BortmasPhoto
Photo Documentary: 3 Creeks Metro Park - Visit 2
We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.
- American Indian Proverb
On The Trail
Well manicured paths don't interest me much, so as soon as I arrived at 3 Creeks I looked for a way off in to the untamed. I stepped out on to the mud and grass. Like minded adventurers had left their mark, so I followed on down to Alum Creek.
I was barely a heartbeat from the graveled trail when I came across a small dump. Tightly nested in the underbrush was an era past. Rusted metal whatnots poking out here and there. Lead canning lids with glass inserts. Glass; ridiculous amounts of it. And then there was the leather boot, slowly being reclaimed by nature.
I moved on.
The wilds fell away as I crossed back to manicured. I was quickly annoyed by the crunch of gravel, but something had caught my eye. Hovering nearly six feet above the water, and nearly as far from the shore were two tall trees. Their roots were elegantly intertwined, and securely anchored to the eroding shoreline. I crawled out and looked down at the racing water below.
I stepped back in to the woods and was veering away from the creek when I heard a bird land on the water. It was a Hooded Merganser, and he was flaunting his breeding plumage! I tried to move in for a closer look, but he startled and whistled off across the water.
It was OK; there was no shortage of things to track.
Other Tracks
I turned towards the woods again. It seemed too quiet, so I followed the creek for a while longer. When I nearly tripped on a tangled mess of human waste I decided I was done with the water. After gathering up my disgust I trudged on into the woods.
If you're quiet, and you pay attention, you can often find yourself in the middle of Nature. The range of vision for a deer is 310º. Luckily, we spotted each other at the same time. Since we reacted the same, freezing, we were allowed to become OK with the awareness of one another. When they began to graze again, I moved myself in to a less intimidating position.
We played for a while, but there finally came the moment when I moved too close.
I stayed in a clearing long enough to be warmed by the sun, and then set off back towards Alum Creek. When I finally came upon the water, it swooped around to meet me with the biggest pile of human waste I'd seen all day. On the opposite shore, amidst a partially floating organic net, there was a large trapped area filled with shiny pieces of plastic and metal. A tragic mess.
Look away to something green!
I finally came across the park's namesake. From left to right: Alum, Big Walnut and Blacklick creeks. Two sentries announced my presence to the entire neighborhood. I crossed, and headed up-stream towards Blacklick.
The Other Side
In many ways, this waterway was different. Tiny fingers randomly fed into the larger body. It was more direct; it didn't take large sweeping detours. It wasn't wide, but the water was still deep and fast in most parts. One thing remained the same, however, and it was the ever present plastic. The human waste was everywhere! It wasn't always plastic, and it wasn't always on the ground. I imagined far too many sad children, and the random sad adult. That is, if they cared anyway. Here I was completely submersed in Nature, but still knee deep in Culture. I didn't come to the woods to take pictures of garbage!
But I did.
I needed, and asked, for something finite. Since I hate to backtrack, I also needed and asked for a way to cross the water. I was granted both my requests near simultaneously.
End of the Line
First, something finite. A bone. I panned my head up slowly, scanning the sandy watershed. A rib, and then another. What luck? The skull! Just beyond...the spine, partially intact. I looked towards Blacklick, and there was my crossing. It was ugly, and would have to wait.
I paced the length of the scene. The female deer bones were scattered in a narrow strip some 52' apart. Many were almost completely buried in the sand, while others seemed gently placed. Most of the small bones that form the joints were missing, as were half the vertebrae and the ribs. Both halves of the jaw were found with all major teeth intact. All but two grazers (lower front nibblers) were missing.
The pelvis and tail were also present. A fourth combing finally revealed the second scapula. Sixty bones in all.
I had been out for four hours already, and a quick glance at the horizon told me I only had about an hour and a half of daylight. I gathered my things and headed across my "bridge".
Large timbers had jammed, flotsam had collected, and even more logs piled on top of that. Blacklick squeaked out around the edges of the makeshift island. It was surprisingly solid, and I made it across quite easily. Now that I was on the other side, I picked up the pace.
I closed my eyes to the mess and just walked. More than 400 yards from where I found the deer, and on the other side of the water, I came across the one missing leg bone! Sixty one bones. It was partially gnawed, but mostly intact. A few minutes later, I was back upon the confluence and headed up Big Walnut towards the sound of the highway.
I found an overturned raccoon skull with only two molars and a damaged eye socket. The light was dim, and my camera was tucked away. I kept walking.
And then there was the road. I crossed Big Walnut and headed towards 270. And there was where I went under 270, which means that if that is Alum Creek then my car should be right about...
Follow Up
Once they were all washed, I proceeded to put the puzzle together.
The spine is still held together by connective tissue, and it's curvature prevents it from nesting properly in the pelvis.
The bone at the base of the skull should be touching. There are approximately 8 structural elements missing from that area.
A similar number is missing between the shoulder blades and remaining spine.
I've three bones that I am unsure as to their location. There are supposed to be many small bones that make up the lower joint areas of the back legs. I'm sure they go there, but without the others I don't see how they fit. The small bones that make up the feet are also missing (I found two, see front legs)
I'm half tempted to return to the scene to see if I can come up with the other back leg bone, remaining neck bones, and an equal number of ribs.
-Craig