Walking at the wetlands, Part 1........

We went to Howell Wetlands the other day and saw so many nice things, that I am splitting this into at least 2 posts.

 My first and favorite thing, was this Green Heron.  

It was way up on top of a dead tree, but I was happy to get shots of it even from a rather "underneath" view.

"Bird Gone"......one of my most common shots usually :-)  

This was actually my first shot of it.  It was on a low snag in the creek when I saw it, but as soon as I pointed it out to Mike and started to take a photo (should have done that in the reverse order) it leaped into the air and I thought it was gone for good.  But fortunately, it went to that higher dead tree and stayed long enough for some better photos.

 Crossing the first boardwalk we were following a Killdeer.....and I just like the boardwalk view.

"Would you stop following me!!"

 We saw lots of bees on the flowers in the meadow area.  

 A smaller bee on the yellow flowers.

 I would say this is a young blackbird of some sort, but not sure which one.  There were young mockingbirds, and robins hanging around, too.

 A very large black fly of some sort on the rail.

Eastern-tailed Blue.

I love the color of the Eastern Pondhawk male dragonfly......sort of a blue and green mix.

 Later we found one having "lunch" on the railing....yuck....but interesting!

 They look so vicious when they are eating something!  I always think they look like some sort of robotic monster up close when you study the wing attachment and the general appearance.  Straight out of a Sci-Fi movie.

 Mockingbird on the roof of the observation platform

 Another one leading us up the garden path :-)

 I don't know the name of these flowers....will have to look in the wildflower book.  Whatever they are the bugs and bees love them.

Mixed in with some yellows...... there are several kinds of  yellow flowers blooming in the meadow right now.  I've never tried to identify them all.  The kind shown in my second bee photo doesn't have a dark center and grow really tall.

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Tiny frogs, turtles, butterflies and flowers in Part 2.