I was exploring the construction between CR 35 and CR 37 on Friday, April 28 when I saw a huge hawk walking along the fence. It had to be one of the largest bird’s I’ve ever seen. I stopped and took a few photos. When I got close, it just hopped away, which I thought was unusual. I expected it to fly away. I rode away up the trail and 20 minutes later, when I came back, it was still there. That’s when I took the picture of its back that has a small red secton of tail. I’m no birder, so I’m not positive it is a red-tail, but my guess is that it it. Here are the photos I took from about 15 feed away. I blew them up. Red-Tailed Hawk
Monthly Archives: April 2012
Wildflowers are in bloom
John Smith, who walked the section on April 16, said: “I counted 19 native species of wildflower in bloom today, including Wild Geranium, Rue Anemone, False Rue Anemone, Golden Ragwort, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and others. Wildflowers are blooming approximately three weeks earlier this year than usual. There will likely still be a good wildflower display at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 29 for the Pumpkinvine wildflower hike.”A wildflower album
Middlebury plans new trail to connect to Pumpkinvine
Middlebury Parks is apply for a grant to build a trail from River Bend Park along the Little Elkhart River to the Pumpkinvine. It isn’t obvious to me where they would connect: Middlebury’s new trail
CR 35 to CR 37 – 04.04.2012
The workers have laid down about .25 miles of No. 53 gravel west of CR 37. It is the layer on to which they then put the asphalt. Surface prepared for asphalt
April 1 between Middlebury and Shipshewana
I noticed a lot of people walking on Sunday afternoon.
Remnants of the Valley Line Interurban
Along the south boundary of the Pumpkinvine corridor you can see in several sections a raised roadbed that was the right of way of the Valley Line Interurban that ran between Elkhart and Shipshewana in the early 20th century. The picnic area in Bonneyville Mill Park called the Valley Line is another remnant of the line. I believe it ran along CR 8 between Bonneyville Mill and Middlebury. Here are a few shots of the roadbed. Valley Line roadbed
Camels along the Pumpkinvine
Just west of CR 1100 there is a farm with seven camels. A reliable source told me that the farmer is raising them for their milk. Camels