Crow’s Nest: Paradise

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager

It was a quiet Sunday at the preserve. Many who might otherwise visit the preserve are away on vacation. It rained 2″ on Saturday so it was pretty wet. And though no rain was forecast Sunday, it looked imminent all day. It was a great day to wander the preserve—to enjoy what is close.

Early in the day I returned to the black-eyed Susans that are proliferating near our entrance sign on Harmonyville Road. Unlike those at Green Hills Preserve, this small meadow I planted as deep plugs, not seeds.

The native Turk’s cap lily, Lilium canadense, is more prolific than ever on our Creek Trail; both orange and yellow flowers are present this year. I’ve found this species unreasonably difficult to photograph.The Creek Trail was passable with good waterproof boots.

It was a good day to be on the flowers of the redosier dogwood, Cornus sericea.

A bumblebee and a great spangled fritillary seemed to agree.

There were more subtle beauties too, such as these bracts on the ironwood tree (Carpinus caroliniana).

Yes, that looks like a spotted cucumber beetle on the swamp rose (Rosa palustris). Looks innocent here, but they can be a major garden pest (also known as Southern corn rootworm for its larvae).

Owen and I spent a few hours in the “backyard,” just hanging out. The tidepools we examined in Maine while on vacation were fascinating, but today he found the puddles in the tractor path just as interesting.