No, I saw neither a moose nor a bear on a walk on Three Mile Pond Wildlife Management Area in Sheffield last Sunday. But, I knew they were there!
The moose made itself know by leaving footprints in the soft mud along one part of the trail. The footprints were obviously very fresh, so I looked around but, it seems, the moose was long gone. Too bad! Three Mile Pond has a large swampy area at the northeastern part of the lake which looked like great moose habitat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92qb8YEy1xsGA44gNhSklJuaYKMytQQfdO4wmqXxAzgCdiZekAINXEtDlKmRa-Y6sD7q2XjhVimyL0Kyy3vRGJKnNfapSh6q2UE9hU4XXtsDJTaiO4fYwvE6KtzwweHzxhgP_MKk0it8/s400/Three-Mile-Pond3.jpg) |
Moose track! |
Now, how did I know that a bear was around? We saw many
skunk cabbages pushing up through the wet soil in the woods. The purplish leaf hood (spathe) covers the tiny yellow flowers on a knobby growth (spadex). The flowers and the leaves give off a skunky, rotten meat smell that attracts insect pollinators.
Very few animals eat the leaves, but bears do. So I surmised that a bear had been around because of all the leaves that were bitten off. Some research also revealed that the Common Yellowthroat sometimes builds it's nest among the leaves. I didn't see that, though.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh9ndvx6fU0Ai_Uafi_1ZtoTSdVctqDqT6LRMB6LZhrX75btkZwpB9Bckn_GlwHY1Msr54JgOFMlxjAuhMUCuIWtpLl_t-Ou-tiA8yaXw_Mg8uQCKHYsPMcjXW1DcC8EXT4ol7xa_Gaw/s400/Three-Mile-Pond1.jpg) |
Here is the Skunk Cabbage spathe (mottled deep red) with the spadex inside covered with small yellow flowers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xu3nu_-A4PXuzz0z05eYkGeCB_X2NeVvLLny_uLRPKWtijYaVM0F2GU74X-Ol6l_pGa7WOSi4wurf4mdDV9UpVsV3BSx6nyjsGBbTixNKJTq8ud9EwyTz59HFvFcgHYXISL3FrEBB-Q/s640/Three-Mile-Pond4.jpg) |
Here the emerging green leaves have been bitten off by a bear. |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0pn31T-aOuLfzdSS8kertbLhIb3aETa9hN16-sQ67qfmsbmEHvIBOEJqT8PQG4RoANH0VU7SoA7fcsnEV0JjaAvg8OTE_cFz8pyDtZZFlt4OGcGYUZpNgwo5-iWTB3tBVx6MZbAQ82o/s400/Three-Mile-Pond2.jpg) |
This rock was about 2.5 feet across with beautiful round lichen. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDdAD24Pk2G75sbBgLQHzeAQjsgSHXFa-GBZET5uaDth-aYD83p8GnQaRTPeqLTAYE1bHiGWpUQXXxQ_6OIHSLHJ_Bb7mq6GF4_bAEpIbtYr4cSnNy2PlIElTzh0gLVQRyo3rSYqMan0/s400/Three-Mile-Pond5.jpg) |
I could not believe how huge this burl is. And it's in whimsical shapes too! |
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