Wednesday, September 22, 2021

JACKSON M. ABBOTT WETLAND RESERVE ON 9-15-21 - PART 2

Continuing my post from yesterday...

I am not sure how old this turtle was but not one of the big ones I have been seeing lately.
I was trying to get more photos but it jumped/dropped/plonked unceremoniously into the water seconds after these were taken.
It was a hot day, not the hottest we have had, but very humid. Feeling a bit like a wilted lettuce comes to mind.
A pretty one, this is the Purple false foxglove (botanical name Agalinis purpurea), and its other name is Purple gerardia.  
It is a native to the eastern United States and Canada. The caterpillars of the Common Buckeye butterfly feed on the foliage.   
These yellow flowers are called Bearded beggarticks (botanical name Bidens aristosa).  Also known as Western tickseed and Tickseed beggarticks.  It is related to the sunflower family.
I am always drawn to grasses.  Very pretty!  This is Hairy wild rye (botanical name Elymus villosus).  You might also know it as Silky wild rye.
Here is the same stalk of grass with the Bearded beggarticks.  The Hairy wild rye is a native grass of the eastern USA.  It favors damp woodlands and small meadows.  It does not attract insects as it is wind-pollinated.  Birds seldom eat the seeds and the plant is not palatable to wildlife or livestock, because the bristles on the seed heads are so coarse and can injure the animals.
More photos of the New england aster.  It is an easy-to-care perennial.  I would like to grow them in planters and was happy to find that they can be potted in well-drained compost.
Like most asters, it blooms late in the season.  It provides a critical fall nectar source for pollinators, especially Monarchs as they stock up for their Fall migration to Mexico.
This is definitely a place we would like to come back to, and our first impression was a very good one.
We had taken our photos, gotten our exercise and okay, no speed walking for us. We rested on a couple of the benches around the lake and watched whatever came into our view.  The turtles, the dragonflies, the butterflies and all the pretty flowers.  
But now it was time to go home.  
Getting out and enjoying our surroundings can be the best medicine, and so soothing for body and mind.
This fits in with the way I walk.
"One step at a time is good walking."
~Chinese Proverb~
The last plant I am sharing is Linden viburnum (botanical name Viburnum dilatatum).  Its other name is Linden arrowwood and it is a native of eastern Asia.  It will grow from 6-8 feet tall,  blooms from late spring to early summer and produces bright red berries in the fall.  Its dark green foliage turns to shades of bronze and burgundy-red in the fall.  They attract a variety of birds.  
If you ever see anything from any of my posts that you think I have misidentified, I am always happy to be helped with the correct ID, and will change accordingly.  All this research I do is a learning experience, and most definitely a fun hobby of mine.

Thank you for coming along on our walk, and I hope your day is a great one.






38 comments:

  1. I have never heard of a FALSE Foxglove!! It does look like a real one...almost.

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  2. Beautiful!! The wildflowers were a special treat. Yes, I know all about wilted lettuce. šŸ˜Š

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    1. Thank you Anni, I'm sure you do know about that wilted lettuce :) I hope it gets cooler for you real soon.

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  3. Gostei de ver estas belas fotografias.
    Um abraƧo e continuaĆ§Ć£o de uma boa semana.

    Andarilhar
    Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
    O prazer dos livros

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    1. Fico muito feliz que tenham gostado das minhas fotos :) Obrigada e um abraƧo e continuou boa semana.

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  4. That is such a beautiful place. I would love to find something like that around here. Love the wildflowers.

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    1. It is Ann and so glad I found out about it :) Those wildflowers were beautiful!

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  5. At least you got a couple takes of the turtle.

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    1. Blessings counted :) I was very lucky to get what I did.

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  6. LOVE that proverb and thoroughly enjoyed walking with you both. Many thanks.

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    1. That's great and you are very welcome. Thank you Sue :)

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  7. Nice photos and lovely scenery. Berries are looking good too. Interesting are turtle's.

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    1. Thank you Margaret :) They were the brightest berries I had seen in a while.

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  8. Hello,

    What a lovely spot for a walk. I love all the flowers and the turtle. Have a great day!

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  9. i would love to have a porch that looks out onto a view like this. my grandmothers front porch looked out on wooded land. screened to keep out bugs and a swing to prop up in and enjoy the sounds and sights. 2 houses off the river for the breezes and smells. for some reason your photos made me think of all this. love the yellow tickseed,

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    1. So happy my post brought back those lovely memories of being with your grandmother Sandra :) Thank you!

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  10. There is something I just love about turtles sunning themselves. Those late flowers are so pretty!

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    1. I couldn’t have put it better myself Jeanie, thank you :)

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  11. It must be very nice to be able to sit on a bench in the park and watch life pass by. Very soothing to the spirit.

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  12. Good catch of the turtle.. Lovely place

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  13. I just love watching turles sunning themselves - great shot BTW

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  14. I agree about your walking philosophy, Denise. You two choose such lovely places to get those steps ticked off! I'm so impressed with your plant identifications--I wish I had asters in my garden and am making a mental note to add them here. Happy Autumn!

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    1. Thank you Martha Ellen, it's the only way we roll (walk) lately. We are very fortunate to have such lovely gardens and wildlife refuges not so far away. Asters are very pretty aren't they? I have my plant app to thank for all this info. It's called Picture This. Happy Autumn to you too :)

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  15. Thanks for taking us on your walk with you. Lovely photos,and a great capture of the turtle with his head held high.
    What's the difference between a false foxglove and a real one? I've never heard of a false one before. It looks the same as the real thing to me.

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    1. Happy you enjoyed our walk :) I think the false foxgloves grow on a different kind of stem but I will have to research it and will let you know. Thanks for the question.

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  16. You are wise to get out into the fresh air and walk. I've been too dormant in that regard. Happy Fall to you!

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    1. Thanks Ellen and a Happy Fall to you also. It's going to be raining here so hubby tells me, for several days starting next week. Better get our umbrellas out :)

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  17. Lovely photos! Looks like a nice place.

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    1. Thank you Linda, it is a very picturesque area :)

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