Sunrise on the Maumee

Sunrise on the Maumee

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Monitoring Perks


Our duty as plant monitors for the Metroparks of the Toledo Area is to record the location and numbers of endangered and threatened plant species in the park system.  While traipsing around the park, we often come across other interesting natural phenomena.
  

This is an ant mound photographed this spring in one of the meadows we visit.


We found this badger hole last week.  


The footprint is fairly distinctive and means this is an active den.


These shells left from turtle hatchlings were found on an open dune. 


This "bowl and doily" spider web is commonly seen strung between stems in meadows.  The web is only 2 or 3 inches wide and is beautiful in the morning dew.  Read more about this spider here.

1 comment:

  1. Hey. Do badger dens have an odor and, if so . . . do you know anyone crazy enough to get low and give 'em a sniff? :)

    Seriously. The Metroparks are a treasure.

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