December 31 - Towpath Court

Starting Weather: Mostly Sunny 48 °

Ending Weather: Mostly Sunny 48 °

Distance Covered:  .59 mile

Time: 12:49 PM - 1:23 PM

Kay Wuske in the shadow of Route 21

Route 21 Bridges
Photo by Gigi Muir

December 31, 2010 - A day we have anticipated all year long, although not necessarily with great joy.  Today is the last day of our Towpath project.   A bittersweet day, to be sure, but also a day of pride in what we have accomplished.  We will miss the almost daily excursions to the trail, excursions filled with wonder and discovery.  But our attention turns now to the awesome task of putting together our nearly 90,000 images into book/calendar/exhibit proposals and sharing our marvelous experience with others.  And although we will not be on the trail nearly as much now, our love for the Towpath is well-established and will continue to motivate us to hike, bike and photograph this wonderful resource for years to come. 

December 30 - Clinton

December 30
Photo by Gigi Muir 

June 27
Photo by Gigi Muir

 

November 29
Photo by Gigi Muir 

Starting Weather: Cloudy 37 °
Ending Weather: Cloudy 38°
Distance Covered:  1.86 miles
Time: 11:41 AM - 1:10 PM
Oh, my beloved Clinton, whence came the inspiration for this project.  If I were using pen and paper,  my tears would surely be smearing these words.  Today was the last time I will visit you this year.  You were cold and selfish today, but it's alright.  I love you anyway.

December 29 - Eastern Road and Vanderhoof

New footbridge near Eastern Road

Starting Weather: Sunny 30 °
Ending Weather: Sunny 32°
Distance Covered:  2.45 miles
Time: 12:03 PM - 2:35 PM

Red-shouldered Hawk going after its prey

White-throated Sparrow and House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Today was very exciting because we walked a section of the trail that we had not been on before.  It was a part of the trail that started at Eastern Road and went north and then west.  We had been here many times before but the trail had signs indicating that it was closed.  We spoke to some park staff one time, and they told us that construction was being done, but that sections of the trail were tied up in litigation with the property owners.  Today the sign said that the trail was closed .5 mile ahead.  We ventured forward and walked for at least three-quarters of a mile before we saw another sign saying that the trail was closed from that point on.  We walked over a brand new footbridge at one point, and I heard a rustling off to the side.  I looked down and saw a young deer between the bridge and a chain-link fence.  The deer looked panicked.  I called to Kay, who was about 20 yards behind me.   She was able to get a few photos of the animal as it crossed under the bridge and came out the other side.  It ran northwest, and we did not see it again.

Afterwards, we stopped at Vanderhoof to take some bird photos.  It was a very pretty, sunny, relatively warm day - perfect for some winter bird shots!

December 28 - Craig Pittman Park - Navarre

Gray Squirrel

Southbound today.  Our first stop was Lake Avenue.  We took some photos of some of our favorite summer scenes to contrast with today's weather.  We then drove to Craig Pittman Park in Navarre.  This is a very picturesque area with a stone bridge and pavilion.  As we walked along the trail, I saw a hawk flying ahead.  At the same time, we heard a pileated woodpecker.  I walked ahead to stalk the hawk and Kay went in search of the woodpecker.  I never did find the hawk, but got a photo of a House Wren, some squirrels and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.   Upon turning around to go back to where Kay was, I saw here signaling me to hurry.  She had spotted not one, but two pileated woodpeckers.  We followed their calls and ended up in some fairly thick, brambly off-trail brush.  It was well worth it though, since we got some fairly decent shots of these beautiful birds.  I did not take my long lens, so had to make do with my point and shoot.  A wonderful experience in any event, because this is one of our very favorite birds and they are usually extremely evasive.

Starting Weather: Partly Cloudy 25 °
Ending Weather: Mostly Cloudy 27°

Pileated Woodpecker

Distance Covered:  1.43 miles

Time: 12:53 PM - 3:15 PM

December 28 - Lake Avenue

December 28, 2010

August 26, 2010

December 27 - Canal Fulton

Today's outing was a short one.  John was at the house and Kay had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon, so I took a quick trip to Canal Fulton.  It is so amazing to see the stark contrasts between the same areas in different seasons.  It was snowing lightly today, so that element added interests to the scenery and the photos.  Hard to believe that in five days we will have covered an entire year on the trail.

December 26 - Brecksville, Boston, Beaver Marsh

I-271 and I-80 bridges seen from Boston Heights.

John (the Arizonan) and Kay at the 22 ° Beaver Marsh

Hikers on the trail as seen from Route 82 bridge in Brecksville

Bluebird preparing for a drink near the Beaver Marsh

We decided to take a trip north to the Cuyahoga Valley, to some of its most beautiful spots on the Towpath.  John was with us, and since he isn't used to the cold, we decided to go to some places that did not entail too much walking in the sub-freezing weather.  We went to Brecksville first and park near the Chippewa Rd. bridge, so we could take some photos looking down onto the trail.  It's a little scary, because cars come barreling along, and there is no sidewalk here.  The view is worth the "danger" though, and we got some great winter shots.  We then drove down to the Station Road trailhead, where we took photos of the bridge from below.  Next stop was Boston Heights.  This is a very pretty area, which includes the Boston Store and views of the I-271 and I-80 bridges which run above the trail.  Next we drove down Riverview Road and stopped next to the I-271 bridge for some shots of the trail from that vantage point.  Last stop was the legendary Beaver Marsh.  It was very pretty but also very cold.  We saw a bluebird getting a drink of water from a frigid puddle.  The marsh itself was frozen, so we did not see any waterfowl swimming around.  John was a real trooper today, and we enjoyed having him along!

December 25 - Lock 4 Park

Christmas geese who avoided the roaster

Christmas day.  One week left on our Towpath project.  I decided to leave for a few minutes and drive to Lock 4 Park, which is the trailhead closest to our house.  It was as pretty as always, and there were several Canada Geese honking away in the river.  As common and mundane as the geese are, they often make great photographic subjects!

December 24 - Fort Laurens, Bolivar

Shelter at Fort Laurens Park

Today we took a trip to Bolivar to pick up some bracelets that my friend Megan made for Katie and Lisa.  Megan's house is near the part of the Towpath that runs through the streets of Bolivar.  We stopped off at Fort Laurens for just a minutes to take a few snow photos of the area.  

December 18 - Vanderhoof Rd.

Cardinal and White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

American Tree Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

With Kay out of the hospital/rehab only two days, we decided to go somewhere that did not involve a great deal of walking.  The Vanderhoof Rd. trailhead had been fun last winter, because someone always seemed to have left birdseed, and birds of many species would come to indulge.  Much to our delight, there were birds everywhere.  What a perfect way to get Kay back onto the trail, especially since bird photography is her favorite.  It was cold, so we used our hand warmers and didn't stay out too long.  It was a good opportunity to use our long lenses and new tripods with some very friendly subjects!

December 11 - Clinton

Black-capped Chickadee

Starting Weather: °
Ending Weather: °
Distance Covered: 1.54 miles
                                                                   Kay is in the hospital, still don't know if she had a stroke.  I decided to take Friedrick to Copley, since I have been visiting Kay in the hospital after work and he has been spending long hours alone.  We stopped in Clinton on the way, and Friedrick seemed to enjoy the walk.  Not a whole lot going on here today.  Didn't see much other than a few chickadees and nuthatches.  It was nice to get out, even if only for a short time.

December 5 - Summit Lake

Floating walkway at Summit Lake

Mallards at Summit Lake

Starting Weather: Snowy 26 °
Ending Weather: Snowy 26°
Distance Covered:  .4 miles
Time: 2:50 PM - 3:25 PM
Today was a nice, snowy day.  Kay wasn't herself, but rode with me anyway to Summit Lake.   She had been to the ER Thursday with symptoms of a stroke, but was dismissed by the ER doctor as having a "migraine."  She brought her camera gear, but had forgotten her battery.  She stayed in the car while I took photos of the lake and of the boardwalk from above.   We stopped at several of the dead-end streets that back up to the lake.   At one of them, a man was feeding french fries to the seagulls, which were flocking madly each time he let loose a bunch of the salty, greasy tidbits.  

Floating walkway through trees and snow

December 1 - Lake Avenue

Today is the first day of December, and the beginning of our last month of the Towpath project. Was at work today, but had to run a work errand in Massillon. Stopped at the Lake Avenue trailhead on my way back to Canton. I didn't have my camera handy, so I took this photo with my phone. It's hard to get out when it is dark by the time I leave work! :-(

November 28 - What a Difference a Lens Makes!

Bridge with wide-angle lens

Bridge with telephoto lens

Starting Weather: Ptly Sunny 33 °
Ending Weather:  Sunny 39 °
Distance Covered:  3.17 miles
Time: 11:30 AM - 4:06 PM
Back to Clinton in search of wild game. Still getting used to using - and lugging around - my new telephoto lens and heavy tripod. We were hoping to see some hawks, but there weren't any around where we were. Kay did spot a buck crossing the trail north of us. By the time we scurried to get our cameras focused, he had crossed into the woods. A doe and possibly one of her fawns crossed next. We got a couple shots of them. We then ran over by the tracks, in the direction they were headed. I saw the doe crossing the tracks, but we never did see the buck again. Don't they know we are offering free portraits?

November 27 - Clinton

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June 29, 2010

November 27, 2010

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk

Starting Weather: Cloudy 32 °
Ending Weather: Cloudy 31°
Distance Covered:  1.2 miles
Time: 3:06 PM - 3:56 PM
It was a dreary day, but I went out anyway.  I went to Clinton, because it is so filled with wildlife.  There was only one other car in the parking lot when I arrived.  I didn't see another person for forty-five minutes.  There really wasn't much going on.  I can't remember when I've seen less wildlife in Clinton.  I walked back to the car and loaded my camera and tripod into the back seat.  Just then, I saw something in a tree over the trail, about 100 feet away.  I tool out a smaller camera with a zoom lens, to see if it was a bird.  Just as I looked through the viewfinder, it jumped to another branch.  i got my camera and long lens back out, and started taking pictures.  It was a beautiful hawk.  I decided to walk across the bridge, over to the trail, to get a closer view.  I had to walk right underneath the hawk and positioned myself to the south.  It posed for me for a minute or two prior to flying off.   At least I saw one wild thing today!

November 26 - Beaver Marsh

Cedar Waxwing

Starting Weather: Sunny 31 °
Ending Weather: Partly Cloudy 31°
Distance Covered:  1 mile

Northern Flicker

Time: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Today was a beautiful, sunny day.  Sunny days after the leaves fall from the trees are always so magical!  We went to the Beaver marsh, since there is always something wonderful to photograph there.  We stopped on the boardwalk and scanned the marsh.  Nothing! Not even a Mallard. We decided to walk north towards the bend in the Cuyahoga River.  On the way, Kay spotted a flock of Cedar Waxwings feasting on some berries in a tree. They were not shy, appearing not to be fazed by our attentions.  We stayed there for about an hour and a half, watching them flit between the berries and a nearby tree where they perched while not feeding.  Across the canal, we saw a  Northern Flicker and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.  In addition, there were plenty of Black-capped Chickadees, who were practically dive-bombing us.  Also plentiful were White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, and Northern Cardinals.  I saw an American Goldfinch tasting the berries and a White-throated Sparrow foraging on the trail.  It was a chilly day compared to what we have been used to so far this season, but well worth it!  

November 25 - Lock 4

Starting Weather: Cloudy 50 °
Ending Weather: Cloudy 50°
Distance Covered:  .32 miles
Time: 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM                                       Today is Thanksgiving.  I got up early and started many of the dishes that are to be served today.  Billy, Jim and Katie, Tim and Jim were over, and everyone was just kind of languishing in the family room.  I decided to take a quick trip to Lock 4 Park while the turkey was roasting.  This park is about ten minutes from home, and it is so representative of the Ohio and Erie Canal.  There is an actual working lock here, as well as a replica of a lock-keeper's house.  The canal boat also runs here as an attraction.   It was raining lightly at times, and even though it is Thanksgiving, there were several other people on the trail.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

November 21 - Wilbeth Road

Downy Woodpecker

Starting Weather: Partly Cloudy 60°
Ending Weather: Partly Cloudy 61°
Distance Covered: 1.65 miles
Time: 2:18 PM - 3:37 PM
We like the Wilbeth Road trailhead because of the swampy area just southeast of the parking lot. The area attracts a lot of birds, so we decided to try out our new equipment. We did see some small woodpeckers, but not a lot else today. An elderly couple stopped to ask what we were photographing, and gave us a short history of the area, including the fact that it has been used as a dumping ground. They said that it was supposed to have been cleaned up by now, but that some political glitches had kept that from happening. It was interesting because before we'd had this conversation, I hadn't noticed how junky the area looked because I was trying so hard to see the natural beauty!

November 20 - Warmington Road & Lock 4 Park

Starting Weather:
Ending Weather:
Distance Covered:  1.13 mile

Time:  PM -  PM

Brown Creeper

Today's travels began with a trip to the Warmington Road area.  We hadn't been here for awhile, and everything was starting to look wintery.  We always seem to see unusual birds here, and today was no exception.  We saw a little bird scaling a tree, and had no idea what it was.  It was brown striped, and so was hard to distinguish from the tree bark.  When we arrived home, we looked in our bird book and learned that it was a Brown Creeper, a cousin to the tree-hugging Nuthatch.    Next we stopped off at Lock 4 Park, hoping to find some birds there as well.  Not a lot going on there bird-wise, but always a scenic and photogenic stop!

November 14 - Clinton

Starting Weather: Mostly Cloudy 48°
Ending Weather: Mostly Cloudy 49°
Distance Covered: 1.2 miles
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Today the plan was to see the buck that was wandering around last Sunday and to photograph him with my new lens.  He was nowhere to be seen.  Saw a Red-tailed hawk soaring overhead, and hundreds of blackbirds flocking, however.  It was a pleasant, mid-fall day. 

November 13- Brecksville, Boston, Beaver Marsh

I-80 Bridge

Route 82 Bridge

Starting Weather: Sunny 63 °
Ending Weather: Sunny 65 °
Distance Covered:  1 mile
Time: 12:10 PM - 3:52 PM 
                                                                      Today was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, in contrast to a week ago when we went to many of the same places.  We started off at Brecksville, Kay hoping to spy some mating eagles.  No such luck.  We left there and drove down Riverview Road, with a quick stop to photograph the trail running underneath the I-80 Bridge. A Stark contrast to last week's snowy view!  Our final stop was the Beaver Marsh.  We got some new equipment and were anxious to try it our with some wildlife.  Not a lot happening at the Marsh today.  Wouldn't you know!

November 7 - Clinton

Starting Weather: Mostly Sunny °
Ending Weather: Mostly Sunny °
Distance Covered:  6.2 miles
Time: 12:40 PM - 4:45 PM

Red-tailed Hawk

White-tailed Deer

Today could not have been more different from its weekend partner, Saturday.  It was a beautiful, seasonal, sunny day.  I decided to go to Clinton, because it was a Sunday in November last year that I had the idea to embark on a year-long project to photograph the towpath.  That day I did not take a camera with me; I had gone only to hike and enjoy the beauty of that fall day.  Today I walked over near the railroad tracks and looked south.  I saw a doe near the tracks about a quarter mile away.  A few minutes later I looked towards the same spot and saw a beautiful buck in the same spot, crossing the tracks.  i ran back towards the trail and towards the outlook spot.  I saw him over near the tracks.  I ran back south down the trail, but never saw him again.  Kay stopped by and we went back to the tracks, and followed them south.  I got to do a little orienteering, trying to find the trail from the tracks much further south from where we left the trail.  We saw a lot of birds today, and enjoyed what fall color remained.

November 6 - I- 80 Bridge and Beaver Marsh

White-breasted Nuthatch

Black-capped Chickadee

Starting Weather: Cloudy 35°
Ending Weather: Cloudy, Sprinkling 37°
Distance Covered: 1.25 miles
Time: 11:25 AM - 2:18 PM

Grebe with fish

Runner on the trail near I-80 bridge

I-80 bridge at first snowfall

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Northern Cardinal

White-breasted Nuthatch

Today we had our first snow of the season.  We decided to go to the Beaver Marsh.  When we got off the freeway in Peninsula, the trees looked beautiful, covered with a dusting of snow.  We decided to go north at first to Boston.  We were able to capture some photos of snow there, but not much.  Either it was already melting, or some areas just didn't get much snow.  By the time we arrived at he Beaver Marsh, there was no evidence of snow.  What we did see, however, were scores of "backyard birds" on the trail.  We noticed that someone had thrown sunflower seeds on the trail, and the birds were taking full advantage.  Although it seemed like cheating, we were snapping away at the chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, sparrows, blue jays and cardinals.  We even saw some Cedar Waxwings feasting on some berries on our way out.  At the Beaver Marsh itself, we watched a pie-billed grebe fishing, and caught it with a fish in its mouth.  We also saw a Great Blue heron perched on a log in the canal, motionless throughout the whole time we we there!