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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails September 17 2010 I have been reading about mixed-species foraging flocks, it appears they generally join together when one flock joins another at a feeding location. However in this case the Robins and Cesar Waxwing have been flock together for at least eleven days possibly longer. The Robins were only the dominant flock on the Tufa Terrace January 22 2010 when they flew in and began frantically feeding on berries. In fact the Cedar Waxwings pushed the Robins out of the Tree when their flock arrived. Later on February 07 2010 I saw Robins and Cedar Waxwings on the Honeysuckle Trail. I noted at the time it was the first time I had seen Robins on that trail. Move ahead to February 18 2010 I note in my blog that I am surprised to see a flock of Robins up at the Hot Springs Mountain Pagoda. Not long after I note a large group of Cedar Waxwings appear. The Waxwings are smaller in size but appear to be the dominant group in this mixed flock.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails September 15 2010 A storm is brewing within the park as I head out to hike this morning. A flowering Bush on the Arlington Lawn is the focus of a swarm of Moths seeking an early breakfast and they move rapidly from blossom to blossom in a delicate dance. It is not long before they fly off to find more sweet nectar elsewhere. The sky begins to change rapidly from dark to light and wildlife is for the most part vanishes. Who can blame them with rumblings of Thunder far off on distant ridge tops. As I hike up Hot Springs Mountain only a Male Cardinal pops it’s beak out for a quick song before flying deep into the Forest. He is a spectacular sight, he rich red against the lush green is always a beautiful sight.
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POPSNote to NPS About Dogs in the Park
(Updated Mar 20 2010) I must begin by stating I LOVE DOGS, but I also LOVE and respect the wildlife that lives in our protected National Parks. I have been licked, cuddled and played with by many Dogs I have met on the trails. Most of whom have not been on leashes as the Park requires. I have also been snapped at and been the recipient of menacing grows, on one occasion several of us had to get off the path to keep from being bitten by two large dogs. As most know I hike in the Hot Springs National Park almost daily and I would like to address the easiest way to prevent the declining wildlife in the park. Ban Dogs from the Park your, mission is to conserve the wildlife and the eco-system, it is not to provide a dog walking venue. Every week I encounter people with their dogs off leash, destroying natural habits by running off the trail sometimes at the encouragement of their owners. I also have to avoiding stepping in the deification Dogs leave behind because their human companions
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails September 09 2010 Two days of storms and I could not stay away from the Forest one more day. I gear up and stick my big oiled cloth wide brim rain hat on my head. The park is empty as I head up the trails and in the drizzle I stop only to photograph Wild Rose Hips and Asiatic Dayflowers. I head up the Dead Chief and Short Cut Trails to reach the top of Hot Springs Mountain. I am moving at a good pace as there is a chance of lightning and I do not want to caught out in the open if it arrives.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails August 30 2010 Take a hike with me across two Mountains in Hot Springs National Park. This morning a cool breeze is traveling across my skin as I enter the park. I am greeted by a tiny sparrow dusting itself in the dry soil below a Magnolia Tree. No longer in bloom the elegant Magnolia seeds sleep in a velvet cocoon high in the dark leaves.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails August 27 2010 Meet some fantastic Fathers, the Male Cardinals of Hot Springs National Park. On many occasions I have spotted Male Cardinals feeding Chicks, teaching flight school and taking the juveniles on field trips. They are loving patient and attentive even when multiple chicks are all vying for their attention. As you will see in the images below Male Cardinals work very hard to be good parents. This is not to say the females don’t help as well, they stay with the young chicks as they learn to exit the nest. The males fetch food for the Chicks and as you can see in the last image keep a close eye on visitors in their neighborhood. Nature is a wonderful teacher! Much Love to ALL, Lee
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails August 15 2010 We have been in the grip of a heat wave in the South and I thought we could all use a cool stroll through the Forest. Please enjoy the beauty and escape of traveling down a secluded path in the Forest. Revel in the wonder of not knowing what you may see on your journey among the Trees. Loose yourself in the beauty of the Hot Springs National Park. There are many trails on which you can travel.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails August 13 2010 It is nearly 100 degrees as I head into the park, I know it’s too hot when my sunglasses fog up. The haze from the humidity is like a film over my eyes and I miss the clear air of spring. Even the heat cannot keep me away from the beauty in the park. As I reach the top of the Tufa Terrace I am surrounded by sweet bird song of first morning light. I watch a juvenile Brown Thrasher stalking insects in the grass, it is a glorious way to start my morning hike.
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POPSHot Springs National Park Trails August 09 2010 It is always beautiful after summer rain, refreshing drops feeding the Forest. Delicate pink peonies are glowing against the green leaves freshened by showers last evening. A gorgeous morning bouquet as I enter the park. As I head up the Tufa Terrace a vibrant Male Cardinal is singing to greet the morning. As he moved among the leaves it shifts the drops of rain on them onto my head.
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POPSHot Springs National Park Trails August 08 2010 I had a long busy day so I will ask your forgiveness for my lack to text. Instead please enjoy the beauty of the Hot Springs National Park and its glorious residents. At the end of my hike I met the lovely lad pictured above, he watched quietly as I was photographing lovely Red-Spotted Purple Butterflies. He looked at me and gesture as if he were holding a camera and then pointed at himself. He was overjoyed when I held up my camera to take his picture and flashed the peace sign. Children are so beautiful and natural, it was a joy to take his photograph.
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POPSHot Springs National Park Trails August 05 2010 Another hot morning in Hot Springs, it cannot keep me away from my hike. Armed with a full stainless steel bottle of fresh cold Hot Springs Mineral Water I head into the park. When I reach the Tufa Terrace I see small Squirrel stopping to much on a small nut. As I head up the path I almost trip of an Eastern Cottontail, it is the sweetest sight sitting their looking up at me. Plenty of places to run, I feel so blessed that it chooses to stay and let me take photographs. I am thankful for this beautiful moment.
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POPSHot Springs National Park Trails August 03 2010 Sometimes Nature comes to your front door and I was on my way out when I spotted a lovely green beetle. Special thanks to @Squirrelbasket on Twitter for identifying it as Cetonia Aurata (Rose Chafer). On my way up the Tufa Terrace I am greeted by a Chipmunk standing as sentinel in the Park. It is a beautiful way to begin my morning hike. As another person approaches it moves to the Tufa Rock to my side. As I connect with the Peak Trail I watch a Spider Wasp fly up the trail ahead of me.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 30 2010 I would like to Thank Alison Harbour and the Sentinel-Record of Hot Springs Arkansas for featuring my photograph Spring Storm Beauty in your Newspaper today. Also a special thank You to the Arkansas Gazette and the voters for selecting “Springs Storm Beauty” for the Peoples Choice Award.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 29 2010 The sky is awaiting the arrival of the sun as I enter the park this morning. Cool breezes are ruffling the leaves on Trees and Bushes and a golden glow is beginning to appear above the Trees as I reach the top of Tufa Terrace. A beautiful Eastern Cottontail is munching on a delicious grassy breakfast. Further along a pair of Mourning Doves sit watching me high in a Tree above the trail.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 26 2010 I am typing my blog watching a large storm rage outside, thunder, lightning and flash floods. It is rain that has been so desperately needed in the park, life giving liquid. For two week we have been under a heat advisory and with each passing day wildlife was becoming less visible. I was worried they could die from the lack of rain and the extreme heat, Hot Springs has been having “August temperatures” since mid June. The ground cover foliage was turning yellow and leaves were drying and falling off the Trees as if it were Autumn. Today a cool breeze came in ahead of the storm and the park came back to life.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 23 2010 It keeps getting hotter and the locals keep telling me this is August weather. So I am thinking what is August going to like, I will have to start my hikes at 6:30 a.m. if it gets any hotter. When I leave at 7:20 a.m. it is already 89 degrees and I am sweating before the first half mile. I hike up North Mountain via the Floral Trail and head directly to the Upper Dogwood Trail. As I begin my climb a lovely blue and turquoise Butterfly lands on the trail in front of me. It does a ballet of turning and gently fanning it’s wings, it is a peaceful moment in the heat. A lovely living work of art.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 22 2010 The temperature is already 86 when I get up at 6:20 a.m., so I am rushing to get out by 7:25 a.m. to hike before it gets much hotter. My plan is for a quick hike up Hot Springs Mountain and back down. A jogger passes me as I head up the stairs into the park. When I reach the Promenade a small group of people is approaching and we take different paths up the Mountain.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 20 2010 Hot Springs is under a heat advisory until Friday so it is hot as I enter the park at 7:50 am. I am finally getting use to the constant haze caused by the humidity. As I am heading up to the top of the mountain via the Dead Chief and Short Cut Trails I realize I have not seen many Squirrels, Chipmunks and Rabbits for several days. The heat appears to be affecting their normal feeding and movement patterns.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 19 2010 I am into the park early as we are set to have another hot day. It appears the grounds keepers, dog walkers and tourist all had the same idea. A large juvenile Cardinal in the tree above me on the Carriage Road calls out sending me on my way. I hike up the Dead Chief and Short Cut Trails to the top of Hot Springs Mountain Trail where I am greeted by sound of blowers.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 17 2010 I start my morning hike at 7:45 am with only a skiff of clouds trailing across the blue sky. The sun is still behind Hot Springs Mountain as I enter the park. A bush at the foot of the Tufa Terrace has beautiful pink blossoms, if anyone knows what it is I would love to know the name of the flower. As I cross over the Promenade I look up and see a sweet baby Squirrel in the tree above me. It is still wanting to stay hidden form the crowds moving below.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 15 2010 I thought yesterday was hot, I was wrong. It is a scorcher this morning, it feels more like noon when I left at 7:45 am. When I step outside my sunglasses totally fog over leaving me blind. This is my first summer in the South and I am on a learning curve. The park entrance area at the Arlington Lawn is empty, this is very unusual. As I head up into the park I am glad to have a large contain of Hot Springs water. The heat and air feel heavy and add to my workout as I climb up onto Hot Springs Mountain. Nothing appears to be moving accept for me. I hike up the Dead Chief Trail and when I begin the short Cut Trail I spot a group of Ladies nearing the top of the first incline. The YaYa Sisterhood could not be stopped by an overheated Arkansas morning.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 14 2010 A morning so humid the Rocks are sweating, I had no idea it was possible. I start my hike on the the Tufa Terrace lovely droplets are glistening on the bright green grass. They sparkle like tiny gems in the new light of the morning. On the Carriage Road a little Chipmunk pops put from underneath a Tufa Rock. In it’s sweet little hands a big nut as it tentatively comes out into the open to eat. After 6 months of never seeing a Chipmunk on the Carriage Road now I have seen two within a week.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails July 11 2010 My Husband and I are both July babies so on days in between our two birthdays we celebrate our “Soul Days”. Today we decided to go to the Ansel Adams Adams exhibit at the MOCA in the Historic Ozark Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park on Central Avenue. As we began our walk we came across a Northern Mockingbird Chick in the entrance of the unoccupied Superior Bathhouse. It was calling out to a Pair of young parents and a nearby older baby. We were able to encourage the Baby to seek shelter under the shade of a bush and Rick poured water nearby. It’s slightly older sibling flew down and landed on top of the bushes practicing it’s flight techniques.
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POPSHot Springs National Park Trails June 28 2010 Storms are expected today so I head into the park early this morning. When I reach the top of the Tufa Terrace ramp I notice a horrible sight. A branch has one end carved to a point and has been jammed into a Chipmunk burrow. My heart ached for the fear this must have caused, I am thankful this burrow has several exits. When I reach the Peak Trail I am surprised to see one of the Rabbits on the paved path and not over in the grassy glen. Seeing one one of the two Eastern Cottontails has me wondering if there is nest tending or if the other was scared off. I hope the same people that was probing in the Chipmunk burrow did not find the Rabbits.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails June 27 2010 It is a hazy humid morning in the park, hot the air is thick and my camera lens keeps fogging up. The National Park service is grooming the trails so the wildlife is either high up in the Trees or has taken cover. When I reach the Carriage Road I can see two juvenile Squirrels vocalizing their disapproval at one and other from the highest branches. Tails are rapidly moving back and forth in a sign of annoyance.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails June 21 2010 Hot in Hot Springs the heat index is already 95 degrees when I leave for my hike at 8 am. On the Arlington Lawn a sweet Squirrel is searching for food in the dry earth. The weather has been August hot not the normal June hot. I am happy when I finally see it has found a breakfast morsel. I head up to the the Tufa Terrace I see several lovely Squirrels foraging under bushes. On sweetie is sitting on a platform by the stairs grooming and watching photographing other Squirrels. Further up the trail I see a Brown Thrasher sheltering under a bush. The heat is beginning to dry the foliage and I wish it would rain.
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails June 14 2010 This is wedding week, Friday I will be Mrs. Rick London, so this will be a very brief Blog Post :) The Butterflies above put on an amazing display on the Floral Trail. This dazzling trio of Butterflies danced and played on the rocks of the floral Trail for 20 minutes… this was the end of my hike :) Along my hike I saw beautiful fungi, wild flowers and Forest foliage. On the Hot Springs Mountain Trail a Sweet Tufted Titmouse landed on a branch above me. Find a way to get some Nature playtime! Love, Lee
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails June 12 2010 In less than a week I am getting married so I took a “me” day to do some girlie things and to help my beloved Fiance’ Rick with a project. While I was relaxing I began thinking about the beautiful Wildflowers I have discovered this year in Hot Springs National Park. Here are a few of my favorite Wildflower images including the one that started my love affair with these little beauties. My first Wildflower photo is a Birds-Foot Violet which bloomed in February just before the second round of ice and snow storms in Hot Springs. No one bothered to tell it winter was still underway. To be honest until I saw my first violet pushing it’s way up and out of the leaves and twigs I did not pay much attention to the details of the different Wildflowers. When I can home with my first photo I had to find out was it was. From that point on I was hooked, on each subsequent hike I hoped for a new discovery. I hope you enjoy the beauty of Nature’s colorful display in the photographs. Love, L
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POPSHot Spings National Park Trails June 11 2010 Before you begin reading please take a moment to say a prayer for the individuals and families that perished in the flash flood in Arkansas early this morning. Another Storm last night and this morning, I decided to go back to the Carriage Road on the off chance the Fawn is still there. Unfortunately an NPS truck pulls up as I arrived scaring off a Squirrel and a Male Cardinal. I head up the first incline of of the Dead Chief Trail, arriving behind me is a women with an IPOD yelling into a cell phone and at the guy she is with. I decide to cut across to the Peak Trail for some peace.
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