Granby: McLean Game Refuge

Date Hiked: Sunday, September 8, 2013
Estimated distance round-trip:
Weather: windy, 78°F
Resources: McLean Game Refuge
Highlights of the trip: view

My Route:
I entered the McLean Game Refuge from the entrance on Canton Road and went down past Spring Pond.  From there, I went up and around the field and down to Kettle Pond.  When I reached the woods road, I turned left and took the trail to the top of the eastern Barndoor Hill.  I returned the same way.

A little family of mushrooms.  I welcome identification.

The water level in Kettle Pond is pretty low and I could walk out onto an area often underwater.  Here I spotted a wood frog and a large black spider guarding a tunnel in the grass.

Wood frog.  These guys come out in the spring when there is still ice on the pond.

Big black spider with what looks like a lair.

It was pretty breezy when I got to the top of the hill.  I was hoping to see some hawks, but didn't have any luck.  I had been up here a couple of days previously and saw some turkey vultures soaring.  Later, as I parted some branches to see about moving to another bit of ledge, I found a turkey vulture looking back at me, probably 10 or 15 feet away.  Of course, I didn't have my camera with me that day!

Looking north from the eastern Barndoor Hill.

Looking over at the western Barndoor Hill.

Field full of goldenrod.

Water lily at Spring Pond.

Pickerel frog.