The last visit at the wetlands we actually saw a bird :-) We saw two Green Herons.
This one was on the boardwalk in front of me.
I think it is young. Seemed small and very striped.
Walking along the rail he raised his crest up.
Stretching up tall
He finally leaped off the boardwalk into the grasses. Crest up again.
Calmed down.
Flew into the reeds where I couldn't see him any more.
The first Green Heron we saw as soon as we got on the boardwalk, but it saw us too and flew up into a little cypress tree.
On the path through the meadow, we found a Praying Mantis on the path in front of us.
I think he is "praying" that his next "prey" is that little bee on the fleabane :-) When we came back an hour later he was still there by the same patch of fleabane.
In the woods Mike spotted a few mushrooms. I like how this one just spread its cap right through the grass. I think it looks like a big pancake.
Looking over the bridge rail at the top of a turtle shell. It immediately sank down out of sight.
The day was cool and late in the afternoon and not many were out sunning.
Going back to the car we saw a fish doing something (feeding?) and his fin kept sticking out of the water. Probably someone's pet goldfish (carp) that someone has "released" into the wetlands slough.
Fish tail ballet
An Amberwing dragonfly on the pond plants. They are one of the smaller dragonflies I see around the water.
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We are spending a couple days in Michigan next week. Going to the Grand Rapids Quilt Show and exploring whatever nature is in that area and around the Indiana Dunes...we hope! So maybe I'll have something new and interesting.....I hope!
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7 comments:
LOVE seeing that Heron with his crest up .... and the "fishy" ballet is pretty awesome :)
Hi Mary...The praying mantis I see here are green, and your looks larger!!
I think your right the mushroom does look like a pancake : }...I like it when they even grow around a stick ..sort of like rising dough goes where it wants!! : }
The turtles back I couldn't figure out "what is that until" I read what you wrote lol!
Have a good weekend !!
Grace
You always capture interesting nature pictures! I never get to see a Green Heron and if I did, I think he wouldn't stay around for me to photograph him. Your Praying Mantis is a big one, comparing him with the flower. There must be a zillion kinds of mushrooms!! I kept looking at the hole in the water trying to figure it out! The turtles are rather shy. Odd looking fish! I always going on these excursions with you;-)
These are certainly interesting pictures. You find such variety of wildlife to photograph.
The Heron shots are really great.
Kerri: Thanks! The heron didn't really want to get off the boardwalk. I was glad to see it so close.
Grace: They were big mushrooms! We have smaller green mantis, too. This one was quite big and really blends with grass at this time of year....sort of green, sort of brown.
Dorothy:It was a large praying mantis. I think they are fascinating critters.
Ruth: Thanks...it has been fun going to the wetlands again and actually seeing something.
Great sequence!! Thanks for the tip on sedum. Swamp milkweed is listed up here,although sedum isn't. But like you I'm not sure. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
These are great captures of the green heron! He looks like he was modeling for you.
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