HUNTLEY MEADOWS, LAST PHOTOS...

until the next time we visit.

Usually this whole area is covered with water.  I have never seen any grass growing here.  I found it interesting that all was left of the water, apart from that seen in the background, was the small stream that split in two directions.  In the photo below you can just make out the two Roseate Spoonbills, one just off-center left and the other further left by the stream.  This is the one I concentrated on, which you can see in a previous post.  There is a flock of Canada geese in this photo also.

Below you can just make out those cute ducks, off center left, with a couple of geese to the right. My previous post about the ducks is here. 

As for the photo below, we didn't go this far today.  We can carry on to reach this boardwalk, when the first one ends and takes us through trees.  We come to a two-story visitor overlook and then the boardwalk is extended for a little further.  These people were on that part of the walk.

This is a Silky dogwood, also called Silky cornel, Kinnikinnik or Red willow.  Its botanical name is Cornus amomum.

In the following collage, the top two photos are Lizard's tail.  Botanical name is Saururus ceruus.  The two photos below are Orange jewelweed.  Botanical name Impatiens capensis.

There were American bullfrogs.  They weren't as noisy as they usually are but you could still hear a 'ribbit' here and there.

This is a male Blue Dasher.  You can read all about him here.

Incoming!

I added my photo (above) because I wanted to share the unexpected visitor. I found it in the enlarged version on my laptop later that day.  Do you see it?  There is something of the marvelous with these unexpected tiny sightings.

The plant with the pink flower is called Joe pyeweed.  I have always been curious about its name and found one explanation.  There was once a Native American medicine man called Joe Pye.  He used concoctions from a wild plant found growing in the nearby woods to cure typhoid fever.  His brew is said to have halted an epidemic that raged in Colonial Massachusetts.  Hence this local plant became forever known as Joe-pye weed.

In the collage below, top left photo are the leaves from a Black willow, next to it is the Joe pyeweed.  Below left is Floating pennywort. I couldn't identify the plant in the bottom right photo, guessing it was a type of ivy, but it's just a guess.

Next you can just about make out the egrets roosting in the trees.  Unfortunately they were too far away for a good look, but I liked the photo anyway.

These are getting towards the end of the marsh as we backtrack to the woods.

When we were here before, the stump sticking up out of the water in the next collage, left top photo, showed the work of a beaver and then had only recently been cut down.  The rest of the tree had been dragged off to make a dam probably.  I was happy to see the stump had sprouted new leaves.  Where there's a will there's a way.  Something of the marvelous in nature, as I have said before.  Top right photo shows a frog just below center.

We are almost back to the path at the beginning of the woods.

As we left the boardwalk we sat on a bench for a few minutes, enjoying our surroundings.  We looked back to see others going in the direction we had just come from.... 

and another who was making her way back to the parking lot.  We were seated as she fast-trotted by us.  Yes, my camera is always at the ready.  Along with everything else, I love to take photos of the dogs I see.  Her expression said, "Can't stop, can't stop.  It's hot, it's hot and I want to curl up when I get home, and go to sleep in a nice cool place."  We had something in common, by that time I was feeling the same way.  When I got home I had a nap in my own nice cool place!

It felt good to be back among the trees, and their cooling shade was welcome.

But, I never miss an opportunity to look at the fauna. Below shows the Common mugwort, botanical name Artemsia vulgaris.

Not sure what this ivy is called.  I just thought it made a pretty picture wrapping itself around the tree.

I was starting to feel the heat and we are always glad for the flask of water that I remembered to put in my backpack.  It seems a longer walk back to the car, a little hotter, a little more tired, but what a day!  We have the memory of seeing the Roseate Spoonbills that brought us here in the first place.  And I will not forget every other part of nature we saw, and that we do see quite regularly on every visit.  A trip to the park is ever perfect.  There is always something different, something new to see.

I wonder how long our Roseate Spoonbills will be here?

Thanks for looking and I hope your day is a great one.

(It's a fun hobby for me to try to identify everything that takes my interest.  I downloaded an app called "PictureThis" several months ago and it is mostly accurate.  It has trouble when my photos aren't the best. I also have a very thick flower and plant book that I enjoy browsing through, and then there is the Internet.   Even with all this help, there are  still times that I can't find an ID.  If you think I have mislabeled anything, please let me know.  I would much rather have the correct identification and am always grateful for expert help.)