I just had the most amazing experience on the Indian Creek Trail behind my apartment. The trail is continually amazing; the sunsets, the wildlife, and today the high water from a recent rain shower. My walk with Shadow today was ultra-slow due to my ultra-sore everything from my ultra-muddy bike wipe-out on Monday.
As our journey embarked, I first spotted a red-tailed hawk hanging out on a telephone pole near the tree that houses two of their nests. After walking until my limp was obvious and we encountered too much mud, we turned around.
On the way back, Shadow and I observed a kingfisher just east of the Watt's Mill and heard its telltale trill swooping over the rustling water. Around the next bend I heard a bird that had the timbre of a cardinal but not the colloquial call. I had just sighted the red bird when I heard an approaching party wondering what species was sounding, a gray-haired man and his six year-old son,who with I had previously crossed paths. He is a college professor and his son is a nature lover. I showed them the red-tailed hawk, which the son was enamored by, and they revealed the most amazing thing about the trail. The exploratory son had found a 10,000 year-old jawbone of a horse and three arrowheads in the creek! I was enamored by this information, since I have always wanted to find a fossil more significant than a crinoid, Missouri's state fossil, and I don't think I've ever actually found an arrowhead. The man had consulted a paleontologist at his college regarding the jawbone. It turns out that Native the indigenous people had hunted out horses long ago, but they were able to cross over to Asia over a land-bridge. In addition a mastodon was unearthed in the creek, so all sorts of ice age fossils are unearthed in high water.
At that time my phone rang, and we parted ways, but only shortly. My gaze floated to the sky and turned around to yell, "There's a bald eagle!" Soaring high above my apartment complex shined the brilliantly white head and shaded body of the majestic bird. I was absolutely enamored, as I have only seen bald eagles a handful of times and absolutely never in an urban area.
My unfortunate cohorts could not reach the vantage point in time to see the sight, and we soon parted ways. I walked across the short yard to my door mesmerized by my forty minutes of wonder in my big backyard. An unexpected and truly personal gift was given to me. Surely I become glazed to the usual wonders encompassing me every day. I appreciated the divine nudge and blessed stimulation of my senses to the everyday awes of Abba.
Dear Erin: What a beautiful description of Indian Creek. Since we last met, Alex found the toe bone of a mastedon in the creek. The umkc paleontolist confirmed it. He said the local indians hunted the mastedon's into extinction. This area was on the migratory path of the mastedons and the bison for thousands of years. Pioneers of the area said you could watch the bufflo pass for 3 days. It sounded like a thunder storm.
ReplyDeleteFor Alex,now seven, and Anna my seven year old daughter Indian creek offers us treks of joy daily. We ride our bicycles, stop every few minutes to view heron's deer, snakes, and a friend running watched a big bobcat jump onto the trail in front of him, stop, stair then jump into the creek. My greatest joy is that Indian creek flows right through the city yet it is still full of pristine areas where if you didn't know better you would think you are in the wilderness of Canada. See you soon on the trail Erin.
Sincerely,
David Jewell