This week at the wetlands....

I took my weekly walk through the wetlands today.  It was a beautiful day, but really humid.

 I was pleased to see a few butterflies!  Several Buckeyes were around the meadow area.

Another one

Going back to the beginning of my walk, I thought I would show some of the scenery as I see it.  My first stop is always to cross the biggest shallow lake area on the boardwalk.  Today the water was covered in those yellow flowers that grow there every year.  No herons fishing today :-(

 As you come off the boardwalk, you walk right through the middle of the large meadow area.  There are paths that go around both ends of the meadow and I usually look for butterflies around one end or the other.

The meadow is full of flowers right now!  Lots of yellow and purples.

 Along the path I found a couple of female Common Whitetail dragonflies.  The male hangs around the water, but the female is usually here in the meadow.

 Lots of tiny butterflies today!  The little Eastern-tailed Blues were pretty cooperative.

 This one was on a nice leaf and even opened up for me!

 A Pearl Crescent.

One of the Skippers

Coming out of the meadow path you reach the creek and the bridge across it.

 There were some Goldfinches eating the fresh stuff that the rains had washed up on the stumps in the water.

 And of course this bridge is where I do my turtle watching :-)

 All sizes today and all covered in layers of green stuff.

This is a shot looking at the whole creek as it winds towards the woods and a distant shot of the biggest turtle log that was above water.  We have had a lot of rain and some of the logs were underwater today.

Up high the Tree Swallows wait between swooping the creek for bugs.

 In the other direction the creek is split by a small island, and this is the smallest branch of the water.

Ironweed along the bridge.

 A Slaty Skimmer along the way.

From the creek, the path begins winding through the woods.  It's a nice relaxing place to walk.

The creek is along the edge of this wooded area and can be seen in spots.

You end up back at the other bridge where more turtles can be seen.  From there the trail goes through more woods, but I seldom keep going that way very far.  Depends on if there is anything to see and if my knee hurts by then.

 These turtles were up front, but I wanted to post a few more turtles :-)

 "Give me 10 more push-ups!"

"I can't do any more, Sarge!"

The End :-)