Anybody Seen My Focus?

rly Spring At Dockery Lake

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:24:00 +0000

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis): In Out Of The Cold

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:01:00 +0000

March 10^th, 2013. I’ve been cleaning out the greenhouse, re-potting water plants, and planting new seeds. I was working quietly and not making much noise when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed some movement. I looked down and spotted a Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) on a concrete base for a support column. It was fairly early in the morning and still cool. The anole was brown, similar to another I had photographed in 2009. I backed away and went back to the house to get my camera. Too late. As I suspected, it had disappeared by the time I returned. But, it was likely that it had taken up Winter residence in the greenhouse and I’d have an opportunity to see it again. Time to start carrying my camera every time I go to the greenhouse.

I was in a greenhouse a few days later and, again, noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. This time on the edge of a water container.

A big, healthy anole – green this time - was basking on the edge of a large water container. It didn’t really seem to want to leave but it decided to put a little more distance between itself and me.

It made its way across the floor and up a bench support and onto a frame where it…

Watched me for a minute or so before it moved away out of sight.

I don’t think it appreciated me intruding on ‘its space’ in this warm greenhouse when it was relatively cold outside in the windy March weather.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: Green Anole(Anolis carolinensis)

- Green Anole: ‘Cept She’s Brown

- Green Anole: Anolis carolinensis

- And A Good Morning To You Too

- Turning Green While You Wait

Afternoon Interlude With Dimpled Troutlilies (Erythronium umbilicatum)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:12:00 +0000

March 4th, 2013. Dimpled troutlillies (Erythronium umbilicatum) are among the earliest wildflowers in this area. We’ve found them at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain in DeKalb County at the Bradley Mountain trailhead and along the bank by the trail on the west side of Arabia Lake. The best concentration of plants we’ve found so far, however, has been in the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Jones County, Georgia. We photographed them in the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in 2011 but they didn’t bloom well last year.

It was getting a bit late but we drove down to the Piedmont NWR on the off-chance that they might be blooming again this year. In past years, we’d arrive at this spot later in the afternoon when it was cloudy or after the sun had dropped behind the trees to the west. This time, we reversed our route and arrived at the spot while the sun was still shining on the embankment where many plants bloom. We were in luck and just in time. We didn’t find any plants with buds; all flowers had opened.

A cluster of lilies were blooming in the grass at the edge of the woods. The leaves were partially covered with grass and the flowers ‘blended’ into their background.

We made our way along the embankment at the edge of the woods…

This flower had opened completely. The petals had curled back over themselves. To the right and a little above is a trillium (Toadshade Trillium, Trillium cuneatum); it doesn’t have a bud and won’t bloom this year. The long, glossy leaves are evidence of Atamasco lillies (Zephyranthes atamasca) which will bloom in a few weeks.

A closer view of an individual plant.

The upped sides of petals of some flowers were pale whereas others were more intensely colored.

Looking at the flower from below

This year, we saw the anthers in different stages of development…

These images show anthers in various stages of development. One anther is ‘smooth’, showing no visible pollen, another anther is maturing at the top showing pollen, and a third anther is ‘powdery’ with pollen along its length, and another has almost dried up. The pollen is purple, an indication that these were, indeed, the Dimpled Troutlily (E. umbilicatum) rather than the Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium americanum) which typically has yellow pollen.

A closer view.

The anthers on these flowers, although pollen is still present, are beginning to dry out. The style and pink stigma are clearly visible in these images.

A closer view

We also found that a couple of plants had well-developed seedpods. These seedpods were clearly ‘dimpled’, another indication that these are E. umbilicatum rather than E. americanum which does not have the dimpled tip.

There are two Erythronium species with yellow flowers that occur in Georgia: E. umbilicatum and E. americanum. At a casual glance, they appear identical but can be differentiated based on the color of the pollen and the shape of the seedpod.

Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Troutlily) is native to the United States, being found from Maryland west to Kentucky, south to Georgia and Florida. In Georgia, it is found in counties in North Georgia and extending into some counties in the Upper Coastal Plain.

Erythronium americanum (Dogtooth Violet) is native to North America, being found in the Canada (Maritime Provinces, Quebec and Ontario) and the United States from Minnesota south to Louisiana and east to Georgia; it’s not been documented in Florida. In Georgia, it has only been documented, with specimens, from four counties: Union, Stephens, Oglethorpe, and Baldwin.

Both Erythronium species are distributed most densely in the southeastern states with E. americanum is distributed more widely than E. umbilicatum.

Jim Fowler recently published a post - Erythronium americanum (Trout lily, Dogtooth violet) — an early-blooming wildflower – that shows how similar the flowers of this species are to E. umbilicatum but also clearly shows the yellow pollen. Occasionally, according to Name that Plant, E. umbilicatum flowers may have yellow pollen leaving the dimple-shaped seedpods as the easiest observable characteristic to differentiate this species from E. americanum. Images in the Southeastern Flora sites include photographs of the seedpods of each of these species.

It was encouraging to see these lilies blooming again in this location and to see the dimpled seedpods that confirmed this identification.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

Southeastern Flora:

- Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Troutlily)

- Erythronium americanum (Dogtooth Violet)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Troutlily, Dogtoothed Violet)

Jim Fowler: Erythronium americanum (Trout lily, Dogtooth violet) — an early-blooming wildflower

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:

- Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Troutlily)

- Erythronium americanum (Dogtooth Violet)

- Piedmont NWR: The First Dimpled Troutlily (Erythronium umbilicatum) Of Spring.

- Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve: RR Trail - Frog PondTrail

- Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve: Bradley Mountain Trail(Part 1)

Giant Oak Tree And Tiny Friends

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:11:00 +0000

February 24th, 2013. We took a short trip down to Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center/Clybel Wildlife Management Area after which we drove across into Newton County. In a field on McDonaldRoad, we spotted a big oak tree.

It had grown in a beautiful specimen shape in the absence of other trees. The tree is easily 150-200 years old.

Some of the branches seemed unusually thick compared with others but a closer inspecting showed that they were colonized by Resurrection Fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides), a creeping fern that may be seen on rocks and trees in the area. The fern gets is name from the fact that it dries up and can survive long periods of drought. We’ve been treaed to sightings of the fern in many locations in the last month or so.

The fern is well established and growing thickly along the lower horizontal branches where its roots have been able to feed on nutrients in the cracks on the bark in areas that are in deep shade when the tree is in leaf during the Summer.

A closer view

The fern hasn’t populated the trunk but did allow a well-lighted sighting in the sun.

This is the most impressive example of Resurrection Fern that we've seen in north Georgia.

Pleopeltis polypodioides (Resurrection Fern, Scaly Polypody) is native to the UnitedStates where its found from Massachusetts west to Kansas and south to Texas and Florida. In Georgia, its been documented in counties throughout the state.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Pleopeltis polypodioides (Resurrection Fern)

- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Pleopeltis polypodioides (Resurrection Fern, Scaly Polypody)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Pleopeltis polypodioides (Resurrection Fern)

Peekaboo!

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:49:00 +0000

February 20^th, 2013. We were driving along a rural road bordering the Oconee National Forest in the late afternoon when we encountered a raccoon crossing the road. Rather than scamper across the road ahead of us, it doubled back to the edge of the woods. Next thing we knew, it…

peeked around a tree to see if it was safe to come out again.

A closer view

We sat for a while to see what it would do. After a few minutes, it set off along the tree line and came out to the road a little further down the road. Instead of crossing the road, it set of at a trot down the middle of the road. We followed it, hoping for another photo op, but it didn’t oblige and finally crossed to the other side of the road and set off through the woods until it was out of sight.

Raccoons are nocturnal so it was unusual to see a one in daylight hours. It seemed healthy but sighting one in daylight may be indicative of an animal infected with rabies and its best to stay at a safe distance from them.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 22:55:00 +0000

February 20th, 2013. We were cruising slowly down a rural road not far from the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest when we passed a big bird perched on the branch of a fallen tree. My impression was of a very large bird with a shocked look on its face. It took a few seconds to register that we’d been within about 20 feet of this bird.

We stopped. Rather than back up and risk spooking the bird, I twisted around in my seat and leaned as far as I could out the window and captured these images from a short distance down the road. The bird, identified as a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) was seemingly unaffected by our being there and didn’t pay much attention to us. It was looking for supper.

The view using a full zoom.

Following are a set of images cropped from this and other images captured as the hawk searched its surroundings for prey.

I've seen a number of juvenile Red-tailed hawks at this time of year but this is the only one that has been in a location where we could stop or stayed put to be photographed.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:

- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

- Red-tailed Hawk Nest 2012: Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile Visits Nest Today Dec 17th,2010

- The Internet IBC Bird: Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - Juvenile

Just Poking Our Heads Up To See If It’s Safe To Come Out

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:55:00 +0000

February 20th, 2013. After finding the Trillium cuneatum at the Broad River Wildlife Management Area, we stopped by the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest in Greene County, Georgia, to see if the these were coming up there. This location is a little higher (460 ft above sea level) compared with the Broad River WMA site (425 ft above sea level) although it is affected more by the weather fronts coming from the Artic than the Broad River WMA site.

At this location, a cluster of trilliums grows on the west side of a tree in a sheltered location. Others grow in the open beside the road. We didn’t see any obvious sign of plants in the open and wandered over to the tree.

The tree… Looking closely, we found a number of plants just poking their heads up through the leaves. It would be so easy to trample the plants at this stage. Since we knew where they grew in this area, we were able to approach them without risking damaging them.

This one has emerged but the leaves haven’t really started to unfurl but…

It did give us a great opportunity to see the veining on the underside of the leaves. (Another trillium is opening just behind and to the right of this one).

The characteristic color pattern of Trillium cuneatum is visible on the top of the leaves of this plant.

The stalk is visible on this plant. Plants in this location are relatively large and have long stalks.

These two plants were the most developed and let us see even younger flower buds than we had seen on the plants at the Broad River WMA.

A closer view.

This is what they’ll look like a a few weeks. These were photographed last year.

Trillium cuneatum is known by the common names Little Sweet Betsy, Purple Toadshade, Whippoorwill Flower, and Large Toadshade. It is stalked, had mottled leaves and erect flowers that are purple to brown. The anthers and stamen are a characteristic maroon and gold. This species is found in the eastern United States from Pennsylvania and Illinois south and southeast to Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. In Georgia, they are found more frequently in counties in north Georgia and in other areas in the state.

It wasn’t surprising that only a few trilliums had emerged in this location. The plants

at the base of this tree were not only protected from the cold but were bathed with warm sunshine in the afternoon, making this a slightly warmer location than the open areas where the other trilliums grow. It won’t be long, however, before the other plants also emerge to bloom again.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy, Purple Toadshade, Whippoorwill Flower)

Distribution:

USDA Plants Database: Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

- First Trillium Of Spring

- Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

A Good Season For Ruddy Panus (Lentinus strigosus; Panus rudis)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:18:00 +0000

We first found Ruddy Panus at Fort Yargo State Park in Barrow County in 2009. We’ve kept our eyes out for it each year but haven’t seen any. Then, last Fall, we found specimens on a pine stump in the Oconee National Forest in Greene County, Georgia. In December, we found some growing on a fallen pine trunk on our property in Walton County. Last week, we found several developing on a tree stump in Elbert County and on a tree trunk in Wilkes County.

Most of the Ruddy Panus we’ve found have been on fallen trunks or stumps of pine trees.

Ruddy Panus mushrooms on a living, deciduous tree in Wilkes County (February 2013). They are on the right-hand side of the trunk in the center.

The ‘youngest’ specimens. They are uniformly orange and finely hairy.

A fine cluster

Closer views of specimens that are developing densely hairy caps.

A close-up view of an individual cap

The gills

Older specimens on a pine stump in Greene County, Georgia (December 2012). The mushrooms are now white with orange ‘highlights’ and distinctly hairy compared with the younger specimens.

All-in-all, a good season for Ruddy Panus.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resource:

- International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi, Basidiomycetes Ceteri: Lentinus strigosus

- Mushroom Expert: Panus rudis

- Messiah College: Lentinus strigosus

- Mushroom: Ruddy Panis (Panus rudis)

- Mushroom: Ruddy Panus Revisited

Exidia recisa (Amber Jelly Roll, Brown Witch's Butter)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:19:00 +0000

February 14th, 2013. As we drove out of the Broad River Wildlife Management Area spotting trilliums after our find near the river, we spotted a large cluster of jelly fungus on a fallen branch that had hung up on a nearby tree trunk.

The main cluster on the horizontal section of the branch.

A slightly closer view of the cluster. The fungi at the far right are beginning to dry up and shrivel.

A close-up view of a section of the main cluster.

There were small clusters of the fungus on the vertical section of the branch.

A close-up view of one of the smaller clusters. They are starting to dry out.

They are translucent.

These were a nice find. Had they been dried up we might not have noticed them.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:

- Rogers Mushrooms: Exidia recisa

- Indiana Mushrooms: Exidia recisa

- Messiah College: Exidia recisa

- Mushroom Hunter: Exidia recisa

- First Trillium Of Spring

First Trillium Of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:03:00 +0000

February 14th, 2013. Well, technically, it’s still Winter but… We’ve had a mild Winter but we were a little surprising to see trilliums. W was scheduled to make a frog survey run in Wilkes County so we spent the afternoon running the roads north of the Broad Rivers. One of our standard stops is the Broad River Wildlife Management Area in Elbert County.

We drove out to the Broad River at two places – one from River Road that looks downstream to Anthony Shoals, and the second from GA-79 that reaches the river at the shoals. On our prevous trip during the Fall, this second road had been torn up during the wet weather. It’s since been repaired and we were able to reach the river this time.

The area is open deciduous woodland that doesn’t look very interesting

We were following a track that followed the shoreline west when we spotted some tell-tale variated, trifoliate plants in the grass. When we started looking around we found a lot of trilliums – Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy, Purple Toadshade, Whippoorwill Flower) – in bud. These plants were interesting in that they were only 5 to 6 inches in diameter (saucer size) compared with the plants we saw last year at Scull Shoals Experimental Forest and the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge that were much bigger.

There were some slow-pokes that were just pushing their way out of the ground.

Most were in bud, both as individual plants, and...

in clusters.

And then we spotted one in bloom. Can you see it? It’s a little left of center in this image.

A little closer...

Close views from above and…

from the side.

As we drove out, we saw many plants that we’d overlooked on the way in. In a week or two most of the plants will be blooming.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy, Purple Toadshade, Whippoorwill Flower)

Distribution:

- USDA Plants Database: Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

- Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

The Seasons On Pistol Creek

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:26:00 +0000

When we first crossed this creek, we knew it was a place we’d revisit. Someone had nailed a sign with the name ‘Pistol Creek’ on the trunk of a tree on its bank. I thought I had a photograph of the sign, but I don’t – and I didn’t notice the sign last time we were there. We didn’t know if this was the real name for the creek but, according to the Georgia Gazeteer, it does seem to be so.

Looking south across the bridge over Pistol Creek to the approach from the south.

In late March 2012, looking…

upstream. There are rock bars across the creek with a gentle cascade of water over the south side.

Downstream. The water flows over a gravel bed until it cascades over small boulders and out of sight.

In late Spring - these images were taken in April 2012 - and through the Summer, the creek is bathed in rich green shade…

Upstream, and…

downstream.

As Fall approaches the flow in the stream slows and leaves accumulate on the surface.

Upstream. In late October 2011, the water was barely flowing, and

downstream, the gravel bed was exposed under the bridge.

Upstream in late October 2012, the creek bed was completely dry

A closer view.

Downstream, there was no water either.

Water flows again in December when the rains begin…

Upstream. In December 2011, the water, muddy from a recent rainfall, was flowing again, and

Cascading over the south end of the rock bar, and

Downstream if flowing freely again.

Upstream. In February 2013, the water, also muddy from recent rain, is flowing again.

Downstream.

The $64M question is whether the creek will dry up completely again this year.

Click on an image to view a larger image

What Is Wrong With These People?

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:05:00 +0000

February 2^nd, 2013. A few weeks ago we went by eastern swamp on Enoch John Road in Wilkes County, Georgia.

This is what the swamp looked like in the summer of 2011. And a closer view of the…

American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea) in bloom.

The treasure was a beaver lodge in the open pond just above the beaver dam.

A closer views…

It was sunny on Saturday and we went back to Wilkes County to check on another creek but drove by the swamps. Road work had been done on the west swamp on Anderson Mill Creek to channel the water from the rain we had last week. mini-dam was gone but this didn’t affect the beaver lodge at the east end of the swamp.

The sight that confronted us when we drove down the hill on Satruday was shocking…

The swamp had been drained. The lodge was high and dry.

We walked along the ridge to the side of the swamp to get a better view of the lodge.

The western edge of the lodge was just above the water level of a channel through the swamp.

The back side of the dam at it’s highest point, and the…

area of water still behind the dam.

It didn’t take long to see where the dam had been breached…

The intact beaver dam near the road, photographed in December 2011, was intact when we saw it a few weeks ago, but now…

A section of the dam had been removed, leaving just a small streamlet draining through it. (the road is in the background).

A bulldozer had removed a section about six to seven feet long from the dam during the few days after the last rain judging by the freshness of the marks scoured into the side of the hole.

The destruection seems particularly wonton when the area has been in a relatively severe drought for a few years and the water impounded by this dam supports not only the beaver but other wildlife in the surrounding area. The dam was structurally sound and didn’t present any risk to the road just below it. Rather than destroying a large section of the dam down to its base, it would have made more sense to insert an overflow pipe into this section of the dam rather than destroy it completely. Hopefully, since this is prime real estate for beaver, they will repair the dam and return the swamp to its previous state.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

- Beaver Lodge On Wilkes County Swamp

- Beaver Lodge On Anderson Mill CreekSwamp

What A Difference A Little Rain Makes…

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:12:00 +0000

January 19th, 2013. Finally, a few sunny days after weeks of cloudy weather. We made the drive down to Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge again. We’d had three inches of rain at our place since the New Year so it would be interesting to see if the rain had made any difference in the NWR.

At our obligatory stop on the bridge over Little Falling Creek, it was clear that the rain had rejuvenated the creek flow.

A view of the creek downstream from the bridge on November 24^th, 2012. The creek hadn’t flowed for about six months. There was just a lot of dry rock and a few, isolated pools of water. The rock is stained black from biological activity when the area is wet.

On January 19^th, 2013, the creek was flowing strongly. The water covered the area of black-stained rock.

A closer view of the area below the bridge on November 24^th, and on…

January 19^th, 2013.

It was great to see this creek flowing again. Wonder how long it will last this year.

Click on an image to view a larger image

- November at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge:Green, Brown Red And White

November at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: Green, Brown, Red And White

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 04:17:00 +0000

November 24th, 2012. We’ve endured what seems like weeks of gray clouds and rain. Life is shades mostly of the dull green of pine trees and the browns of dead leaves and grasses. Time to look back to late November when there were still leaves on trees and some sun shining between the clouds.

We drove into the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge on Starr Road from GA-83 as we usually do. We spotted a grass…

blooming in the pine forest west of the road. It took a few minutes to process the fact that it wasn’t on of the native grasses – the seed heads were too ‘white’ - but…

Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) that had seeded itself in the national forest north of the wildlife refuge.

We drove down to Pond 6A which…

Is a pretty pond, and a…

good place to see fine examples of Silver Plume Grass (Saccharum alopecuroides) in the distance across the pond, and...

up close on the dam.

We then drove over to Pond 2A. One the way we spotted a white ‘growth’ on the trunk of a pine tree; about 15 feet above the ground. This proved to be a…

Tooth fungus (unidentified).

My favorite view of the Pond 2A shoreline.

On this occasion, we were surprised to find that a gate to the wildlife refuge just beyond Pond 2A was open and we took the opportunity to explore a new road.

At one bend in the road we found this oak tree with brilliant red leaves, and a…

side road bordered by trees still holding onto their browned leaves. And then a stop to examine…

a few stalks of grass (in the center of the image) that I had assumed previously to be in immature Broomsedge Bluestem (Andropogon virginicus) but which, clearly, were quite different when mature.

A closer view of the seed head. This is Elliot’s Bluestem (Andropogon gyrans).

Then we made our obligatory stop at the bridge over Little Falling Creek.

The creek had no water flow at all. There was just a lot of dry rock and a few, isolated pools of water.

We found several stands of Common Bushy Bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus) at Pond 11a, and the final find of the day…

An Asclepias species seed pod releasing seeds. This is almost certainly the Green Comet Milkweed(Asclepias viridiflora)

Even when the main wildflower show is over for the year, there are still a lot of interesting finds to be had.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Beaver Lodge On Anderson Mill Creek Swamp

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:34:00 +0000

We found the swamps on Enoch John Road in Wilkes County, Georgia, in 2011 and drive by them every time we’re in the county. On the day we took the most recent photos of the beaver lodge on the eastern swamp on Enoch John Road, we discovered another lodge on the western swamp on Anderson Mill Creek.

We always stop on the..

bridge over the creek – looking west to the bridge - and take photos looking to the…

south..

A closer view, and…

north…

A closer view.

We stopped on the eastern approach to the bridge to photograph a…

Clump of Bushy Bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus) that had gone to seed.

We were wandering around and noticed something almost insignificant but not quite…

A mud dam stretching between two clumps of grass. This wasn’t there last time we drove along this road. The road grader had been through and opened up the vegetation along this stretch of road to allow water to drain from the upper swamp to the lower area.

This was a small dam. No doubt about it. The beaver in this area have built and extensive length of dam, more like a terrace, along the north side of the road to the west of the bridge. This small section was very similar.

So we started looking around and found, a little way to the north, another beaver lodge almost hidden. In this photo, it’s a gray mound just to the left of center behind the bushes. It’s there; you just have to know where to look.

There was no getting closer to it. Its in the swamp. The water is probably a couple of feet deep and the bottom mud is probably soft. We weren’t equipped and weren’t going to attempt to get closer. The only other option was to position the pickup in the best spot and climb up into the bed of the pickup and strain for a better view.

This was the best we could do but, clearly, it is a beaver lodge not more than approximately 30 feet north of the road.

Judging by how difficult it was to get a good view of the lodge now that the bushes have dropped their leaves, it would be impossible to see it in the Summer.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Southeastern Flora: Bushy Bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus)

- Beaver Lodge On Wilkes County Swamp

Beaver Lodge On Wilkes County Swamp

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 22:43:00 +0000

We found the swamps on Enoch John Road in Wilkes County, Georgia, in 2011 and drive by them every time we’re in the county. These photos were taken at the eastern swamp on a tributary to Fishing Creek.

In summer, you’d never suspect anything. The view across the water is blocked by a large stand of American Lotus (Nelumbo luteo). Beavers are in the area but you think that they’d have their lodges further up the swamp. But no… In the Winter of 2011 we got a better look at the swamp.

The water is impounded by a dam that is at least six feet tall at its tallest point.

A closer view…

And still closer…

And from the side…

Still closer…

It appeared that the dam had been undergoing maintenance. There was evidence of some new timbers and signs that fresh mud had been applied to the top of the dam.

When we stopped by in mid-December, 2012, the dam has grassed over completely. All that is visible of the long, thick trunk that was clearly visible in 2011, is the exposed part above the dam that has weathered.

At first we didn’t see it, but then we spotted the beaver lodge.

A classic beaver lodge in the middle of the swamp.

In December 2012, it’s still difficult to see the lodge from the road

The lodge has weathered and some of the big timers that were on the top right-hand side appear to be in the water in front of the lodge.

We climbed up an embankment to get a clearer view of the swamp.

Views of the lodge in the distance. In the summer, the lotus field would block this view.

Increasingly closer views from this vantage point. Dead lotus leaves are clearly visible in the water around the lodge.

The icing on the cake would be to catch a glimpse of the beaver swimming in the swamp.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification Resources:

- University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

2012: The Best Of... (Part II: June - December)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:12:00 +0000

December 31st, 2012. Continued from… I’ve never done a year-end review of the year’s posts before but we’ve had some interesting finds and it’s fun to look back on them. So here goes…

June

Swamp. There are two swamps on Enoch John Road in Wilkes County, Georgia. We visit them every time we go to Wilkes County. This photograph of the easternmost swamp was taken late afternoon. What you can't see is a beaver lodge to the right behind the trees. More of this in 2013.

Gray Petaltail (Tachopteryx thoreyi). I still remember this Gray Petaltail lumbering towards me like an overloaded cargo plane. I had just one shot, and this is it.

White Cabbage Moth (Pieris rapae). There are puported to be a ‘dime a dozen’ but we don’t see many. This one posed, and who could resist it. Even the 'ordinary' is beautiful.

Sunset at Margery Lake. Whenever we visit the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in the Clybel Wildlife Management Area, we try and get to the dam at Margery Lake at sunset just in case…

Halloween Pennants (Celithemis eponina) never disappoint. We stop at a couple of ponds in the Piedmont NWR to see if the Halloween Pennants are putting on a performance. If they’re there they can be depended on to entertain us.

Pippsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). This is the first time I’ve seen this flower outside Fort Yargo State Park where I had photographed a series. It was surprising how easy it was to spot them from quite a distance as we drove along the Saxon-Norman-Board road in Oglethorpe and Wilkes counties.

July

Tiny damselflies. We found two color forms of the Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) hunting for lunch in the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest. They were about an inch long. We were lucky to spot them.

Rosepink (Sabatia angularis). We saw these blooming in Hancock, Greene, and Banks counties. The unfolding of the style and stigma is fascinating.

This Bee Assassin bug (Apiomerus crassipes) was just one of several insects feeding on a Hoary Mountainmint (Pycnanthemum incanum) bush late one afternoon in Banks County, Georgia.

August

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hermaris thysbe). We had seen these in Oconee and Wilkes counties but they were always on the move. Some folks have resorted to netting them and cooling them in a refrigerator in order to be able to photograph them as they warm up again. We were lucky to be in the right place at the right time when one alit on a bush briefly. After a few seconds, it was on its way again.

Black and Gold Argiope (Argiope aurantica). These spiders were common when the weather was wetter but we haven’t seen many in the last couple of years. It was a treat to find this one in Greene County, Georgia.

EasternTiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). A common butterfly in this area but its unusual to have one pose so prettily.

Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata). We found these in Greene County and found more later in Hancock County.

Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). So far I’ve never met a Timber rattler that I didn’t like. They’ve been so well-behaved. So far.

Showy Rattlebox (Crotolaria spectabilis). Found in Hancock County south of GA-16 at the edge of a pine forest.

Septermber

Pinesap (Monotropa hypopithys). We found these late in the season. Earlier in the season, plants would be yellow-green without any red. They don’t produce chlorophyll and are parasitic on mycorhizal fungi.

Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana). It was late in the season and we saw only females. These are large butterflies – much larger than the Variagated and Gulf Fritillaries we see at home. Hopefully we’ll see the male next year.

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele). Another very large fritillary that has silver, reflective patches on the underside of the wings.

Great Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes). A teaser. I’ve seen these fly by the house but they don’t settle. This one, in Hancock County, was feeding on flowers on a high embankment – too high to climb. Next year, maybe…

Kidneylead Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia asarifolia). One of my favorites.

Indianpipe (Monotropa uniflora). Another parasitic species that gets energy from mycorhizal fungi. Early in the season, they plants are white; late-seaon plants are tinged pink.

Honey mushrooms (Armillaria mellea). We found a couple of large stands of these mushrooms on Plum Orchard Road in Rabun County, Georgia.

Curtiss’s Milkwort (Polygala curtissii). We’ve seen these in Athens-Clarke, Banks, and Rabun counties. These, in Rabun County, have been the best that we’ve seen.

Striped Gentian (Gentiana villosa). This is my favorite gentian. We’ve found only two plants; hopefully we’ll find more in the future.

All in all a very good year. Looking forward to another great year in 2013.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Related post:;
- 2012: The Best Of (January – November)

2012: The Best Of... (Part I: January – May)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 23:49:00 +0000

December 31st, 2012. I’ve never done a year-end review of the year’s posts before but we’ve had some interesting finds and it’s fun to look back on them. So here goes…

January

A Dimpled Troutilly (Erythronium umbilicatum) was blooming at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Jones County, Georgia. It has been a dry year and we didn’t see many lilies here.

February

Roundleaf Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa) flower on the embankment above Mill Road in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area in Dawson County, Georgia. We spotted the leaves in the Fall of 2011 and returned to photograph the flowers. We almost missed them.

March

A Zebra Swallowtail (Protographium marcellus). We see a lot of these in the Spring but they rarely settle. This butterfly was getting trace metals from the sand and stopped long enough for me to get a good shot. It was early in the season and its colors were still brilliant.

Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides). We found these plants blooming in the full afternoon sun in the Piedmont NWR. This was the first time I’d seen the Rue Anemone and I was surprised to see it blooming in the full afternoon sun. I had expected only to see it blooming in shaded areas.

Devil’s Urn or Black Tulip fungus (Urnula craterium). We found a couple of patches of these growing on fallen branches above Stalking Head Creek. Another first for us this year.

Little Sweet Betsy (Trillium cuneatum). We found these at the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest wehre they were blooming on the hillside above Sandy Creek swamp. We also found them at a couple of spots in the Piedmont NWR.

April

Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium acaule). I visit this particular Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid each year. It’s growing by the trail south from the Fishing Area in Fort Yargo State Park in Barrow County, Georgia. And I mean right by the trail. There are two orchids only a few inches apart but they are unimposing and I suspect that few people see them.

Atamasco lillies (Zephyranthes atamasco). Therse were growing in a wet area where we turned from GA-83 onto Starr Road in Jasper County, Georgia, to drive south into the Piedmont NWR.

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). We found a stand of plants above Stalking Head Creek in the Piedmont NWR that developed fruit later in the season. Most of the Mayapples we’ve found have been growing in deep shade that defies getting a good photograph in natural light.

These plants, however, were lit by late afternoon sun that allowed a good natural-life photograph.

I still can’t resist taking photos of these flowers wity artificial light.

This year extended a love affair with milkvines. In 2011, we stumbled upon the Anglefruit Milkvine (Matalea gonocarpos) at the Scull Shoals Experimental Forest. In late Fall, we spotted seed pods in Hancock County, Georgia. When we returned in Spring, we found not only two different Matelea sp. but also a variant of one of these species.

Carolina Milkvine (Matalea carolinensis),

a nonpigmented Carolina Milkvine (Matelea carolinensis), and,,,

Yellow Carolina milkvines (Matelea flavidula) growing in a small area. We found more M. carolinensis and M. flavidula vines in the Piedmont NWR and followed them through the year.

May

Canada geese (Branta canadensis). This was one of those lucky shots. We’d driven to a bridge over Fishing Creek in Greene County, Georgia. We’d visited this crossing many times when we were recording frog calls; It’s a, among other frogs, home to Cope’s Gray treefrogs(Hyla crysoscelis), Bird-voiced treefrogs (Hyla avivoca) and to hybrids of these species.

As we were driving away, we spotted this pair of Canada geese that had found a secluded spot to build a nest. They weren’t particularly concerned by our presence as they swam in this quiet backwater.

Spiked WildIndigo (Baptisia albescens). It’s easy to overlook the Baptisia species. I’ve only seen the white-flowered species in this area but I’ve seen fascinated by the species I’ve seen in different counties. This was photographed in Hancock County, Georgia; we’ve also seen this species in Jasper County

Canada Goose goslings. On a trip up the Oconee River, we were treated to a pair of Canada Goose goslings exploring the world. Dad is standing on the top of the bank as the goslings came down the embankment into the river, swam around for a little while, and then scrambled back up to re-join Mum and Dad.

American Snout (Libytheana carinenta). Another first for me this year. These are fascinating butterflies that we've seen in Jasper, Jones, and Oconee counties.

Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica). We saw these in the Piedmont NWR in Jones County, and in Hancock and Wilkes counties. They ‘hide’ in the grass but their brilliant red gives them away.

A female Spangled Skimmer (Libulella cyanea) with lunch. It wasn’t a good year for dragonflies with the very dry weather we had but… We rounded a bend in the road beside Sandy Creek swamp in Greene County, Georgia and found a grassy area alive with Spangled skimmers. One female had a prime hunting spot that was accessible to us too. Hence, this wonderful opportunity to catch her munching on a katydid.

Appalachian Fameflower (Phemaranthus teretifolius). In southern Greene County, Georgia, there’s a small granite outcrop right beside the road. It’s only about 10 yard by 20 yards but has several of the small granite outcrop wildflowers: Appalachian Stitchwort (Minuartia glabra), Elf Orpine (Diamorpha smallii) and the Appalachian Fameflower. It was worth lying on my back on the rock and gravel to photograph this flower.

Boykin’s Milkwort (Polygala boykinii). We’ve only seen these in Jasper County and in the Piedmont NWR. We saw our first flower on the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Trail in 2011 and then spotted them on Starr Road just north of the Piedmont NWR and on the west-facing wall of the dam on Pond 2A. I’m still surprised to see these delicate flowers thriving in the full afternoon sun in 90+F temperatures..

Continued here…

Click on an image to view a larger image

Zen: Mushrooms Under Oak

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:04:00 +0000

October 21st, 2012. I’d forgotten these mushrooms. They’ve come up under this oak every year for years. I’d forgotten them because I’d changed my commuting route and no longer came up this road in the afternoon when it was still light. It was pitch black in the morning when I came down this road.

I noticed them again on a Friday evening and came back on the 21st to photograph them in good light.

The clusters of mushrooms growing along the roots of an oak.

A cluster of buttons (second from the right)

The cluster on the far right

The cluster in the left foreground

The largest cluster near the base of the tree trunk.

I’ve still to identify these but they are a wonderful collection of mushrooms worth revisiting again next year

Click on an image to view a larger image

Zen: Stone & Wood Fence

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:59:00 +0000

October 20th, 2012. Somewhere along the the Kellum Valley Road – Toll Gate Road, we found this fence.

The fence and its surroundings…

A closer view of the fence

A still closer view of the fence. Someone spent a lot of time creating this fence.

Click on an image to view a larger image

- White County: Raven Cliffs Wilderness

White County: Raven Cliffs Wilderness

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:29:00 +0000

October 20th, 2012. On our way back from Young Harris we drove down the Richard B. Russel Highway (GA-348) which skirts the Raven Cliffs Wilderness. Raven Cliffs or Duke’s Creek Falls is a popular stop along this highway. We, however, drove south, turned GA-75 and US-129/GA-11. We took the Kellum Valley Rd north from the highway. At Harkins Road, the road continues as Toll Gate Road to a trail head for the Raven Cliffs Wilderness.

The road follows Towns Creek and is paved at first and then graveled to the trailhead. Just past the last house, the road was ‘flooded’ by what appeared to be spring water that flooded the area west of the road and the road itself for about 100 yards or so. Beautifully clear water; 2 to 3 inches or deeper in some parts.

Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian, Harvestbells)

It wasn’t long before we found patches of Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian, Harestbells). We continued to find them by the road to the trail head.

The first patch of gentians on the east side of the road. I spotted five blooming plants in this photo alone. There were more to the left of this area.

An individual plant. The blooms were a deep blue-purple and fully opened.

Flowers, up close

We wandered around the trailhead and found several interesting items…

An unidentified ‘Aster.’

A small plant in the woods at the trail head

A bud,

An individual flower, and …

in proflie

A Grapefern (Botrychium sp.)

And then we found a shallow well that was probably intended to impound spring water. There was only a little water in it.

From a short distance

A closer view

The area along Toll Road was quite moist and will be interesting to visit in different seasons.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Towns County: In And Around Young Harris

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 02:22:00 +0000

October 20th, 2012. On our way back from Rabun County, we drove through Young Harris in Towns County and decided to wander some of the back roads behind the college. I’m always intrigued by old, abandoned houses, chimneys left after houses have burned, and the history of people's lives that go with them..

East of Young Harris we got two for the price of one in a field…

An old chimney

Up close, and

An old cabin, with...

Moss growing on the roof.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Zen: Remembering Colors of Fall

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:27:00 +0000

October 20th, 2012. It’s sunny today but it’s 48F and ‘blowing a gale’ as they say. It’s nice to relax and remember the warm colors of Fall.

Yellows…

Reds…

Across a field, and

by the road.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Soapwort Gentian or Harvestbells (Gentiana saponaria)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:15:00 +0000

October 20^th, 2012. On previous trips into Rabun County we’d seen many Showy Gentian (Gentiana decora) plants in bloom but no Soapwort gentians (Gentiana saponaria). And then we drove north on Popcorn Road again. Soon after leaving US-76, the road descends down a steep hill. Near the bottom, W spotted blue flowers on the west side of the road. These proved to be G. saponaria. The plants were growing at the edge of a ditch draining spring water down to a nearby creek.

The roadside where the plants were growing. Two clusters of blooms is just visible in this photograph

The buds were either…

pale blue, or a

deeper blue-purple.

The stripes were clearly visible in opened flower but less obvious on the outside of the petals.

In addition to blooming later than G. decora, G. saponaria appeared to be growing at lower altitudes than G. decora.

Gentiana saponaria (Harvestbells, Soapwort Gentian) is native to the United States where its found from New York state west to Illinois and south to Arkanasas, Oklahoma and Texas, and east to Florida. In Georgia, its been documented in more counties in the north of the state than in other parts.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia:

- Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian, Harvest Bells)

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:

- Gentiana saponaria (Harvestbells)

- Warwoman Wildlife Management Area: Showy or Appalachian Gentian (Gentiana decora)

Warwoman Wildlife Management Area: Milkweed (Asclepias sp.) Seedpods

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:55:00 +0000

October 19th, 2012. In the Warwoman Wildlife Management Area, along Sarah’s Creek Road from where we found the Showy Gentian (Gentiana decora) and the Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (Ionactis linariifolius), we found several asclepias plants with seed pods releasing seeds, or about to. It was getting dark so I photographed these using artificial light.

This plant has three seed pods. Two were still green and the third was releasing seed.

A closer view.

On the other side of the road was a plant whose two seed pods had ripened an split. The seed pod in the foreground was releasing seeds. The seeds in the rear seed pod had matted. Although a few seeds are showing signs of separating but many may remain matted.

A closer view of the seed pod in the foreground. The hairy plumes on the seeds are opening out. These are very bouyant and a breeze may carry them considerable distances.

We’ll be returning next Spring to photograph the flowers and identify the species.

Click on an image to view a larger image

- Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster or Stiff Aster (Ionactis linariifolius)

- Warwoman Wildlife Management Area: Showy or Appalachian Gentian (Gentiana decora)