February 10th, 2025

Let's start out this week on a great note.

It's time for another Photo Safari Report and this time I'm just going to jump to the biggest and best surprise of the entire hike, this sweet little raccoon.  Look at that cutie face!!  As he (or she) was definitely my favourite part of the hike, I will call this the Cutie Face Hike! 

Joy was the first one to spot this adorable critter crossing the tail in front of us. I was off to one side looking at something different and nearly missed it entirely.  Joy softly said, "raccoon" behind me so I turned and saw something rush across the trail and into the brush.  I had to peer behind and beneath other foliage but managed to get this photo which, while not perfect, definitely explains the sensible caution of the raccoon but I think also projects how non-threatening we try very hard to be.  He (or she) felt safe enough to pause and look at us with curiosity from the safety  of the overgrowth and that makes me very happy. Our goals, always, while hiking with our cameras are first to spend time together, then to get some exercise in the great outdoors, and lastly to get some decent photos while NOT terrorizing the wildlife.

Now I'll back up to the beginning.  When we first set out upon this explore, we saw, well, not much.  The preserve itself was of course, stunning, so I had kind of accepted that this was going to be mostly a botanical hike.  Ain't nothin' wrong with that.  Here's some of the best of those sorts of photos:

Oddly, just as I was going to give up, replace the lens cap on the camera and sling the strap over my shoulder to just enjoy the hike with no more photos, we began to slowly see birds. Including one I had never seen before, (Joy had but I had not so it counts as new to me!)

Speaking of new and unexpected things that we saw, there was this giant round metal thing, looked like a short silo(?) out rusting to death in the forest beginning to be covered with leaves and vines, a turtle surfing on a large stick and several squirrels, one on the beach. Oh, and a few butterflies:

The young raccoon was absolutely the best part of the hike for me but it was all simply grand!  I guess that kind of wraps up the CutieFace Hike.  Hope you enjoyed it!  

Wish you all a Wonderful Week!