Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Friday, July 19, 2019

No Fishing

I haven't  gotten out flyfishing as much in recent years as I have in the past. There were several reasons for this but  the main one initially was my slowly increasing vertigo.  Falling in a fast-moving Rocky trout stream was a recipe for disaster. As Mrs. T's dementia based wondering and agitation grew, it all fit together. Instead we took up Woodland walks. It's it was quiet... really quiet except for the birds having there spring fling. Warblers everywhere. And others almost beyond counting. What a setting. Take a look.



I don't think having a large GSD dog romping around thru the woods in front of you is standard birding technique. Still, years of upland game hunting for pheasants and ruffed grouse made it seem quite normal to me. Baron  flushed the tiny birds and they often flew in my direction as not.  I knew where to look for them with my binocs as they landew in nearby trees.


I watched carefully when he startsed sniffing the ground too carefully. Chasing deer is not acceptable. Then, as he and I learned later in the fall, investigating skunks isn't so great an idea either.
These crystal clear, cold streams, orginate from springs. This limestone (karst) region is full of disappearing rivers, caves, sinkholes and bubbling springs. Here is one in a nearby state park. Water cress is often an indicator of such a spring.
 We came a spot where two streams joined. The water   deep . Baron swam across and looked back expecting me to follow. Fortunately their  an old abandoned bridge, which carried some long forgotten road. Now it allowed  to easily reach the other side.
I did see some nice brown trout along the way.  In the meantime, we headed back to the camper. Mrs. T. mentioned something about  hot dogs for dinner. Come on pup. Time to go.

23 comments:

  1. What a pretty spot to go birding!

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  2. He's a perfect birding companion. :c)

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  3. Baron is such a handsome dog. He must be a great companion. Looks like a nice spot for camping and hiking. Bet it might be a little chilly now though.

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  4. Kia ora TB,
    Great walk! Good to have a companion pushing you along. Love seeing the clear water. I am taking a friend out for a few days fly fishing over Thanksgiving. Get after a few of those Ruahine trout.
    Cheers,
    Robb

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  5. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. My husband is an avid fly fisherman even going down in the middle of winter when snow is on the ground. We live in northern BC near a place called Rainbow Alley you may have heard of it, it is a trout fisherman's paradise.
    We like to look at birds too but it seems since the weather is warming a lot have gone a little further north than they used to and we miss them.

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  6. I didn't realize Baron (the llama, or is he a German shepherd?) is such a young dog - so nice to think you have years and years of wonderful companionship ahead of you!

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  7. Gorgeous photographs! With surroundings like that and a partner like Baron, who cares if you don't see a lot of birds?

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  8. I didn't fish as much as I'd have liked this year, either. Part of the trouble around here is that you have to go quite a way to get to clean water.

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  9. Looks like you're a cave fancier too. Your part of the country really is beautiful. We've kind of lost our appetite for fishing too. It just doesn't seem as much fun as it used to, although I'm sure when our grandson is a little older, the appetite might have to be summoned! He's been practicing casting with his toy fishing rod and reel in our swimming pool, and he's only 2 1/2 years old.

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  10. your dog is beautiful. Birding verses fishing, both wonderful. Lovely pics too. Thank you for your visit to my blog.

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  11. My goodness but that is a beautiful place TB. I would never be able to fish there as my attention would wander all over the show absorbing the beauty around me.

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  12. You are lucky you can let him offleash. None of the parks in my area allow offleash dogs.
    Marnie

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  13. Like that old bridge you found, our companion dogs lead us from the tame culture to the wild nature. You need to make a fishing dog out of him, though--some good looking water, there.

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  14. Mr. T.B,
    Moving by quick, stopped in to say a final hello before the big move, will be back by mid November and figured I'd just whiz in and out of here and there you go- telling your Baron stories. He keeps you pretty young, huh? But to give up the fishing so much for your buddy?? Extreme case of puppy love I do believe! Keep on keeping on and weaving your meandering stories, love 'em every one, you wonderful forever teacher. Take care-

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  15. You write well of your memories, and fine memories they are.

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  16. Good times! Always remember the good times:)

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  17. Lovely photos and I like that old bridge.

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  18. I'd forgotten about watercress marking springs.

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  19. Dear Troutbirder, thank you for this walk with you and Baron through the woods. I could almost hear the birds call and the wind whistle. Peace.

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  20. It was so nice to see Baron again and such a lovely place you had to explore. Like Far Side said, keep those beautiful memories fresh.

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  21. I'm so glad that you are still continuing your blog entries and allowing us all to go along with you on your wonderful memory jaunts.

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  22. A beautiful day outdoors, even if you didn’t catch any fish. I’m sure the hotdogs tasted just about as good.

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  23. My father and uncles were enthusiastic fly fishermen. But they cast their lines from a wooden skiff in the slower, and not very clear waters along the clay banks of Pearl River in southern Louisiana. Age and related physical changes require either finding new ways to enjoy life or choosing to vegetate. Kudos that you and Mrs T are finding new ways to enjoy God's beautiful world. Since my hemorrhagic stroke in 2011 my husband, like you, has also helped me continue to have outdoor adventures. His mantra is "go as fas as we can as long as we can."

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