Ann-Marie, Viv and I went out on a 3 Mile hike on the Stewardship Trail at Harbison State Forest at about 3 today. It was about 90 but with low humidity and some decent breezes blowing through. As Viv pointed out it was mainly a Loblolly, Longleaf Pine, Oak-Sweetgum Forest with some good ground covers of Partridgeberry along the way. Not much in bloom since the leaves had set in but there were patches of Bitterweed in the sunlit clearings. I snapped a picture of a Fiery Skipper on one of them. Ann-Marie provided more info about knives and guns while Viv used her extensive DNR knowledge about streams to evaluate the streams in the area. These two set a fast get-in-shape pace that didn't allow time for me loli-gagging about with my iPhone. The trail was mostly level for the first 2/3 but did have a few uphills in the last third that got your attention. Heard some birds I couldn't identify but we did hear a Wood Peewee in the first third of the walk and our best Wood Peewee imitation in response.
As we finished Ann-Marie and Viv were making plans for the next walk which will be a little longer and a little tougher. It's fun to walk with people really concerned about getting in shape and don't mine challenging themselves. We all reconnoitered at Pantera and I let Viv and Ann-Marie identify their first wildflower since they both purchased copies of Porcher's Wildflowers of South Carolina. They IDed Bitterweed almost immediately. It was a great time and we will continue in Harbison Forest for the next few walks.
toadshade
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