Sun Apr 28 2024 Chickering Bog Hike by Phyllis Rubenstein
Trip Reports
Sun Apr 28 2024 Chickering Bog Hike by Phyllis Rubenstein
The rain stopped just before 9:30 a.m., as five of us headed out on the trail to Chickering Bog, which is actually a fen, as it is fed by groundwater. (A bog is fed by precipitation only). Shortly after starting the trail, we saw a few Wild Ginger flowers emerging from their leaves, as well as leaves of Yellow Trout Lily, Red Trillium, Toothwort and Foamflower, Daphne in bloom, and Christmas Ferns and Woodferns. Closer to the fen, we saw a spotted salamander, leaves of Three-leaf Goldthread, and numerous varieties of Clubmosses, true Mosses, and a Liverwort. At the fen, we saw Labrador Tea and Leatherleaf starting to bud, Pitcher Plant leaves, and Teaberry and Partridgeberry, some with red berries. The fen is also spotted with stunted White Cedar, White Pine, and Tamarack (Larch). We took a side trail west of the trail into the woods to find Sharp-Lobed Hepatica and Carolina Spring Beauty. During the hike, we identified (sometimes with the help of Merlin), the songs of blue headed vireo, white throated sparrow, red breasted nuthatch, winter wren, yellow bellied sapsucker, ruby crowned kinglet, and Canada geese. The morning warmed up and stayed dry, so we enjoyed a delightful hike!
