I just found this map on the Internet of the Howell Wetlands where I walk. What I called "lake #1 and #2 yesterday are actually what it calls the slough and the marsh. I had no idea the water area was so large until I saw this map.The meadow area next to the two "lakes" in yesterday's post have nice pathways to follow. In some places the grasses almost overtake the path.
I was interested in all the different masses of colors.....
The "sea of yellow" beginning to cover the marsh.....
....some clumps of reddish grasses.....
.......massess of white flowers.....
.......lots of varieties of green plants, but I particularly liked the look of these.
....which unfortunately seem to be preyed on by either human or other vandals. This one was ripped off its post and lying on the ground open. I saw several others in the same condition.
This one was still on the post, but leaning forward at a terrible angle. I guess they couldn't rip it off......or maybe the wasp inside detered them! It certainly detered me......so I just held the camera up and shot and hoped for the best :-) I wanted to look at the feathers inside, but not with that wasp guarding the box!
I was pleased to discover where the families of geese that I had seen early in the season had gone! They were in the back swampy area. There were at least 3 or 4 family groups. The young now look like the parents only not as big. I wondered what happened after the downy stage!
Another family of geese
When you leave the lakes, you can enter the wooded area and walk several boardwalks and paths. The bridges are where I usually can stand and see all the turtle logs. This bridge is almost overgrown with a grapevine at one end.....
It had its tendrils wrapped around this dead flower head (Summac?) and everything else in sight.
A mystery flowerhead! I will have to go back to find out what it becomes.....something spiky....maybe a thistle?
Wasn't sure about this one either, but looks sort of like an elderberry head?
I was interested in all the different masses of colors.....
The "sea of yellow" beginning to cover the marsh.....
....some clumps of reddish grasses.....
.......massess of white flowers.....
.......lots of varieties of green plants, but I particularly liked the look of these.There are many nest boxes around the paths and the lakes........
....which unfortunately seem to be preyed on by either human or other vandals. This one was ripped off its post and lying on the ground open. I saw several others in the same condition.This one was still on the post, but leaning forward at a terrible angle. I guess they couldn't rip it off......or maybe the wasp inside detered them! It certainly detered me......so I just held the camera up and shot and hoped for the best :-) I wanted to look at the feathers inside, but not with that wasp guarding the box!
I was pleased to discover where the families of geese that I had seen early in the season had gone! They were in the back swampy area. There were at least 3 or 4 family groups. The young now look like the parents only not as big. I wondered what happened after the downy stage!
Another family of geese
When you leave the lakes, you can enter the wooded area and walk several boardwalks and paths. The bridges are where I usually can stand and see all the turtle logs. This bridge is almost overgrown with a grapevine at one end.....
It had its tendrils wrapped around this dead flower head (Summac?) and everything else in sight.
A mystery flowerhead! I will have to go back to find out what it becomes.....something spiky....maybe a thistle?
Wasn't sure about this one either, but looks sort of like an elderberry head?I have a few more pics to save for tomorrow and then I will have to get out again :-) It stormed last night and everything is very wet at the moment, so good thing I have these to post for the moment.
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13 comments:
We're waiting for your storm of last night to come through CT and COOL THINGS DOWN!
That last photo reminds me of Queen Ann's Lace, though the foliage doesn't.
Lovely walk. Thank you, Mary!
Annie: Hope the storm gets there and doesn't do any damage. It really is hot much too early!
Such beautiful lake area you have there. I am sad to see the next boxes like that though.
--JB
JB: I don't know why people have to try to destroy things....kids I assume. I saw a some trash in the waters and a bit of graffiti on the woods boardwalks, too.
Looks like a stunning place Mary.
What apity that you get such vandals in these beautiful public places. A wonderful walk Mary!! Thanks.
Mike: Thanks! It is a nice place and I always see a lot.
Joan: Vandals are always a pain. Some people just have to destroy, litter, and leave marks where nature is trying to thrive.
It looks like a wonderful place. Nice to see all of those geese. Too bad about the nesting boxes.
Mary
Thanks for taking us along on your walk. Too bad about the bird houses. Why do some folks decide they have to destroy. I hope there weren't any eggs inside when the houses came down.
'slough', now there's a western word, or perhaps mid-western too. Here in the east I don't think we wuse that word, but when I lived in the west th ere were 'sloughs' all over the place.
Florida uses the word "slough" in the Everglades, but I hear it mostly in reference to the west.
Becky: Unfortunately there was at least one egg in it. You can see it smashed on the back and it's covered in ants.
Ann and Sandpiper: Hmmm...never thought about it! I don't even know the technical definition of a slough. will have to look it up. Webster says: "a place, as a hollow, full of soft, deep mud....a swamp, bog, or marsh, esp. one that is part of an inlet or backwater." That certainly seems to fit. You can see on the map that this is just a small area of water that got cut off from the Ohio River leaving this "oxbow" and the marshes around it that fill with water during wet seasons. Those 3 circles in the top corner of the map are part of our westside water treatment plant. They are going to build a nature center on the edge of the property. Maybe when there is staff around, the vandalism will end.
What a great place to walk. I hope it's not humans destroying the feeders.
Enjoyed catching up here.
s
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