Hike #42: McLean Game Refuge - Granby, CT

Date Hiked: Monday, September 12, 2016
Estimated distance: 2.82 miles
Weather: 62°F, sunny
Resources: McLean Game Refuge
Highlights of the trip:  red eft
Progress toward 2016 hiking goals:  42/52 hikes; 156.57/250 miles; 31.37/25 miles on Tunxis Trail


It was a beautiful day and I wanted to get out.  I had thought about going back to Colebrook River Lake, but my hiking partner wasn't able to go.  I decided to go to the McLean Game Refuge.  This is a hike I do a lot (see the sidebar for labels), but there is always something new to see.

Upon arriving at the mostly-dry Kettle Pond, I walked out to take a closer look.  I found a plant I hadn't noticed before with strange spiky seed pods.  Based on some searches on the internet, it seems to be some kind of sedge.  (I have a rather large collection of field guides, but not one for grasses and sedges it seems.)

Sedge of some sort.

Kettle "Pond"

The area also has a lot of bright red Cardinal flowers.

Cardinal flower

When I turned back around to get back on the trail, I was greeted by a red eft sunning itself on a log.  A red eft is the juvenile stage of the eastern newt.  While the adult stage is aquatic, this juvenile stage, which may last up to four years, is terrestrial.

After saying goodbye to my little red buddy,  I got back on the trail toward Spring Pond.

I am going to guess Rag-veil Amanita.

Spring Pond, as the name suggests, is spring fed, so it still has water.  I saw quite a few turtles out on the logs, but the camera on my phone is not good enough to zoom in and get a clear picture.  Most of the turtles are Eastern painted turtles.  I have seen a snapping turtle in the water here, but never sunning.

Spring Pond

 A nice hike on a beautiful day.