From the early '90s, until just a few years ago...I was on a quest to see all of the boreal species of birds that can be found, and breed in NY state. They are a specialty of the Adirondack region...where there is boreal forest and bog habitat . I keep a bird life list database of species seen, from both N. America and abroad...as birding has always been a passion, and a good form of relaxation, that goes together naturally with a road trip and camping...which are also things I am very fond of.
There was one species that had eluded me (American Three-toed Woodpecker) , and was very difficult to locate in the field...despite going often into the right habitats and following the Northern NY bird list postings, that often provided up to date info on recent sightings of the species...which was quite rare. Why didn't I just travel further north into Canada, or to the northern mid west in the US to see make it easier to locate.... with abundant boreal habitat ? Well, I wanted to see it here, in NY State, where it was at the southern extremes of it's known range, located in isolated pockets of boreal bog habitat. One of the places that the bird was sighted, and had easy access to...was in Hamilton Co. , in the Adirondack Park. It was a preserve that was purchased and maintained by the Nature Conservancy (of whom I am an avid supporter), and had road access to a foot trail that led into the bog...that was located in between several small mountains, and hills. It was a beautiful and isolated spot, with just a few cottages on the seasonal dirt road, that was miles from the nearest town. In May of 2005, there were many reports of a female 3-toed that was being seen , associating with another boreal woodpecker species (Black-backed), that is a bit more common. I spent almost a week camping in the area, and made numerous trips to the bog, often in the company of many other birders...that were waiting out in the hopes of spotting this elusive bird. There was one morning, that the constructed board walk into the bog...was so crowded, that there was no more room to set up a scope and scan. I waited it out until late afternoon, and found myself with one other group of birders...an older man with his entire family. The man had on white rubber knee boots, and had a very unpleasant surly attitude when I got a little closer , and tried to speak with him. He gave me the vibes that he would have much more success...if me, and everyone else (but him, and his family) left. I figured out quickly.... by his boots, and attitude...that he had intentions of tromping off the boardwalk (where you are supposed to stay) , and into the bog searching for the bird. The rare plant life and protected species in this bog, does not fare well to foot traffic....thus, the reason why the boardwalk was constructed. Before I walked away, I reminded him of the dangers (falling through and drowning) of walking on sphagnum moss and bog, and the fragile rare flora and fauna he would trample. I decided to go to the other end of the boardwalk, but remained there (not out of spite) until late afternoon. The next morning, I ran into several other birders....that , yes... saw the 3-toed an hour after I left, the day before. I went home not seeing the species, and a bit discouraged, but looking forward to another chance, sometime.
In June of 2007, a former park ranger that lives in the closest town to the bog, sent me a heads up email, after reading my posts on the list from the previous season. He had seen the female, and also a male 3-Toed, still in association with a pair of Black-back WPs....the day before. I made some spur of the moment arrangements to travel, after work, and reached the dirt road and tiny parking area just after dark. I cooked up a little supper, and took a stroll down the road, and noticed no one was up there yet( in the couple cottages) during my walk. I decided to sleep in my vehicle, and hike into the bog at first light. At around 4 am, I was awoken by a rather loud sound, that had startled me. I was laying in my sleeping bag, with the rear window cracked enough to hear outside. A short time later, I heard a loud sharp "crack", that sounded like a ball being hit off a bat, or wood striking wood kind of sound. I went for my sidearm, to have at the ready...thinking this might have been someone close in the forest, behind my vehicle. While doing this, I heard a fainter two knock set of the same sound...that seemed to come from down in the bog, behind my vehicle. I slowly sat up, thinking "what's going on here....who could be walking around doing this chopping , at 4 in the morning". I then heard another clear sharp "crack" knock just behind my vehicle, that I estimate was no further than 100 feet away...if that. I went into my backpack for my audio recording gear, but by the time I got it assembled... the knocking had stopped. This event, later caused me to Google search woodknocks, and was the beginnings of me associating that incident, with possible sasquatch activity, that had been reported throughout the Adirondack Park. I eventually filed a report with several organizations. While one group published the report, the other did not...but did have an investigator, phone me.
I eventually joined the group that published my report (NESRA), and seemed to take it with a serious, but friendly approach. The next morning, I was up and onto the bog trail at first light, and recorded some Pileated Woodpecker drumming (that was Not what I heard knocking in the overnight), and a fantastic Winter Wren chorus. When I reached the boardwalk, I first spotted the pair of Black-backs in a large dead tree...and then, much to my delight...was a female Am. 3-toed just a few yards from me, foraging on a smaller tamarack tree next to the boardwalk. I got a good look, but the bird flew off out into the bog, and I wanted another look. When I walked out further and came into the open out of the trees...something large crashed through the trees on the east side of the bog, and I could hear the sounds of breaking limbs as it moved up the hill out of the bog. All went silent, and I continued to search for the 3-Toed, which I never did relocate. What ever crashed through the trees seemed large, by sound. It could have been a moose, or a bear, or a deer. I never got a visual on anything, while looking with my binoculars, and later with my spotting scope. I never walked around to investigate the area, that would have been a great spot to search for tracks. I was now getting assaulted....by swarms of Blackflies. I had a head net, and put it on. By the time I realized what was happening.... it was too late, and decided to get out of the bog, after I saw the blood running down my legs and neck. When I reached my vehicle, the flies in the air and around my head were almost gone, but there were still many biting my neck under the mesh, and my wrists and ankles (I had long sleeved clothes on). I drove home sporting a very swollen bite collar, on my neck, ankles, and wrists...with a few of the cursed buggers still in the truck (and going for me) that followed me in. It felt good that I had finally gotten a look at the Three-toed WP, and pulled over in the town , to check out my wounds, and grab some breakfast. The waitress gave me "the look", and probably knew I was one of those folks from "not around here" that didn't know enough to stay out of those places, during the blackfly season. As the Brits might say, ...I was quite a bloody mess. As far as what could have possibly done the wood on wood sounding knocks...well, it probably wasn't a person, but I can't really rule it out 100%. It wasn't a forest animal, because it would have needed hands, and could not hold a knocker with paws or hooves....right?. It wasn't a woodpecker...at night. Trees don't (to my knowledge) make that sound on their own, on a calm still night in the spring. So, what does that leave...for sources ?? Whatever it was that crashed through the trees, and out of the bog that early morning...I'll probably never know.
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