Last Wednesday
was a low humidity day for me, so I took the bike and rode a trail in Sandhills refuge...to see what I could find. The trail I picked is one I've shown you before it ends up at the back side of Pool D...it's only half mile round trip but it's thru a mature pine forest and it's not all flat it has an up/down hill section also. The Trial in red,
and I heard way more than I saw...The trees and bushes are so overgrown it's hard to find birds if they are trying to hide which most do,
BUT not all, these young Barn Swallows were in harsh light but at least right out in the open..
Its a swampy area once you get back there as you can see the Ham creek spreads out and keeps this whole little boggy area moist.
One Prothonotary Warbler swooped past me calling very loudly but then disappeared in the thick stuff, all that racket brought out a couple of Common Yellowthroats, and I got a not so good shot of one of the male...
And a Red Winged Blackbird was hunting from just above the water's surface...
I don't know anything much about Dragonfly except I enjoy seeing them...I tried to get the correct name of this one but could not pin it down conclusively, so Im going with Pond Hawk.
I pedaled back to the van,
and moved over to the Lake Bee Recreation Area they are refilling that pond I will be happy when they open it back up cause there is a wetland I enjoy checking on the opposite side of the earthen dam.
I had a cool drink and a snack here and then
Drove up to the Oxpen Lakes area.
Parked and headed out on foot for a walk in the fields looking at plants and insects. And checked the Yellow Pitchers, they are doing well...
Could be a dragonfly nymph? A Buckeye butterfly along with a Variegated Fritillary
Along with some other insect on the ground there,..Busy doing what butterflies do....
There was even more Common Yellowthroat around
Along with Eastern Kingbird
Orchard Oriole
This Common Crackle found a worm...
And an Immature Red Winged Blackbird was learning the ropes down in the lily pads...
I visited the one and only public restroom on the refuge and in the parking area an Eastern Wood Pewee was flycatching...
Found something new!
When I looked this up I found out it's called a Dobsonfly and those long things at the front is a mandible! Like Jaws of life! Its actually an aquatic insect...and it only lives a couple weeks and during that time it doesn't really eat anything. There is one species of this insect in China that gets a big as a human hand!
Later on in the week...
I took a walk around Goodale park, one of the mornings when it was clear but hot...And there was one Wood Stork flying around in lazy circles, I don't know if he landed a man came up and started talking to me and I lost track of the stork...
He was photographing the pitcher plants there and then I showed him where I just spotted some
Sundews...another carnivorous Plant that I have found there....this is the first time I've seen them in that area that has tried to be a BOG, the staff keep fighting this, I don't know why they don't let it evolve into what it wants to BE! So here are the tiny little Sundews
These particular ones are only an inch tall and barely 2 inches wide....
So that pretty much unravels my week..
My van has an issue...SO until I can that diagnosed and repaired I won't be going far from home. I don't mind walking but in 89% humidity its really TOUGH...I worked on my property a little this morning. A wild grape vine had grown it's self thru the wire of my pasture field fencing, and was creating an issue...so I took the chainsaw, yep that's how thick it was, to cut it off the fence and get the fence attached to the post again, I need some more metal post to replace a few of the old cedar posts that are getting rotten they have been in the ground 45 yrs. I am keeping the fence in repair so my dogs can play in there and I don't want to worry that other stray dogs may be in there, the deer jump in but fox or coyote I really don't want in there. Anyways I was soaked as if I had been out in the rain from the humidity when I finished up. Now inside in the ac recovering.
And can we all say "WTH" is up with this picture? Are the veggie sausage people not paying attention?
And can we all say "WTH" is up with this picture? Are the veggie sausage people not paying attention?
Hope your week unravels in a good way.
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
Hi Sondra, I would be lifeless in that humidity too and busy looking for cool shade. Its amazing what wildlife you can find and sometimes you dont notice it because were busy looking for other things. That Dobson fly is a good find, and the sundews. I have read now about rewilding programmes and there are now some farmers who are allowing parts of their land to return back to what it originally was. I cant see this happening on a large scale as there will be the balance between cost effectiveness and productivity levels.
ReplyDeleteI have just discovered the app Birdnet, which you may well know of, its really good and makes identifying bird sounds easy. I'm useless at bird sounds so using this app on my walks has helped enormously and its fascinating to be able to indentify the birds that I cant see. All the best.
Hi Dave, I am not familiar with Birdnet, It sounds interesting for sure. I use Audubon, it doesn't tell me what bird Im hearing but I can play what I think it is and compare the sound to what Im hearing. Most of the birds that live and visit I know but sometimes I do get mixed up. The humidity had been less the later part of the week so Im happy to get some outside chores caught up. It's good to allow bits of your land to go back to what it wants to be, Half my land is still wooded just the way we found it and the other half we live on keep it cleared pretty much. I do less mowing now in the field trying to get more wild flowers to come in. Have a good weekend.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI have been hearing more birds than seeing them, the birds do well hiding in the tree tops and behind the leaves. You did capture some great birds, butterflies and insects. I have been looking for the Orchard Orioles. It is nice to come home to the AC after a hot humid walk. I hope you can fix your van. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a happy weekend!
HI Eileen, this time of year is a birding challenge for forest dwelling birds, And most of the ducks go north for breeding, so Its a dry spell. Not as many butterfly as normal but we have more in the fall when the Goldenrods bloom, so Im hopeful. Have a great weekend.
DeleteSo happy the humidity died down a bit so you could get out and take pictures and enjoy your bike a bit of a walk. The Buckeye Butterfly was gorgeous and the birds are always a treat for me since we don't have much variety here in my area.
ReplyDeleteHope this upcoming week is good for you too.
Hi Jo, yes we got a good northern flow of air for a few days it was so welcomed, but now the air is coming from the gulf area and that is the worst of all...full of moisture. Happy Sunday to you.
DeleteUgh I don't envy you with the humidity, it's not pleasant at all is it! I'm glad you've been able to get out depsite it! I love the Barn Swallow photo, it's always good to see sucess with breeding. I hope you're able to get the van sorted soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Pam, thank you I was excited to see such a large group of young swallows and the house finch in my yard have a large brood they are bringing to the suet feeder. Some birds are doing very well indeed. I did one repair myself on the van, put some fuel treatment in to clean the injectors and got a new gas cap as that was part of the engine code that popped up so far 2 short trips and no misfire so I got my fingers crossed. Have a great week in GB.
DeleteYour Photos Are Spectacular - Well Done - Happy July
ReplyDeleteCheers
Thank you Travis, hope your July is a good one.
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