Day 6.199: Fog, fishing and a fisher

Yesterday morning's 18 mile run started soon after sunrise. It was cool and dry - perfect for running. As I started to descend towards the Hudson the morning mist started to close in and I wondered what I was getting into. As it turned out, by the time I made it to the river, the mist had just about cleared.  I saw someone enjoying some early morning fishing - I imagine with some of the same pleasure I take from my long solitary early morning runs.

Nearby I heard a big commotion in the undergrowth by the road as I passed and something big climbing a small tree.  It was no squirrel, that's for sure.  I had an excellent view of the fisher as he peaked around the tree before descending again and disappearing away from the road.

The photo I caught is not great, but distinctly better than last time's effort. Even though my face time with it was much shorter and a greater distance than last time, I was quicker with the phone!

My first love as far as nature is concerned is always these mammal encounters. Deer, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunk sightings are plentiful, but it took a year and a half before I caught my first definite glimpse of a beaver despite their success in these parts and it was five and a half years before I got a good photo. I've seen coyote a couple of times, but no photographs to show for it as yet.  I've yet to see a bear or a porcupine (although Exile #4 has seen the latter) and our New England trips have failed to provide a moose sighting, but I am very happy to have had two close encounters with these seldom-seen - if not actually rare - creatures during the last year.