Sunrise on the Maumee

Sunrise on the Maumee

Friday, July 20, 2012

Playing hooky



     This is a slow time for monitoring, so we decided to take the morning off and visit Kitty Todd Nature Preserve.  Kitty Todd is a Nature Conservancy property and is in the Oak Openings region.  It's the only place I know of with Orange Fringed Orchids
     Orchids are finicky plants who rely on separate specific fungi at different points in their lifecycle.  This makes it impossible to transplant them.  The seeds contain no energy source and rely on fungi.  It can take years for a seed to produce a flowering plant.  


     While there we saw our first Buckeye butterfly of the season.  He was so brilliant, and slow moving, we suspect he had recently emerged from his cocoon.

We also stopped by one of the recently acquired Metroparks properties to check on a wet area where we had counted violets this spring.  We're a pretty subdued crew, but we were all quite alarmed when a turkey flushed just a few feet away.  I've never seen such a heavy bird take flight so quickly.


Perhaps we had disturbed his berry breakfast.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Cape Cod



Kettle Pond in Cape Cod National Seashore


On the pier in Provincetown


Fishing boats off the Chatham pier

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Holiday Hot Dog



Hudson and I headed to Side Cut Park early this morning for a walk along the Maumee.  It was already too hot to stay in the sun long and Hudson was happy I brought along ice water.


Even the deer were taking a dip.  This is only the second time I've seen deer in the river.  He was actually walking, not swimming, since the water is so low.

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Uncle Phil's Farm Birthday



My Uncle Phil turned 81 last week and my cousin Mary Lou gathered all to celebrate at the McRury-Tebbe Tree farm in Mt. Gilead, OH.  Uncle Phil used his favorite tractor to give hay wagon rides.


The steer calves Bulls Eye and Buckeye were treated to some corn.


Uncle John found a Chipping Sparrow nest.


Sarah discovered her inner chicken whisperer.


The hearty donned boots, traipsed through the woods and over the creek to a huge White Oak.  Those who completed this task were rewarded with their choice of a peach or pine sapling.

Thanks, Mary Lou, for a wonderful day.


Sunday, July 1, 2012

Garden Firsts



First ever Prickly Pear cactus bloom


Prickly Pear in it's native setting in Oak Openings Metropark


First ever Royal Catchfly blooms


First time New England Aster has bloomed before August