Maine to Ohio

The biggest trip of the year to date started with me driving after work from Newport to Maine to pick up Eva.

                                                                                           Bridled shiner (#24)

Early Saturday, we drove back down to Newport, and on Sunday we picked up Hugo and his friend Tink, both out of school on Spring Break and we embarked on a road trip to the Northeast Ohio area. Ostensibly, the trip was to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, however what the other three didn’t realize was that this was really a trip to enable me to investigate the area’s wildlife and build me fish list.

En route, we took a break at the Delaware River Water Gap and this expired fish was on the riverbank:

                                                 

                                                                                         Quillback carpsucker

As soon as we arrived and checked into the Richfield Motel 6, I tucked ‘em in and drove a short distance to the Cuyahoga River, here I found:

                                                                      Western blacknosed dace (#25)

                                                                               Northern hogsucker (#26)

Then darkness, and I had to go back to the civilians..

Well before sunrise, I went back and snapped a photo of this mystery fish.

Then my camera battery ran out, so I only have this one photgraph and two other blurry shots.  The closest I can figure is that it is a creek chub, however the reality is that I am clueless.

After sunrise, we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and Hugo and I also went on a tour of Cleveland Browns Stadium.

No nature afterwards.

The following morning, I arose again before daybreak and explored a power cut line behind the motel. Ohio was warmer than Rhode Island and spring further along, so I saw some first-of-year birds; swamp sparrow and rough-winged swallows.

Then we drove to Canton and visited the football museum. It was anticlimactic after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Afterwards, we walked along the banks of Nimishillen Creek at the cities' West Park. We spied this school of fish and although the photos don't reveal much, I saw enough details that I  am fairly sure they were bluntnosed minnows.

                                                                              Bluntnosed minnows (#27)

Moments later, from a pedestrian bridge over the creek we spied this school of suckers, and again  the photos are very shaky and I didn't include any, I believe they were golden redhorses (#28).                                     

Then we had to leave. I had one more trick up my sleeve. I had written a request for information beforehand to the North American Native Fish Association about where fish might be seen in the Northeast Ohio area. I received a few suggestions and was able to check out one place that proved to be a bizarre phenomenon- carp (#29).

These photographs are from just over the Ohio border into Linesville, Pennsylvania on Pymatuning Lake.

After arriving, I unwound for a bit, and then went down to the Sebasticook River in her back yard and I was able to photograph this fish:

Finally, the author volunteered his services to the struggling Cleveland Browns