we took a drive down and around Indian cabin road. We had some very interesting sightings:
Heading down Indian Cabin road we came across a dead pine snake that had been run over. When I left the truck to investigate, I noticed some garbage bags along either side of the road that smelled of decaying animal. upon closer investigation, they were filled with dead candadian geese...weird. We followed the road till we came to where it makes a T and followed it to the left where it becomes dirt. We somehow got off Indian cabin and ended up on a narrow overgrown road, a little too narrow for anyone who cares about their paint job. It appered that the road was frequented by quads.
As we were driving we saw an animal in front of us that I can still not identify, About the size of a fox but far too dark to have been a grey fox. Had a long bushy tail. We only saw it breifly before it took off. I was thinking maybe a young coyote, but on examining the tracks it did not leave claw marks in the sand. Also its' movement was some what feline, which leads me to believe it was a cat of some sort (not a bobcat because of the tail) I would say too large for a ferral cat, but maybe this was one huge ferral cat. Maybe a coon cat?
We also saw a large foundation along the road/trail. It was constructed of cinder block so not real old but pretty old none the less. Old cans and a thermost from maybe the 70's were inside.
We made our way to Makepeace lake. Together with the Great Egg Harbor reserve and the Winslow WMA I was surprised by how much woods is out that way. More than the maps would tend to have you believe. On our drive throught the WMA we encountered a musk turtle (or stinkpot) in the road. I replaced him to the side. Then, driving around the west side of the lake we encountered a snapping turtle in the middle of the road. He was large, though not of spectacular size. As we got out and approached him he exhibited the typical aggressive nature of the species. In fact, he acually came after me, he would follow me, quickly, with a b-line for my right ankle. I let him pursue me to the roadside until he was well enough to the side for us to pass.
Continuing down the road, we made it to the next turn when, another snapper blocked our travel. This was a female getting ready to lay eggs, she had dug a nest right in the middle of the road. So as not to upset her, we turned and found a different route.
I have never encountered two snappers in such a short period of time or distance from each other. It was a rare occurance, or Makepeace lake is some kind of snapper city. The second snapper was larger than the first, but still of average snapper size. We also saw a very young red squirrel, a red winged black bird, a red tailed hawk, a vulture preying on deer carrion, a white egret, and of course, deer. Didn't think it was necessary to list them all but my wife said that I should.
I wish I could figure out how to get pictures on this site. I know trip reports are far more interesting with them. Eventually I'll figure it out.
Jeff
