Anybody Seen My Focus?

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge: Alligator Alley

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:09:00 +0000

*****

A better looks at its tail.

It realized that there was another alligator about the same size already on the prime sunning spot. It seemed to be calculating the risk of a nasty encounter if it tried to crawl any further up the dike.

It finally settled down in that position but it didn’t really look like a comfortable position. When we returned later, it had disappeared.

*****

Encounter #2. We nearing the end of our second drive around the loop when we spotted a smaller alligator, about 8 to 10 feet in length at the bottom of the bank below the road. It would have been easy to look out to the swamp past it without seeing it.

The view from the car window. This alligator was about 20 feet from us. We didn’t get out of the truck for fear of disturbing it

Looking out across the marsh. It would have been easy to overlook the alligator. Several cars drove past us without seeing it. You had to look down, not out.

It seemed unfazed by us being there but it was very watchful. It did move but its movements were almost imperceptible.

A closer view of its head and very watchful eye that is visible, even at this distance. If you enlarge this image, its large teeth are quite visible.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Resources:
University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: North American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Related posts:
- Savannah National Wildlife Refuge: The Evening Before
- Savannah National Wildlife Refuge: The Morning After

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge: The Morning After

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:54:00 +0000

December 29th, 2011. Between Christmas and New Year we took an overnight trip down to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in search of some sun and warmer weather. The weather was a little cool due to a northwesterly wind but it was sunny. The Savannah NWR is located on the east side of the Savannah River in Jasper County, South Carolina, just across the Savannah River from Georgia. We visited Argyle Island that is accessed from Alligator Alley.

We visited the area first in the late afternoon on December 28th and, again, the next morning. These photos are from our visit on the morning of December 29th. It was sunny, but cool, when we arrived so we ended up driving the loop twice.

Trunk gates that controlled water to the rice fields

Looking towards Port Wentworth from a trunk gate at the edge of the freshwater marsh. It was high tide. The canal was full compared with the empty canal the previous night.

Looking south across the marsh just before entering the tree grove on the west edge of the marsh.

Driving through the tree grove. The Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) looks different in the daylight.

A closer view of the Spanish Moss

We crossed a small canal in the tree grove. Looking west over and old bridge railing

A young Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens). We only saw young plants during the drive. These can grow into very large clumps; we saw many on the trip down to the coast.

A cluster of oyster mushrooms, a Pleurotus sp., on a tree in the grove.

Looking north, just after we exited the tree grove.

A small turtle sunning itself in a sheltered spot.

Looking south across the margin canal at the south of the drive, and…

then southeast across the canal.

Cattails, and their reflections, in the calm water of the south marginal canal

On the southern end of the drive. Looking north over the cattails to the marsh, and …

another view, and..

Yet another view. Some trees have managed to root and grow here – mostly on the dikes.

More Spanish Moss. There's a slight jog in the drive from northeast to north about one-half way up the eastern part of the drive. A cluster of tall trees had grown in this pocket and hosted large Spanish Moss plants. The contrast in colors was striking.

Water lilies demarcating the margins of the rice fields. The line runs from the upper left to the lower right, 'rounds the corner' and continues across the field to the left. We saw these repeatedly along the drive. Water lilies – and they may vary by variety - have an optimum depth of water in which they prefer to grow. These lilies are growing at their preferred depth and forming a narrow line following the margin of the rice field that once existed here.

A closer view with the line of water lilies in the foreground

Water lilies, up close. It looks like a flower bud to the right of the plant. Wonder if it bloomed?

Islands of vegetation have developed in some fields

A view across a rice field towards the northern fields which appeared to be drier than those further south.

A bush with a cluster of the plants that looked like miniature trees in the waning light the evening before

A closer view of the ‘miniature trees'

Leaving the ‘wet’ area for the drier fields. The paper mill is in the upper left.

A closer view of the paper mill in daylight

The northern fields near the end of the drive looked dry but the water was hidden by the grasses

And finally, a cypress tree. This was the only one we saw during the drive.

The marsh at Argyle Island was interesting to visit in winter. It will be interesting to return in warmer months to see the wildflowers that grow here.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Resources:
- US Fish and Wildlife Service: Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

- University of South Carolina, Longleaf Environmental Learning Center: Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:
- Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto)
- Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss)
- Southeastern Flora:
- Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss)
- Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto)

Related post:
- Savannah National Wildlife Refuge: The Evening Before

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge: The Evening Before

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:53:00 +0000

December 28th, 2011. Between Christmas and New Year we took an overnight trip down to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in search of some sun and warmer weather. The weather was a little cool due to a northwesterly wind but it was sunny. The Savannah NWR is located on the east side of the Savannah River in Jasper County, South Carolina, just across the Savannah River from Georgia. We visited Argyle Island that is accessed from Alligator Alley.

In the 1800s, the island was the site of a large rice plantation. The outlines of the rice fields are clearly visible in the satellite image from Google maps. Dikes were built up to provide a drive, the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, a 4.5-mile drive, around the freshwater marsh on the south end of the island. Wooden gates, called trunks, were used to control water to the rice fields. These are used now to keep the level of the water in the freshwater marsh constant and immune from the tidal changes in the Savannah River.

We visited the area first in the late afternoon on December 28th and, again, the next morning. These photos are from the late afternoon drive and capture the textures of the grasses and vegetation in the waning light.

The entrance to the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive off Alligator Alley.

Looking across the fields near the beginning of the drive. The structure in the center is one of the wooden trunks that controlled water to the rice fields.

A closer view of another trunk in a dike at the west end of the marsh.

Looking across the marsh.

Looking west towards the container port, Port Wentworth. It was fascinating to see signs of civilization in the distance while driving through the relative wilderness of the marsh. The canal beyond the marsh is clearly empty at low tide.

The drive passed through a small grove of trees covered in Spanish Moss which is not a moss, but a bromeliad, Tillandsia usneoides. I’ve never seen this plant bloom but there’s a photograph of the flower here. These are relatively small plants compared with some that can be found on the coastal plain.

From the grove the road swung around to follow a canal east and then north to the exit from the marsh.

Cattails had gone to seed.

Looking towards woods beyond the marsh.

Looking back. The woods on the left are the grove of trees we had driven through.

Woods had developed along some of the dikes.

Looking across the canal at the south end of the marsh.

Looking west across the marsh towards a paper mill in the distance.

Zooming in for a closer look at the paper mill.

We were intrigued by the shape of the plants growing in the open water.

Up close, they looked like little trees.

We left the marsh for the night with plans to return the following morning.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Resources:
- US Fish and Wildlife Service: Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
- University of South Carolina, Longleaf Environmental Learning Center: Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)

Over The Hills And Through The Woods: Noontootla Creek And Springer Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:32:00 +0000

December 19th, 2011. After some cool weather, the days were pleasantly warm and we took a trip through north Georgia, just to see what we could see. We began in Helen in Hall County and drove north on the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway with a side trip up Brasstown Bald. From Brasstown Bald, we drove north to Hiawassee and then west through Blairsville to Blue Ridge.

From Blue Ridge, we drove south on Aska Road, then north on CR-8 (Newton Road), east on Dial Road, and then south on CR-218 (Double Gap Road) to its junction with Forest Service road, FS-58. We drove southeast along forest service road, FS-58, as it followed Noontootla Creek to its headwaters. At the end of FS-58, we turned west on FS-42 to the Springer Mountain parking area for the sourthern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. From here, we drove northwest along FS-42 back to CR-218.

A typical view from the road towards Noontootla Creek. The creek flows through a deep gorge in pine forest with a rhododendron understory. For most of the drive it was difficult to see the creek.

We saw embankments with wild ginger plants

A brief view of the creek through the trees

A closer view

There were occasional open areas under trees along the creek bank. The creek is subject to a restoration effort. Many open areas had no parking access; picnicking, but no camping, was permitted at a couple of areas; and camping was permitted at only two areas above the creek.

One of the few open views

A closer view of the water flowing over the rocky creek bed.

One of the open areas where picnicking was permitted.

A wild ginger (Hexastylis sp.) plant among the trees

At the end of forest service road, FS-58, we turned west onto FS-42. As we looked down from the road, we saw several springs below us. These would coalesce to form Noontootla Creek.

At the Springer Mountain parking area for the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

The information kiosk for the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye Trails

The Appalachian Trail actually begins on Springer Mountain, 0.9 miles south of the parking area. The Benton MacKaye trail - that follows a 300-mile route through Georgia, Tennessee to Davenport Gap in North Carolina - also begins here.

The Appalachian Trail leaves the Springer Mountain parking area here.

A notice, just a little along the trail from the parking area warns that Black bears are active in the area and gives guidance for storing foods beyond their reach.

From here we continued along forest service road, FS-42, to CR-218 before returning home.

A lichen on rocks. This is probably Umbilicaria mammulata which, according to the lichen guide - guide to twelve common and conspicuous lichens of Georgia’s Piedmont – is a brown, foliose lichen with one attachment point at the center. It grows on rocks, as these were, and on mountain cliffs on Mount Yonah in White County. These lichens were about 12 inches in diameter and had pealed off the rock to reveal black backs.

A closer view.

Another lichen. One of the yellow-gold lichens.

A closer view.

The Noontootla Creek area will be worth visiting in the Spring when the rhododendrons and other wildflowers bloom.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Resources:
- ScenicUSA - Georgia: Noontootla Creek
- Appalachian and Benton MacKaye Trail Maps: Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina
- Lichens: A guide to twelve common and conspicuous lichens of Georgia’s Piedmont

Related post:
- Over The Hills And Through The Woods: Raven Cliffs, Bob’s Creek, And Brasstown Bald

Over The Hills And Through The Woods: Raven Cliffs, Bob’s Creek, And Brasstown Bald

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +0000

December 18th, 2011. After some cool weather, the days were pleasantly warm and we took a trip through north Georgia, just to see what we could see. We began in Helen in Hall County and drove north on GA-348, known either as the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway or the Russell Brasstown Scenic Byway. At the south end, the highway forms the eastern border of the Raven Cliffs Wilderness.

The road, in the Raven Cliffs area gives vistas to the east.

Water seeps down the rock wall created when the highway was built. A small patch of icicles that resulted from the cold weather a few days earlier.

Further north, we started to see rhododendrons on the hillside below the pines

The Appalachian Trail crosses the highway at Hog Pen Gap

Further north, more roadside cuttings with icicles. These cuttings remain in the shade so the icicles persisted even when the temperatures rose into the 60s F.

And vistas to the north

At the end of GA-348, the scenic highway continues northeast on GA-180. We took a short side trip along Forest Service Road 292. This is a gravel road that wound around the hillside. At one point, the road crosses Bob Creek. There is a wide, inviting ledge on the north side of the creek. A local man told us this had been an Indian camp. It was easy to imagine this as a pleasant summer camp in the hot Georgia summer.

Looking upstream along the creek. Part of the ledge is visible to the left.

Looking downstream.

We saw more banks of Fan Clubmoss (Lycopodium digitatum)

Some had fruited.

We continued on and decided to drive up Brasstown Bald which is the highest point in Georgia. The area was inhabited by the Cherokee Indians who called the mountain Enotah. Early settlers confused the Cherokee word itse-yi ("Place of fresh green") with untsaiyi ("brass") and called the mountain Brasstown Bald. A bald implies a 360-degree view from the site. The road ends in a parking lot and one must hike to the summit. Needless to say, we didn’t hike to the top.

The visitor center at the summit of the mountain.

The clear vista to the west. The vista to the east from the parking lot is blocked by the trees.

It was late in the day. From here, we drove north to Hiawassee and then west to Blairsville and Blue Ridge where we spent the night before continuing our overnight trip.
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Resources:
- Sherpa Guides: Russell Brasstown Scenic Byway
- Around North Georgia: Brasstown Bald

Hard Labor State Park: Northern River Otter (Lontra Canadensis)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:50:00 +0000

December 9th, 2011. We were making our way back along the north shore of Lake Rutledge in Hard Labor State Park in Morgan County, Georgia, when I saw what looked like a duck with a white front preening itself on a long just off the shore. It was strange that it sat there when all the previous ducks we’d seen had flown off the minute they spotted us. At about the same time, a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flew across the lake and settled in the branch of a pine tree just above the log.

We decided to drift along the shore and see how close we could get to the ‘duck’ as well as seeing if we could spot and photograph the eagle. Quite often, it’s useful to identify objects by taking a photograph using full zoom and then enlarging it in the preview window on the camera. And this is what we saw.

A Northern River Otter (Lontra canadensis) with a fish in its mouth. The otter was lying along the log. The fish was what had looked like a white front on the ‘duck.’

A cropped enlargement of the first image. It’s an adult otter, 3 to 4 feet in length. The fish is large too.

The otter slid back into the water and appeared on the left side of the tuft of grass at the left side of the first image. Just its head was above water. Then it disappeared under the water again. We thought this would be the last we’d see of it.

It then reappeared midway along the log again. Just its upper body visible above the log this time. I think it was having some difficulty managing the fish. The grayish sheen on the face and throat are visible in this shot.

This shot, the last we were able to get, shows the otter’s head, side-on, with the fish still in its mouth. Its holding onto the log with its short front, left leg. Clearly this otter is healthy and well fed.

The otter then disappeared. The next we saw it, it had swum underwater about 20 to 30 yards west along the shore and appeared briefly in the water before it climbed out onto the shore and took its fish off into the bushes to eat. We wondered if the Bald Eagle had seen the otter with the fish and had flown across the lake, hoping to steal a meal. Soon after the otter took its fish into the bushes, the eagle flew back across the lake and out of sight. Maybe this scene with eagle and otter is played out frequently.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen a Northern River Otter. The photographs aren’t the best, but not bad for the limiting light conditions, the distance from the otter, and the speed with which these events occurred. We’ll be returning to Lake Rutledge in the future in hopes of seeing this otter again.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Resources:
- Hard Labor State Park
- University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: Northern River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

Related post:
- Hard Labor State Park: The Many Moods Of Lake Rutledge

Hard Labor State Park: The Many Moods Of Lake Rutledge

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

December 9th, 2011. We got a small River Hawk boat to give us better access to small rivers and creeks and needed to take it out to get a feel for how it handled. The water level at Fort Yargo State Park is two to three feet low at the moment due to the drought so...

we checked out Lake Rutledge in Hard Labor State Park in Morgan County, Georgia. It was a cloudy afternoon which showed us more interesting moods than on a sunny day.

Starting the launch. The boat launch here is shallow. It’s great for launching a rowing shell but a little more challenging for launching a larger boat. You have to wade in a little further to launch a boat from a trailer with the risk of getting water in one’s boots. Chilly on a Fall day.

In the water. Ready to go.

Out first test when we sighted this turtle resting on a log. We drifted in towards the turtle and got within 10-12 feet before the turtle quietly slid back into the water. It was interesting that the turtle was resting on its plastron; its back legs were not touching the log.

Birds were a different matter; they took off when we came into sight. Might have something to do with the fact that its hunting season.

Approaching a small inlet. There’s a small pond behind the grass at the water’s edge. This was where we started to see the different moods on the lake.

Turning to head down the south shore. A darker mood in the shadows.

Still a darker mood but with interesting shades of green.

The island at the east end of the lake. There is a very narrow passage between the island and the mainland.

Looking east from the island. Leafless trees add to the mood… The spillway is to the right.

Looking back towards the overflow tower from the entrance to the passage between the island and the mainland. This is the largest snag in the lake.

The second turtle we were able to drift towards. We got within 10 feet of this one before it slid off into the water.

Looking directly towards the spillway.

The overflow tower. It’s quite different from the overflow tower at Fort Yargo State Park.

Starting back along the north shore. A mixture of trees that had dropped all of their leaves and those that were still hanging onto their Fall color.

And more….

And still more…

Some with beautiful tree trunks.

Some that cast ghostly reflections on the waters surface

Grasses added to the character of the scenery

And more bare trees.

Occasionally a boulder broke the monotony of the shore line.

It suddenly turned quite cold as the sun sank low in the sky and we turned around to go back to the boat launch.

The vista looking back east along the north shore of the lake

With its sentinel pine.
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Resources:
- Hard Labor State Park

Oconee WMA: An Abandoned Bridge, Fungi, And Herons

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:45:00 +0000

November 25th, 2011. We checked out a small section of the Oconee WMA bordering the Apalachee River just north of where it drains into Lake Oconee. Trimble Bridge Road once crossed the Apalachee River here but the narrow bridge has been abandoned for some time. We parked at the east end of the bridge and walked down onto the flood plain.

The ruins of the Trimble Bridge Road bridge over the Apalachee River. Only some concrete supports and the frame remain. The decking is gone.

Looking north along the flood plain.

We couldn’t reach the Apalachee River itself. There are a series of channels between the road and the river. This is one of them. Fishermen cross these fallen tree trunks to reach the main river channel.

A closer view of the crossing. The trunks are lashed together.

Old Man’s Beard lichen (Usnea strigosa). We didn’t find too much of this lichen in this area but this was a nice specimen

Small mushrooms covered the bark that had separated from a log.

A closer view from above, and…

from below.

We drove south to Reid Duvall Road and then out to US-278 and turned west to cross the Apalachee River

Looking north towards the Apalachee River from the US-278 bridge in the late afternoon.

A closer look revealed a couple of Great Blue Heron’s (Ardea herodias) fishing.

A closer view.

It’s going to be interesting to explore this area by water next year.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, Atlanta Tract: Shoal Creek Ford to Etowah River Ford

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:57:00 +0000

November 19, 2011. Continued from here. The Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area is ‘divided’ into four tracts from south to north: City of Atlanta, Goethe, Amicalola, Wildcat Creek, and Burnt Mountain Tracts. We spent most of our time in the City of Atlanta Tract. We drove south from Dawsonville on GA-9 and then west on Dawson forest Road West and entered the WMA from the southeast. Like the Blanton Creek WMA, roads in this WMA are clearly labeled.

When we returned from Mill Rd, we drove north on Shoal Rd to North Gate Rd and south to the end of North Gate Road before driving north out of the Atlanta Tract.

Shoal Creek Ford. I’m sorry I didn’t take a photo at the top of the ledge before we descended to the creek. It is quite a steep descent, probably two to three times the climb out on the north side ahead of us and there were no guidance regarding the depth of the water. The ford looked quite deep and we sat a while before deciding to cross. W said the water reached the floor boards and the brakes were affected a little so this is a ford to assess carefully before crossing.

Looking upstream (east) from the ford as we crossed it. The ripples are from our movement; the water was quite still when we began the crossing.

Looking downstream from the ford. The water is flowing quite rapidly over the curb. The green bushes on the embankment in the distance looked like rhododendrons.

We saw several seed heads of Asclepias species that we guessed were A. viridiflora (Green Comet Milkweed) based on their stalks. We saw a few near the junction of Clark and Reservoir Roads as well as this one on North Gate Road.

We found this sign rather amusing although it is quite an important and very, very practical sign. The tract has a complex series of hiking, equestrian and mountain biking trails. Horses and mountain bikers are not allowed to use the road beyond this sign. Horses are travelling slowly enough that their riders would see the small trail marker sign that tells them where the trail leaves the road and that they cannot continue along the gravel road. Mountain bikers, on the hand, would be travelling fast enough down the hill that they would likely miss the trail marker sign but they could not miss this sign.

I’d never thought much about how Lycopodium digitatum (Fan Clubmoss) plants spread. This image shows the runner system quite clearly.

We continued down North Gate Rd to the ledge above the Etowah River. The clouds had cleared for a short while and the woods looked a little less forlorn than at the end of Mill Rd.

North Gate Road ended near this old railway bridge. Only the bridge skeleton remains. It looks like this railroad supplied the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory.

The road is closed at the bridge. The hiking, equestrian, mountain biking trail cross the Etowah River along to the left.

The sign for the river ford.

The trail down to the river. There was a very narrow ‘beach’ above the water.

The Etowah River, looking upstream from the north side of the Etowah River Ford.

Looking across the Etowah River to the south side of the river. The water varied in depth. It looked about 1.5 to 2 feet deep at a rock-covered bar about one-third of the way across but deeper in other parts. I didn’t feel the water temperature but it looked cold. It would be an interesting crossing walking or carrying a bicycle. This looked like a ford for the summer but not now.

On the surface, the Altanta Tract of the Dawson Forest WMA allows most access to this area. It’ll be interesting to return in the Spring when the hepatica blooms and see else emerges then.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Distribution:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Lycopodium digitatum (Fan Clubmoss) [United States] [Georgia]
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Lycopodium digitatum

Identification resources:
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Lycopodium digitatum (Common Running-cedar, Fan Ground-pine, Common Running-pine)

Related posts:
- Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, Atlanta Tract: Mil Road and Railroad Road

Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, Atlanta Tract: Mil Road and Railroad Road

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:27:00 +0000

November 19, 2011. The Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area is ‘divided’ into four tracts from south to north: City of Atlanta, Goethe, Amicalola, Wildcat Creek, and Burnt Mountain Tracts. We spent most of our time in the City of Atlanta Tract. We drove south from Dawsonville on GA-9 and then west on Dawson forest Road West and entered the WMA from the southeast. Like the Blanton Creek WMA, roads in this WMA are clearly labeled.

This area has a history. Some of this area was the site of the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory which housed an effort to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft. A map of the area and diagrams of the reactor are here. Most of the buildings, a railroad and bridges have been dismantled although you can see the foundations of some of the outer buildings at the trailhead and parking area for the equestrian and mountain bike trails near the southeast entrance to the WMA. Photographs taken in the area can be found here. Some of the land was owned by the Atlanta Hartfield Airport (now Hartsfield International Airport) as a prospective site for an airport.

The sign at the south entrance to the City of Atlanta Tract

Looking south from the entrance along one of the power line rights of way that cross the WMA.

We drove out on Clark Road and then turned on Mill Rd

Mill Road starts out across a relatively level area before…

it began its descent down to the ledge above the Etowah River. At first the descent is fairly gentle and then…

more steeply. It was at this point that we started to see more mosses and lichens. Here they are visible at the top of the embankment beside the road.

It was along this section, we caught sight of a flash of purple. A few Birdfoot Violet (Viola pedata) plants in bloom.

A closer view of an individual flower. These flowers were darker than the flower I found in Alabama and lacked the dark stripes on the lower petal. I read somewhere that flowers of this species exhibit a wide variety of colors and shapes.

We saw just a few plants of Miscanthus sinensis (Chinese Silvergrass) here although they lined the road further north in the Amicalola Tract. Seeds are clearly visible in the seed heads. This plant is not documented as occurring in many counties in Georgia but we saw large areas of these in Greene County in the summer when they were just starting to fruit.

We found a few patches of Cladonia sobolescens (Peg Lichens) just starting to fruit. This was the largest patch we saw.

A closer view of a few fruiting bodies; these fruiting bodies are light in color now but will darken as they mature. These fruiting bodies are similar to the Cladonia cristatella (British Soldier) lichens which have red fruiting bodies. I call these ‘Chocolate Soldiers’

Nearby, we saw a couple of Cladonia chlorophaea (?) (Mealy Pixie Cup) lichen fruiting bodies. These are just starting to fruit.

As we descended further, we noticed a lot of plants of Hexastylis sp, probably H. arifolia (Wild Ginger or Littlebrownjug). We’ll have to wait until next Spring to confirm the species. I’ve never seen these growing on the side of such a steep embankment before.

A closer view of the leaves

The descent became much steeper. We’d descend quite steeply for a short distance to meet a ‘berm’ we couldn’t see over to know how steep the next section would be. Looking up one of these sections as we climbed back up the road.

The ledge above the Etowah River was flat and rather forlorn in the cloudy weather. It will be interesting to see what develops in the warmer weather.

On the way back up the road, an unusual leaf shape on an embankment caught my eye. There are several plants in this photo.

A closer view. Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Round-lobed Hepatica or Round-lobed Liverleaf). These are easy to identify from the leaf shape. They should bloom in March so it will be fun to come back to see the flowers then.

When we returned to the junction of Clark Road, we drove down Railroad Rd. We saw several patches – some quite large – of Lycopodium digitatum (Fan Clubmoss, Common Running-cedar, Fan Ground-pine, Common Running-pine). I never cease to be fascinated by these plants

A few plants were beginning to fruit.

From here, we drove up Shoal Creek Road to complete our visit to the City of Atlanta Tract of the Dawson Forest WMA.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Distribution:

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:
- Viola pedata (Birdsfoot Viola): [United States] [Georgia]
- Miscanthus sinensis (Chinese Silvergrass): [United States] [Georgia]
- Hexastylis arifolia (Littlebrownjug): [United States] [Georgia]
- Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Roundlobe Hepatica): [United States]
- Lycopodium digitatum (Fan Clubmoss): [United States]

University of North Carolina Herbarium:
- Viola pedata
- Miscanthus sinensis - Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia
- Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa
- Lycopodium digitatum

Identification resources:

Southeastern Flora: - Viola pedata (Bird-foot violet)
- Hexastylis arifolia (Wild ginger, Little brown jug)

Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia:
- Viola pedata (Bird's-foot Violet)
- Miscanthus sinensis (Chinese Silvergrass) - Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia (Little Brown Jug, Arrowleaf Heartleaf)
- Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Round-lobed Hepatica, Round-lobed Liverleaf)
- Lycopodium digitatum (Common Running-cedar, Fan Ground-pine, Common Running-pine)

Related posts:
- Viola pedata (Birdfoot violet)
- Wild Ginger (Hexastylis arifolia)
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center: Beaver Dam At Fox Lake – And Wood Ducks

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:20:00 +0000

November 18, 2011. As long as we’ve been visiting Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, there’s been a pond just below the dam at Fox Lake. We assumed it was a beaver pond but we’d never seen any sign of beaver activity. Then, on March 6th this year, we saw evidence that beaver had been at work, doing some dam maintenance. Last Saturday we noticed - now that the vegetation has died back for the year – that the beaver seem to have been at work again. The pond looks a little deeper than it did in March.

The beaver pond below the dam at Fox Lake. Looking southwest over the south end of the dam to the dam containing Fox Lake.

March 6th. A closer view of the southern end of the beaver dam where there were two short stretches of dam work.

November 18th. The southern end of the dam – the section shown in the second photograph. The growth of vegetation during the summer has covered the timbers that were laid in March. The beaver appear to have added more mud to the top of the dam. The pond seems to be a little deeper.

March 6th. The end of this section closest to the road. Some new wood has been added and mud packed onto the top of the dam.

November 18th. No sign of the timbers we saw in March but fresh mud has been packed into this section.

March 6th. The western end of this south section, the section away from the road. More new timber.

November 18th. Again. No sign of the timbers but more fresh mud has been packed onto the dam in this section.

March 6th. The north end of the beaver dam. New timber had been added to the dam. Mud had been added but it’s not visible in the photo. Looks like the rangers had been watching this activity and had added a section of pipe – we assumed the beaver didn’t add this - to the dam allow water to drain and discourage the beaver from building the dam higher. Failure of the dam would result in the release of a lot of water against the base of this raised road we were parked on and possibly damaging it.

November 18th. We didn’t see any beaver activity in this section of the dam and the drainage pipe wasn’t there.

November 18th. Looking across the pond at the northern section of the dam. The pond has a Wood Duck nest box, not far from the road and facing away from the road. We’ve never seen any evidence that the box had been used.

But we had another surprise in store. On our way back from Whitetail Lake on November 18th – it was late in the afternoon – we saw some ducks swimming on the pond…

From a distance, they looked different, like Wood Ducks.

An enlargement of the previous photo. It’s not a good shot but it’s clear they are Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa); two males and a female. They swam around in this area for a few minutes and then they swam…

back into the grasses and…

out of sight.

We waited for a while in case they swam out into the open again but we suspect they were looking for a place to settle down for the night. We’ll have to plan some trips to look for them again.
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Identification resource:
- All About Birds: Aix sponsa (Wood Duck)

Related posts:
- Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center: Fall Color

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center: Fall Color

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:54:00 +0000

November 18, 2011. We hadn’t been to Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center for a month or so. When we were there last the colors were just beginning to show. We usually enter at the northern entrance from GA-11 and make a circuit from Margery Lake to Fox, Shepherd, and Whitetail Lakes. Pine trees dominate most forests and woods in Georgia so Fall color comes in the form of individual, often isolated, trees.

Map: Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center

Bennett Lake. Looking south over Bennett Lake from the road over the dam for Margery Lake.

Fox Lake. The water level in the lake was lowered a year or more ago to control ‘alien’ water plants that were clogging the waters and diminishing the fish population. Owing to the droughts, the water level hasn’t risen to its original level. The area in the foreground should be under water. Instead, it is covered with a variety of grasses and wildflowers.

Fox Lake. Looking west from the parking lot. The light colored bushes on the point are Baccharis halimifolia (Eastern Baccharis) in bloom and a variety of trees in the background.

Shepherd Lake. Looking northwest to the far end of the lake where the color is.

Shepherd Lake. A closer look.

Whitetail Lake. Looking northeast across the lake from the parking lot, along the dam to the field beyond. The hay bales are now wrapped in plastic to produce silage. When we photographed this same area in December 2009, the hay was not wrapped as it is this year.

Whitetail Lake. Looking directly across the lake. Most of the deciduous trees have already dropped their leaves.

Even though we aren’t treated to the stretches of intense color that occurs ‘up north,’ we are treated to diverse color throughout the woods.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Distribution:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Baccharis halimifolia (Eastern baccharis)
[United States] [Georgia]
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Baccharis halimifolia

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Baccharis halimifolia (Eastern Baccharis)
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Baccharis halimifolia (Sea Myrtle, Groundsel-tree, Consumption Weed, Silverling)

Related post:
- Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center: Whitetail Lake

Hamamelis virginiana (American Witchhazel): Blanton Creek WMA, Harris County, Georgia

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

November 9th, 2011. On our way back from the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama, we stopped at the Blanton Creek WMA in Harris County, Georgia. In addition to the many common wildflowers we saw, we stumbled on a Hamamelis virginiana (American Witchhazel) tree beside a small creek crossing Cut Through Road. Hamamelis virginiana is one of two Hamamelis species that are native to the United States; the other is Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark Witchhazel). Hamamalis virginiana is known by the common names American Witchhazel, Witch-hazel, American Witch-hazel.

We drove north on Cut Through Road without seeing the tree. On the return trip, we stopped at the creek to take photographs.

The creek on Cut Though Road, looking east.

The creek, looking west.

The Fall color on the west side of the road and north side of the creek was exquisite.

I happened to look up. It took a few seconds before I realized I was looking at Witchhazel in bloom. I’d seen photographs posted by bloggers in states ‘up north’ but didn’t think that I would ever see. This was a tree about 20 – 25 feet high and was leafless.

A closer view of a cluster of flowers

A closer view of a few flowers. There are a couple of unopened buds in the lower left of the photo.

Unfortunately, Harris County is quite a distance from Walton County where we live, so I probably won’t see the fruit this year. In a couple of places on our trip But… Another flower crossed off my bucket list.

Hamamelis virginiana (American Witchhazel) is native to the eastern United States and Canada. In Canada it’s found in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward’s Island and Nova Scotia. In the U.S., it’s found in states bounded by Maine west to Minnesota and south to Texas and Florida. In Georgia, it’s found in counties throughout the state; it’s not listed as occurring in Harris County.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Distribution:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Hamamelis virginiana (American Witchhazel)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Hamamelis virginiana

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Hamamelis virginiana (American Witch-hazel)
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Hamamelis virginiana (Witch-hazel, American Witch-hazel)
- Missouri Plants: Hamamelis virginiana

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index
- Blanton Creek Wildlife Management Area, Harris County, Georgia: Fall Wildflowers

Blanton Creek Wildlife Management Area, Harris County, Georgia: Fall Wildflowers

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:54:00 +0000

November 9th, 2011. On our way back from the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge, we entered Georgia at West Point in Harris County. We drove southeast on GA-103 and stumbled on the Blanton Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Unlike the roads in most WMAs, the roads in the Blanton Creek WMA are labeled clearly. The roads on the downloadable maps are not labeled; the roads on the map available at the Check Station are labeled. You’d have to work to get lost in this WMA. In addtion, the map available at the Check Station shows the vegetation types in different areas including the years in which planted pine forests were established.

The entrance into the WMA is on Upper Blanton Ferry Road off GA-103. We drove the length of this road as well as the side roads, Cut Through Road and Boat Ramp Road. Although the map shows Cut Through Road entering the WMA from GA-103, the gate at the highway is closed.

As we drove along Upper Blanton Ferry Road, it became apparent that the open areas along these roads were rich in wildflowers which were still blooming.

This looks like a Chrysopsis sp. but, unlike Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland Goldenaster), the leave have opened away from the stem whereas those of C. mariana are usually folded against the stem.

A clump of asters, probably Symphyotrichum pilosum (White Oldfield Aster). These flowers are bigger than those we see in north Georgia

A closer view

A Liatris sp. This looks like Liatris pilosa or Liatris aspera (Shaggy Blazing Star).

Helenium amarum (Bitterweed).

Symphyotrichum patens (Late Purple Aster). One of my favorites that the moment.

This Helenium amarum (Bitterweed) plant has gone to seed but still provides interest to the landscape.

I think this is Croptilon divaricatum (Slender Scratchdaisy)

Its flowers – up close

Euphorbia corollata (Flowering spurge), I saw just this one plant.

Seeds of Jacquemontia tamnifolia (Hairy Clustervine). All that are left now.

This is what the flowers of Jacquemontia tamnifolia look like. I photographed this in Putnam County, Georgia, in late August.

A lone Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on a Symphyotrichum patens (Late Purple Aster) flower. A few weeks ago we saw a dozen or more migrating through the Oconee WMA on Lake Oconee.

Developing seed pods. These are probably for Oxalis rubra (Purple Woodsorrell) we’ve seen blooming in several areas recently.

An Agalinis species (a false foxglove)

With its hoverfly

We found just one clump of Conoclinium coelestinum (Blue mistflower) plants in the shade by Upper Blanton Ferry Road

Remains from the past. A chimney is all that remains of a homestead near the end of Boat Ramp Road. At the time it was occupied, the house would have stood high above the Chattahoochee River.

The Blanton Creek WMA is unique in its excellent signage making it a friendly place to visit. We were surprised by the variety of wildflowers still blooming this late in the year. This may be a good place to visit in different seasons. These weren’t the only flowers we found last week. The most exciting one for me next…
Click on an image to view a larger image

Maps:
- Blanton Creek WMA

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Viola pedata (Birdfoot violet)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:03:00 +0000

Viola pedata is known by the common name Birdfoot Violet, or by variants of that name. I’d never seen Viola pedata in bloom – until last week. By accident, I found a couple of plants blooming on a red clay embankment by a rural road in Coosa County in Alabama.

The plant. The leaves are diagnostic.

The flower.

Viola pedata (Bird-foot Violet) is native to the eastern United States and Canada from New England and Ontario to Texas. In Georgia, it’s found in counties throughout the state except for the coastal and extreme southern counties. I’ve seen plants at Harbins Park in Gwinnett Country but not in bloom.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Distribution:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Viola pedata (Birdfoot Violet)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Viola pedata

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Viola pedata (Bird-foot Violet)
- Missouri Plants: Viola pedata
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Viola pedata (Bird’s-foot Violet)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge: Hymenocallis coronaria (Cahaba Lily) Beds

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:16:00 +0000

We’ve been scouting locations to view and, hopefully, photograph Hymenocallis coronaria (Shoals Spider-lily), a lily considered to be a subspecies of Hymenocallis caroliniana (Carolina Spiderlily). Plants grow only in fast-flowing, shallow water currents in shoals on rivers in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The lily is known variously by the common names: Catawba lily, On Labor Day weekend, we wend to Landsford Canal State Park on the Catawba River in South Carolina. On October 21-22, we scouted locations at Flat Shoals and lower on the Flint River in Georgia. On November 7th, we visited the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County, Alabama.

The Cahaba River NWR is at the south end of the glacial scarring that runs southwest from Tennessee into Alabama. The scarring is clearly visible in this map.

Our first view of the Cahaba River, upstream, from CR-24.

We approached the river from the east along Bibb County road, CR-24, also known as Cahaba River Drive. The entrance to the NWR is on the south side of the highway about one-half mile west of the river.

Entrance to the Cahaba River NWR.

The road runs along the river bank and is a well-maintained gravel road. In most places it is a one-car-width road with several small pull-outs.

The river was crystal clear and green. The rocks exposed from the glacial scarring are clearly visible along the river. This shot was taken at the canoe launch.

Looking north along the river. The top end of the upper lily bed. There’s nothing much to see in the way of lily vegetation at this time of year; the lilies will begin to emerge in mid April.

Looking across the river. The east bank rises steeply to the ridge above.

Looking north along the river from the south end of the upper lily bed. The lily bed comes almost to the road at this point.

The rock ledge - the Pine Island Ford - that marks the south boundary of the upper lily bed.

Looking to the south. The river has a series of swimming holes. A rope used to swing out over the river hangs from the branch of the tree at the right.

*****

A section of the river south of the upper lily bed is filled with boulders and rock ledges.

The road ends where Caffee Creek empties into the river. There is a maintenance road on the south side of the creek but no public access. Any travel further south would have to be made by canoe or kayak.

Looking up into Caffee Creek

Looking out from Caffee Creek into the river.

Symphyotrichum patens (Late Purple Aster) plants were blooming, as was a single…

Oenothera fruticosa (Narrowleaf Evening-primrose) plant.

Looking south towards the lower lily bed. Access to this bed would only be by water.

The Cahaba River NWR provides excellent access to a large bed of Hymenocallis coronaria plants. According to the information board at the NWR entrance indicates that the lilies bloom from mid May to mid June and the brochure available at the information board indicates that it’s easy to wade out to photograph them up close. Sounds like a field trip for next Spring.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
- Encyclopedia of Alabama: Hymenocallis coronaria (Cahaba Lily)
- James Allison: Bibb County, Alabama Wildflowers

Related posts:
- Flint River, Georgia: Woodbury Crossing to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area
- Flint River, Georgia: Flat Shoals And The Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge
- Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina: Wildflowers

Zen: Fall Color, Alabama

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:56:00 +0000

Flint River, Georgia: Woodbury Crossing to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 23:18:00 +0000

Continued from here.
On Labor Day weekend, we went over to Landsford Canal State Park in South Carolina to scout locations to view and, hopefully, photograph Hymenocallis coronaria, a lily considered to be a subspecies of Hymenocallis caroliniana (Carolina Spiderlily). Plants grow only in fast-flowing, shallow water currents in shoals on rivers in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. On October 21-22, we went to scout locations on the Flint River for access to photograph the lilies.

To view the section of the Flint River we covered over the two days, you can trace the river from here at Flat Shoals downstream to the Flint River crossing near Woodbury, and then south to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area. On Friday, we started at the Flat Shoals crossing of the Flint River and stumbled on the Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge, a completely serendipitous encounter. On Saturday we covered the area from the ‘Woodbury crossing over the Flint River south to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area (ORA) – starts here.

The put-in point to float the Flint River though the shoals to view stands of Hymenocallis coronaria is at this crossing of GA-18 over the Flint River.

The view downstream from the put-in point at the GA-18 crossing of the Flint River to float down the river through the rapids with their stands of Hymenocallis coronaria. You can’t see very far but the river twists and turns between here and the take-out point at Sprewell Bluff State ORA.

We drove south on the eastern side of the river along Dripping Rock Rd, Thundering Springs Rd, Pleasant Valley Rd, Turkey Creek Rd, Fork Dr, Pasley Shoals Rd, and Sprewell Bluff Rd into the State ORA.

Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland Goldenaster). We saw a lot of these along the road, and just a few...

Liatris sp. flowers

Looking west-northwest along the Flint River from a pull-out on Sprewell Bluff Rd. This was the only place to view the river before reaching the ORA.

A closer view from this point.

At Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area.

Looking north along the river from the picnic area. This area is a day use-only area with several hiking trails.

Fall color was just starting to develop.

Looking directly across the river to bluffs on the west side..

Looking south along the river.

We drove back north along roads on the west side of the river and saw...

this flower again – growing in full sun this time. Previously I’d seen it in the Piedmont NWR, growing in the shade. In the sun, the plant grows in a compact shape, about 12 – 18 inches tall. My best guess is that this may be Stachys floridana (Florida Betony).

We also saw a lot of Symphyotrichum patens (Late Purple Aster) in bloom. This bloom is a noticeably darker purple bloom than most asters.

This section of the Flint River has very few access points that would allow easy viewing of Hymenocallis coronaria. The Flat Shoals is the only area that can been seen from the road. A float trip down the river is the only way to really get close to these lilies in this area.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora

Related posts:
- Flint River, Georgia: Flat Shoals And The Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge
- Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina: Wildflowers

Flint River, Georgia: Flat Shoals And The Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:17:00 +0000

On Labor Day weekend, we went over to Landsford Canal State Park on the Catawba River in South Carolina to scout locations to view and, hopefully, photograph Hymenocallis coronaria, a lily considered to be a subspecies of Hymenocallis caroliniana (Carolina Spiderlily). Plants grow only in fast-flowing, shallow water currents in shoals on rivers in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. On October 21-22, we went to scout locations on the Flint River for access to photograph the lilies.

To view the section of the Flint River we covered over the two days, you can trace the river from here at Flat Shoals, downstream to the Flint River crossing near Woodbury, and then south to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area. On Friday, we started at the Flat Shoals crossing of the Flint River and stumbled on the Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge, a completely serendipitous encounter. On Saturday we covered the area from the ‘Woodbury crossing over the Flint River south to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area.

The current bridge at Flat Shoals is just north of the shoals. The bridge replaced an older bridge that had its footings on the rocks at the top end of the shoals.

Looking almost directly south from the current bridge. Stands of lilies are visible on the left side of the photo. A few turtles were sunning themselves on rocks in the center of the photo.

Looking a little to the left - to the southeast from the bridge. The concrete footings of the old bridge are still intact. Stands of lilies are visible at the far left and in the center to right of the photo.

A closer view of bridge footings at the east end of the old bridge. Stands of lilies are clearly visible on the exposed rocks. There is an informal launch area for canoes and kayaks, but no boat ramp, on the north side of the bridge on the east side of the river. So this spot may provide some access to lilies.

We then drove west into Meriwether County and took the first road south (CR-281) to stay as close to the river as possible.

We stumbled on the Red Oak Covered Bridge here.

An historical marker gives the historical and technical information on the bridge and its builder, a freed slave, Horace King.

Red Oak Creek to the north of the bridge. Very little water is flowing in it now due to the prolonged drought this area has experienced.

The covered section of the bridge is, itself, not exceptionally long but the eastern approach to the covered section is a long, open planked bridge.

Looking directly at the bridge from the west side.

Looking the side of the covered section from the south west

Continue the trip to Sprewell Bluff State Outdoor Recreation Area here…
Click on an image to view a larger image

Related posts:
- Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina: Wildflowers

Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildflowers (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:15:00 +0000

Continued from here
October 8th. It was time make a seasonal trip to the Piedmont Wildlife Refuge again to check on some plants. We found these wildflowers by the road north to Pond 2A

Nothoscordum bivalve (False garlic) plants were blooming near Pond 1A.

A Liatris sp. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is probably Liatris aspera (Roughleaf or Tall Blazing Star). Again, any corrections are welcome

Andropogon virginicus (Broomsedge) plants are just starting to produce seed.

Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood) berries are starting to turn red.

Verbena rigida (Tuberous Vervain) flowers are still holding on but it won’t be long before they’re finished for the season.

Helianthus angustifolius (Narrow-leaf Sunflower). We saw just a couple of plants near Pond 2A.

Erianthus alopecuroides (Silver Plume Grass) is a favourite at this time of year. These seed heads are not ripe yet.

Just a silhouette of Adropogon glomeratus (Bushy Bluestem). This species is easy to identify by its bushy heads.

What is this? Helianthus sp. (Sunflower)? It was almost dark when we found this.

After the long, dry summer, it was great to see such a variety of wildflowers.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia

Related posts:
- Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildflowers (Part 2)
- Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildflowers (Part 1)
- Zen: First Autumn Color
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildflowers (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:50:00 +0000

Continued from...
October 8th. It was time make a seasonal trip to the Piedmont Wildlife Refuge again to check on some plants. We continued south on Starrs Road in the Oconee National Forest into the Piedmont NWR and then north to Pond 2A.

A few Centrosema virginianum (Butterflypea) flowers hid among the other wildflowers. Not many around now.

I’m not sure what this is and would love it if someone can tell me with this one. My best guess is Stachys floridana (Florida Betony) but I don’t know…

Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland Goldenaster) flowers are the dominant small daisies in this area compared with Heterotheca subaxillaris (Camphorweed) which is dominant in Walton County at the moment.

Lobelia puberula (Downy Lobelia) flowers. We saw these in a couple of places

Lespedeza virginica (Slender Lespedeza) is nearing the end of its flowering season but there are still some nice blooms to be seen.

Oxalis rubra (Purple Woodsorrell) is my favourite sorrel. We saw these, and the following blooms along the road north to Pond 2A.

Chamaecrista fasciculata (Partridge Pea). These are mostly done for the season now.

Conoclinium coelestinum (Blue mistflower). This was a treat; just one plant - and in bloom. W found it while I was chasing another Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (Romalea microptera)

I’m not familiar with Agalinis sp. but I think this is Agalinis purpurea (Purple Gerardia) and would welcome any correction on this ID. We saw a lot of these in the woods in the Piedmont NWR and in the Oconee WMA near the south of Lake Oconee.

To be continued in Part 3
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia

Related posts:
- Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildflowers (Part 1)
- Zen: First Autumn Color
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildflowers (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:03:00 +0000

October 8th, 2011. It was time make a seasonal trip to the Piedmont Wildlife Refuge again to check on some plants.

We took the route from GA-83 south on Starr Road through the Oconee National Forest into the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge. The road passes through Tribble Fields and then to the bridge over Little Falling Creek and then north to Pond 2A. We were treated to a surprising variety of wildflowers, some of which have survived through the summer and Fall bloomers.

Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Common Blue Wood Aster) is a newcomer for the Fall.

This Desmodium sp., a ticktrefoil, has been blooming during the summer. I love the tiny green patches as the base of the large petal. These flowers were a particularly deep pink color compared with most that we saw.

Correopsis tinctoria (Plains Coreopsis) has been blooming along Starrs Road for most of the summer.

I wonder if this is Agalinis tenuifolia (Slenderleaf False Foxglove). At first I thought it was Agalinis purpurea but am reconsidering my initial identification

Ageratina altissima (White Snakeroot) is another Fall bloomer

Eupatorium leptophyllum (False Fennel) has been blooming during the summer and is just about finished for the year.

Belamcanda chinensis (Blackberry Lily) seeds. We photographed the blooms earlier in the year but had to come back to see the seeds. The common name, Blackberry Lily, comes from the seeds which are arranged like the fruit of a blackberry. And they really are!

A Cirsium sp., perhaps Cirsium discolor (Field Thistle). These have been blooming for a couple of months and are also just about done for the season.

Helenium amarum (Bitterweed) has been a faithful bloomer all Summer. It, too, is just about done for the year.

To be continued in Part 2
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index
- Zen: First Autumn Color
- Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda chinensis)

Zen: First Autumn Color

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge - Pond 2A. October 8th, 2011.
Click on the image to enlarge

Euchaetes egle (Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:27:00 +0000

So… We were poking around the remains of the Matelea gonocarpa (Angularfruit Milkvine) vines looking for seed pods that we may have missed before the vines were mowed. We saw a couple of caterpillars that seemed a little frantic – making their way quickly along one of the vine stalks. We didn’t know what it was at the time but we took some shots…

*****

A little research revealed them to be Euchaetes egle, the Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar. In truth, they may have been frantically looking for matelea leaves, many of which had been destroyed by the mowing. There were some vines that were still in tact with leaves. Hopefully these little guys made it to the food.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
Bug Guide:
- Euchaetes egle (Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar)
- Euchaetes egle (Milkweed Tussock Moth)

Related post:
- Carnage…

Carnage…

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:52:00 +0000

September 25th, 2011. We’ve been following some asclpeias and matalea vines in a local wildlife management area. Unfortunately, hunting season has arrived. One of the preparations that the wildlife management folk make for the hunting season is to mow the roadsides and some meadows to allow hunters access. Mowing also lessens the chance that careless hunters, and others, will accidentally set the woods on fire, particularly since many areas are tinder-dry due to the drought we’ve endured for the last couple of years. We keep our fingers crossed that the areas we frequent won’t be mowed before plants go to seed but... Sometime between September 10th and September 25th, they mowed.

*****

It looks neat but…

We’d been following this Asclepias viridiflora (Green Comet Milkweed) plant since May or so when we first found it.  
Watching it bloom without developing seed pods until, finally...

it developed a couple of pretty pods.

This was all that was left of the plant. We hunted around and…

found the remains of just one pod.

Closer inspection showed that the mower blade had neatly sliced the pod and sheared the seeds from the silk. We only found one seed still attached to the silk. Hopefully the mower blade threw some of the seeds back into the woods where they can grow, bloom and develop seeds out of danger or the mowers.

The second group of plants we’d been watching were vines of Matelea gonocarpa (Angularfruit Milkvine) further down the road.

These vines had developed a few pods. We found a couple of pods lying on the ground under the vines. Only one had developed on a vine that had climbed up about a foot above the ground on another plant.

This pod was sliced lengthwise and thrown several meters away.

The pod had shriveled but was still slightly green

The seeds and silk seemed to be mature and ready to be dispersed in the wind.

One pod was still attached to a vine that hadn’t been cut by the mower. Hopefully, it will develop to maturity

Another pod had split so we cut it open further. A single seed with its silk lies beside the pod

Within a few minutes the silk fibers spread and the seed was ready to float away in the breeze.

The seeds arranged in the pod. The raised circular section in the middle of each seed is the actual seed. The ‘serrated’ margin on each seed certainly would help them to catch on vegetation as they blew in the wind.

Mowing roadsides is a necessary evil to help prevent forest fires and some plants pay the price. Hopefully, seeds from these plants survived and will develop into new plants.
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Distribution:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Asclepias viridiflora (Green Comet Milkweed)
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Matelea gonocarpa (Angularfruit Milkvine)

Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Asclepias viridiflora (Green Comet Milkweed)
- Southeastern Flora: Matelea gonocarpa (Angularfruit Milkvine)