On December 18, a small group of OFNC members met at NCC P26 for a brisk wintry walk. After introductions, we headed for the top of the toboggan hill, then down a hydro right-of way to a perch overlooking the steep side of the Green’s Creek valley. One of us recalled the high adventure of exploring the valley as a child but it looked like a slippery scramble to get down there now. Instead, we continued up the trail, through a young white pine plantation, then into an older stand of pine and bigtooth aspen with big logs. Our final exploration took us to the fine mixed forest that slopes down westward from the soccer fields.
this isn’t the season for it, but despite the hope expressed in a verse of the Canadian musselhead song –
Oh, give me a drought, when the mussels stick out of the mud of Bear Brook and Greens Creek.
I’ll whistle a song as I squelch along, and determine their range in a week
Squelch, squelch, squelch along, if you’re not stuck then nothing’s gone wrong
When the Champlain Sea’s coming up to your knees, then your mussel foot better be strong.
– the Unionid fauna of Greens Creek remains unexplored.
Brilliant. me too. this will be great.