2021-8-16, William Jezek Memorial Preserve, East Haddam, CT

On 2021-8-16, I visited William Jezek Memorial Preserve in East Haddam, CT.  I made an interactive map of the preserve with location numbers.  Here's a link to the interactive map: https://arcg.is/Sr15L .  Here's a static screenshot of the interactive map.



1.  I parked on the side of Beebe Road, a quiet road which was paved where I parked.  


1.  Some poison ivy, which, in this case, was shiny.


2.  The whole preserve was somewhat boggy, although my boots stayed reasonably dry on 2021-8-16.  There were several bog bridges, boards over particularly wet spots, that had been covered with sand that was somehow caused to adhere to the boards.  The idea must have been to limit slipping.  Wet boards can be very slippery.


3.  Someone had been cutting back the vegetation on the trails.  My guess was that a string trimmer had been used.



4.  Non-shiny poison ivy, with no teeth.



Near 4.  Also three leaflets, but not poison ivy.  Note the small, fairly even, teeth all around the edges of all three leaflets.  Some species of bramble, I think.



Near 4.  Again, three leaflets, but not poison ivy.  The small teeth all around the edges of all three leaflets is one clue that this isn't poison ivy.  Another clue is that the leaflet stem for the middle leaflet is not longer than the leaflet stems for the other two leaflets.  My guess is that this is a hickory tree of some species.


Near 4.  Also three leaflets but not poison ivy.  I think this is hog peanut which has distinctly shaped leaflets.


5.  One a the few, if not the only, fallen tree I found on the Jezek Memorial trails.  People had been looking after this preserve.



Near 5.  I think these are spicebush fruit.  Break a spicebush twig to smell the distinctive spicebush smell.  Note the little bumps on the spicebush bark.



6.  This was posted on a tree near where the White Trail met Daniel Peck Road, a quiet road, which, where the trail came in, was paved and wider than Beebe Road.  I was surprised by the request that people not use power equipment.


7.  This was on the Red Trail.  This was one of the larger trees in the the preserve.  I think it was a red maple.



Near 7.  A dead white ash on the Red Trail.  White ash trees have been dying rapidly because of emerald ash borer infestation.  I think the red blaze was on on a muscle wood tree, sometimes called an ironwood tree, Carpinus caroliniana.


Near 7.  Evidence of recent cutting of fallen trees.  My guess is that power equipment was used.





Near 8.  A yellow birch tree on the Red Trail.



8.  The Red Trail where it met Moodus Reservoir, which appeared to be more of a swamp than what I would think of as a reservoir.







David Reik

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2022-6-30, Compounce Ridge Trail, Bristol, Southington, CT

Image
 On 2022-6-30, I hiked a section of the Tunxis Compounce Ridge Trail, starting at the northern end of the trail.  Except for the road section, I hiked the entire section to the intersection with the Compounce Cascade Trail.  This section of the trail appeared to have been neglected for a few years. I made an interactive map with location numbers showing where the pictures below were taken.  Here's a link to the interactive map:  https://arcg.is/9maXb  .  Here's a static screenshot of the interactive map. 1.  I parked in a commuter parking lot.  This is looking back at the parking lot along the trail through a stand of mugwort. Near 1.  I found a lot of poison ivy at various places along the trail I hiked. Near 1.  I crawled under this blow-down.  2.  A blow-down. 3.  A blow-down. 4.  Overgrown. Near 4.  A blow-down. 5.  Multi-flora rose growing in the trail. Near 5.  A very overgrown section. Near ...
Read more

2022-6-5, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT.

Image
On 2022-6-5, I hiked a section of the Metacomet Trail in East Granby, from CT-189 to Holcomb Street. I made an interactive map of my route --- my GPS track is shown in pink.  I put in location numbers to show where the pictures below were taken.  Here is a screenshot of the southern part of the map. Here's a screenshot of the northern part of the map. Here's a link to the interactive map, where you can zoom in and out, and turn on and off various layers. https://arcg.is/1aDPiq 4.  The view of Tariffville Gorge. 6.  I don't think there was ever a structure connected with this chimney. 8.  A large Striped Maple leaf. 9.  Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina), I think.  A wild native rose. 11.  Evidence of some recent mowing of plants in the sunlit power cut. 12.  The first blow-down I came to.  This was about 100 feet south of the cemetery. 12.  The cemetery.  As I recall, the three grave stones are reproductions of the original grave st...
Read more

2021-11-18, Oak Ledges Preserve, Portland, CT

Image
 On 2021-11-18, I visited Oak Ledges Preserve in Portland, CT.  On 2021-11-19, I went back to the area and visited Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary, also in Portland, CT, and a small part of Meshomasic State Forest.  I made an interactive map with location numbers.  Here's a link to the interactive map:  https://arcg.is/b0OHb  .  I'll put in a static screenshot of the interactive map. 1.  I parked in a small pull-off (maybe three cars could fit).  A map created by the Middlesex Land Trust was displayed. 1.  The preserve is owned by the Middlesex Land Trust. 2.  Rocks along the trail which had orange blazes. 3.  I followed the orange trail to the northwest corner of the preserve.  The Middlesex Land Trust map labels this rock a glacial erratic. 3.  I managed to get to the top of the rock. 4.  I explored an interior, unblazed trail.  I think this is one of the three species in the genus Dendrolycopodium found ...
Read more