The Gull Bay Heron LbNA #41479
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Add Location| Owner: | Qingwaa  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 3, 2008 |
| Location: | Gull Bay Preserve |
| City: | Putnam |
| County: | Warren |
| State: | New York |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Martini Man |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Sep 1, 2010 |
| Status: | FOFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Jul 3, 2008 |
Our family likes to bird watch. One of our favorite birds that we have seen is the Great Blue Heron. If you have ever been to Lake George (LG), you know how beautiful it is, but something was missing. For many years (4 generations) our family has been visiting LG, but never saw much wildlife. The family and friends were convinced that DDT had made much of the wildlife disappear. But this has changed recently. Much has returned, and most exciting has been the abundant return of the Blue Heron. We’ve noticed several flying by our dock (Gull Bay) and wondered where they are coming from. Imagine to our surprise last year when we learned about the Heron Rookery at the Gull Bay Nature Conservancy.
What an amazing bird that builds its nest up high on dead trees that are over swampy areas. When we visit the rookery, it reminds me of something out of Dr. Seuss’s Children books. The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widely distributed Heron in North America. They migrate from as far North as Newfoundland during the summer months down to Chesapeake Bay and to South America during the winter months. They are an extremely important part of our ecosystem since their presence is a good indicator of high water quality. In March and April, the Heron builds its nest out of sticks high up in dead trees that are left in standing water. This protects them from nest predation by animals such as raccoons and opossums. Some rookeries have up to hundreds of nests. This year we counted at least 35 or so. They generally lay three to five eggs which are incubated by both parents for near a month. Eight weeks after hatching, the young herons learn to fly and at ten weeks they leave the nest and are completely independent. Their main staple is fish but also enjoy frogs, insects, rodents and small birds.
If you’re there in June/July, remember to bring your bug spray. The preserve does not want any pets leashed or unleashed so leave them at home or where you are staying.
For more information about the Conservancy visit the following website:
Lake George Land Conservancy - Gull Bay Preserve
From the South (Glens Falls, Albany): I-87 Northway to exit 20. Go east on Route 149 to Fort Ann (~11.75 miles). Turn left (north) onto Route 4 to Whitehall (~11 miles). From the intersection of Rt. 22 and Rt. 4 East in Whitehall, travel north on Route 22 for 15.4 miles. Turn left onto Gull Bay Road. At ~1.75 miles turn right onto Sagamore Road. (You’ll see 3 large boulders on the Right next to a Pine Tree.) Past the first dirt road and on the right approx. 0.5-0.6 miles down Sagamore Rd from Gull Bay Road turn right in the dirt driveway to the preserve’s entrance.
From the North (Lake Placid, Plattsburgh): I-87 Northway to exit 28, and go east on Rt. 74 into Ticonderoga. Rt. 74 will combine with Rt. 22 for a few miles. At the intersection where Rt. 74 turns east towards the fort (there’s a blinking traffic light and Montcalm St. on the right), continue south on Rt. 22 towards Whitehall for 9.5 miles. Turn right (west) onto Gull Bay Rd. At ~1.75 miles, turn right onto Sagamore Rd. (You’ll see 3 large boulders on the Right next to a Pine Tree.) Past the first dirt road and on the right approx. 0.5-0.6 miles down Sagamore Rd from Gull Bay Road turn right in the dirt driveway to the preserve’s entrance.
You’ll see the parking which is on the left against a wooden post fence. After you park your car, walk up to Sign in at the Gull Bay Nature Conservancy Board Box to let them know that you visited.
Hike Trail to the box: approx. 1/8 mile, easy with a slight incline. Kid friendly. No pets please.
Please be sure to reseal all baggies and the box carefully so that the contents stay dry and rehide the box back in the cave behind the flat stone.
Now that you have found the box, you can get back on the Blue trail which leads to the top of a beautiful view of the lake. Apparently, some folks have spotted a Lynx, a hawk and Golden Eagles while visiting the view.
If you take the Yellow trail, it will lead you to west side of the Rookery (approx. 0.75-1.0 mile). The Herons generally leave the nests by the end of the 2nd week of July. At the north end of the rookery the yellow trail, makes a loop. When you get to the eastern most end of the loop, the trail should connect with the orange trail where there is a Beaver dam. However, depending on the time of year, the trail may not be passable to the orange trail due to seasonal flooding. If you want to visit the East side of the rookery, you can drive your car back to the first drive that you passed on your way in and park there and hike the orange trail to the rookery (approx. 1 mile).
What an amazing bird that builds its nest up high on dead trees that are over swampy areas. When we visit the rookery, it reminds me of something out of Dr. Seuss’s Children books. The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widely distributed Heron in North America. They migrate from as far North as Newfoundland during the summer months down to Chesapeake Bay and to South America during the winter months. They are an extremely important part of our ecosystem since their presence is a good indicator of high water quality. In March and April, the Heron builds its nest out of sticks high up in dead trees that are left in standing water. This protects them from nest predation by animals such as raccoons and opossums. Some rookeries have up to hundreds of nests. This year we counted at least 35 or so. They generally lay three to five eggs which are incubated by both parents for near a month. Eight weeks after hatching, the young herons learn to fly and at ten weeks they leave the nest and are completely independent. Their main staple is fish but also enjoy frogs, insects, rodents and small birds.
If you’re there in June/July, remember to bring your bug spray. The preserve does not want any pets leashed or unleashed so leave them at home or where you are staying.
For more information about the Conservancy visit the following website:
Lake George Land Conservancy - Gull Bay Preserve
Directions to the Gull Bay Preserve:
From the South (Glens Falls, Albany): I-87 Northway to exit 20. Go east on Route 149 to Fort Ann (~11.75 miles). Turn left (north) onto Route 4 to Whitehall (~11 miles). From the intersection of Rt. 22 and Rt. 4 East in Whitehall, travel north on Route 22 for 15.4 miles. Turn left onto Gull Bay Road. At ~1.75 miles turn right onto Sagamore Road. (You’ll see 3 large boulders on the Right next to a Pine Tree.) Past the first dirt road and on the right approx. 0.5-0.6 miles down Sagamore Rd from Gull Bay Road turn right in the dirt driveway to the preserve’s entrance.
From the North (Lake Placid, Plattsburgh): I-87 Northway to exit 28, and go east on Rt. 74 into Ticonderoga. Rt. 74 will combine with Rt. 22 for a few miles. At the intersection where Rt. 74 turns east towards the fort (there’s a blinking traffic light and Montcalm St. on the right), continue south on Rt. 22 towards Whitehall for 9.5 miles. Turn right (west) onto Gull Bay Rd. At ~1.75 miles, turn right onto Sagamore Rd. (You’ll see 3 large boulders on the Right next to a Pine Tree.) Past the first dirt road and on the right approx. 0.5-0.6 miles down Sagamore Rd from Gull Bay Road turn right in the dirt driveway to the preserve’s entrance.
You’ll see the parking which is on the left against a wooden post fence. After you park your car, walk up to Sign in at the Gull Bay Nature Conservancy Board Box to let them know that you visited.
Hike Trail to the box: approx. 1/8 mile, easy with a slight incline. Kid friendly. No pets please.
Clues to the Box:
- Head up to the Blue trail. At the beginning of the trail there should be 2 large boulders on the right side. You will hike up on a path with alot of rocks and stones.
- When you get to your first intersection where the trail splits to Yellow (on the left) and Blue (on your right), take the Left trail and go about 15 steps.
- You should see a Yellow Marker on a tree on the Left side. Look to the right and you should see a very Large Rock outcrop about 10-15 feet high.
- Take approximately 20 steps towards the outcrop. Next walk along the out crop by heading 7 steps to the left (when facing outcrop. Should be NE direction).
- Look for a small rock cave that has a skinny 8” diameter Pine tree directly above it. Behind the Flat stone is what you seek. You do not need to remove the Flat stone to get the box. Our box is a Round Container. This was our first letterbox so you’ll have to tell us what you thought.
Please be sure to reseal all baggies and the box carefully so that the contents stay dry and rehide the box back in the cave behind the flat stone.
Now that you have found the box, you can get back on the Blue trail which leads to the top of a beautiful view of the lake. Apparently, some folks have spotted a Lynx, a hawk and Golden Eagles while visiting the view.
If you take the Yellow trail, it will lead you to west side of the Rookery (approx. 0.75-1.0 mile). The Herons generally leave the nests by the end of the 2nd week of July. At the north end of the rookery the yellow trail, makes a loop. When you get to the eastern most end of the loop, the trail should connect with the orange trail where there is a Beaver dam. However, depending on the time of year, the trail may not be passable to the orange trail due to seasonal flooding. If you want to visit the East side of the rookery, you can drive your car back to the first drive that you passed on your way in and park there and hike the orange trail to the rookery (approx. 1 mile).