Relax! Let The Beavers Do All The Work

Lookout Creek serves as a natural boundary here at Chattanooga Arboretum & Nature Center at Reflection Riding.  But, it is far more than that.  Lookout Creek is one of our many natural resources that offers an unique pathway by which to experience all that we have to offer.

On evenings such as this, I often toss my kayak into the cold teal blue-colored water.  About an hour’s paddle upstream and you’ll discover a rookery of Blue Heron nests located in a magnificent sycamore tree that marks my turnaround spot.  If you rent our canoes it’s an easy up and back trip, depending upon the water level, which offers a behind the scenes glimpse of the wildlife that makes its home here at the foot of Lookout Mountain.   

On recent trips I’ve spotted raccoons, muskrats, minks, deer and a bobcat plus a variety of waterfowl.  My favorite sighting, albeit after dark, might be the beavers.  Sometimes I paddle from dusk till after dark and can count on seeing three or more on a two-mile excursion.  Although I’ve been unable to photograph one yet I’ve attached a quick audio clip where you can hear what I encountered on a recent night paddle.  Listen for the second big splash!

And you are in luck!  If you paddle during normal business hours there is still plenty to see.  Evidence is littered all along the banks of Lookout Creek.  If you prefer walking, head out to Creek Road towards the back of Reflection Riding and you will see multiple stockpiles of sun dried sticks laying along the shore.  You might consider them to be nocturnal hotspots illustrating a beaver’s unrelenting desire to chew, eat and harvest small saplings and privet growing along the creek’s edge.

So, if you plan to visit one day and choose to rent a canoe, turn off your cell phone and spend a couple of hours on the water.  With the dips and drips of your paddle you will be reminded of just how simple life can be.  

And be grateful!  

At least on this particular day you aren’t busy as a beaver.

Call (423) 821-1160 ext. 0 to reserve a canoe. 

Visit the Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center at Reflection Riding website for more information. 

Bobcat, Skunk and Deer--Oh My!

It’s always exciting to see wildlife here. Seems that the more exotic sightings are always after dark.  I recently spotted a bobcat on Garden Road just about 300 yards from our main gate. Beautiful animal! It’s the third one I’ve seen since moving here last March.  (The photo posted below is one I’ve taken of our resident bobcat living here at the Wildlife Wanderland.)

My most dramatic sighting was during a night paddle along Lookout Creek this past summer. A friend and I had paddled about an hour up stream and then returned in the dark. There was a downed tree that we had to squeeze under so on the return trip I turned on my headlamp to make sure I could safely navigate beneath it. 

Just as I turned on my light a bobcat was using the tree as a pathway to get from one side of the creek to the other.  I was able to angle my kayak so my light tracked him for the whole length of the tree.  If someone had not been with me to witness such a treat no one would have believed me. It was Awesome! 

Oh, and after seeing the bobcat on Garden Road, there were two deer and a skunk in the caretaker cabin’s front yard. Seems that there is always something to see here. And it's never under appreciated! 

No Snakes, No Ticks & No Chiggers

The recent full moon has made me feel a bit nostalgic.  Friends and I were talking recently about how much we miss warmer weather but what a treat it is to hike during the winter months.  Especially at night.

When I was in high school, my buddies and I would often schedule winter hikes around the full moon.  It’s still one of my favorite times to get outdoors.  For me, it’s like no other time in the forest.  For instance, here at Reflection Riding the brightness of the full moon creeps across the top of Lookout Mountain blanketing the valley with light and shadow. Ever so gently, each tree is highlighted by the moonlight as if hand dipped by Mother Nature herself.  Pardon the pun, but I do seem to be waxing on a bit too much.

So what’s so special about the forest on nights like this? I think it’s the incredible day like visibility combined with the stillness of the night. On nights like this, I often step out the back door and head across Reflection Riding.  My favorite destination is Lookout Creek. 

As I walk past the Upper Pond my trailing shadow dips briefly beneath the water’s edge. Within a few more steps I’m quickly reminded that I’m not alone. This is a nature preserve and I’m always being watched.  By the time I reach the Buffalo Field, I notice movement along the forest’s edge. Deer and a variety of furry four legged critters stand their ground as I walk just a few feet away. With their eyes locked on my direction of travel, curiosity seems to overpower their instinct to flee.

When I reach the creek, beavers dining on privet cruise the shoreline within arm’s reach. Their stealth like movements create a simple wake which eventually erupts with a thunderous clap. The alarm has sounded. A harmless reminder that the night is their domain and I am merely a spectator. Mere seconds pass and the silence returns. The full moon is now high in the sky. With each breath I take I’m reminded that the temperature is still dropping. Time to head back to the caretaker’s cabin.

If you too enjoy the lure of hiking at night, layer up and put on your hat and gloves. Get outside and let me know about your favorite winter night’s destination.  I think you too will agree, with the full moon as your guide, it’s no longer just another hike. It’s an adventure! 

And best of all, there aren’t any snakes, ticks, or chiggers.  

Can you identify the bamboo noise?

The frigid temps have finally moved on and we are back to our typical wintry seasonal weather.  This past week I thought about different ways I might show just how cold it was, but since we didn’t get any snow here in the valley there weren’t many options other than searching for frozen ice flowers or interesting textures created by the ice forming in our frozen ponds or puddles left by recent rain.  

But, during a late afternoon walk with the high hovering in the mid teens, I heard a series of loud pops as I passed the Philp Memorial Garden. As I approached the Bamboo Forest the sounds were now clearly coming from the bamboo. 

 I walked inside and stood still for several minutes. I typically hike with a digital recorder in my camera bag so I set it on a mini tripod and left it to record the strange pops and cracks that had piqued my curiosity. It wasn’t long before I heard another pop as if a cap gun had been fired.  The bamboo seemed to be moaning and groaning too as the frigid temps were causing moisture inside the bamboo to expand and crack. It’s the only explanation I could come up with.  

I went back a couple of days later to show my daughter but heard nothing.  Take a listen to the video I posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUZ9Zwq9vU4 and tell me what you think?  One comment on Facebook described our Bamboo Forest as “Magical.”  Maybe so, and perhaps I’ll never hear it sound quite this way again.

Photography 101 by Jeff Guenther/Resident Caretaker

Welcome to our new blog, F-Stops & Shutter Speeds.  

Why call it that you ask?  Well here is some quick background information that may help explain why I’m writing this and how I became the resident caretaker here at the Chattanooga Arboretum & Nature Center at Reflection Riding.  

Back in December of 2012, I took a hike with Jeffrey Hunter, our former caretaker and former Tennessee Wild Campaign Director.  I was shooting pictures for a story about the pending Wilderness Act which would encompass a large tract of land in the Cherokee National Forest.  Being an avid hiker, paddler and recreational tree climber, this seemingly insignificant stroll through the woods turned into the next great chapter of my outdoor lifestyle.  Within 4 months of that hike, Jeffrey moved on and I became the new caretaker.  It’s a roll I cherish. 

As caretaker my role includes security.  Lots of “wildlife” here to keep in check as well as being on call to insure that there is always someone available before and after normal business hours when needed.  But, as a former photojournalist at the Chattanooga Times, my background in photography combined with my love for nature has now provided me with an unique place to live as well as an opportunity to provide CA & NC with photographic images as well as videos which we post regularly on our Facebook page and web site.  It’s a great way for us to keep you visually plugged in.

So, with that said I hope you will continue to follow us on Facebook and check in here as well.  Future blog posts may simply include casual observations about the flora and fauna as the seasons change.  Topics might focus on the wildlife that swims and slithers along Lookout Creek or the eerie yet fascinating night sounds of coyotes and owls yelping and hooting along the slopes of Lookout Mountain.  Perhaps I’ll give clues about the location of a bobcat’s footprint that seemingly appears then disappears after each rain.  I’m not a trained naturalist or professional outdoors educator so my posts will simply come from the perspective of a nature lover/shutter bug.  Oh, and I may occasionally babble on about a few photographs that I’ve made. 

Speaking of photography, lets get started.  I’m often asked what advice I might give to a beginner photographer.  It’s quite simple.  Try to shoot with early morning or late afternoon sunlight.  This time of the year, you can take a nap from noon till 3pm.  Shoot from different angles and try to avoid standing flat footed or with your knees locked.  Bend at your waist.  To make a picture more interesting you often have to work for it and that often means getting low and dirty. Also, experiment with the best focal length to frame the picture.  Remember too that a clean non cluttered background can sometimes be as important as the subject matter itself.

A former mentor and fly fishing buddy of mine, the late George Baker, once told me that shooting a better picture is like separating the meat from the potatoes.  The angle you choose plus the depth of field and lens selection will help you to savor the best possible shot.  “Eliminate all the potatoes”  he said.  And when all else fails, shoot a lot of pictures but only show your friends your best shot.  All of us do that. Trust me!