30 Days in June: Day 25, The Ditch

Pinks and Greens in The Ditch

I've been saving this trip for the end of my month-long tour. I waited because I don't really want to say goodbye, and also I wanted the visit with my friend, The Ditch, to be as good as it could be for this time of year. My very favorite times to visit are after the rainy seasons in fall and spring, but I won't be here in the fall or spring, so I gave it as much time as I could to get close. I peeked at the ditch on June 1st when I was at Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve for the first leg of the June Challenge kickoff, but the roadside mowers had been busy and it was dry and not much was growing. So I waited all month to give the summer rains a chance to start again and get things going. We've had a lot of rain this week and Thursday morning was overcast with a forecast of early rain. It seemed like a pretty good day.

Bagworm Moth Cocoon

As soon as I opened the car door I heard the cheery sound of a Bachman's Sparrow, perched on top of a pine. These happy little guys always put me in a good mood. And seeing the Bachman's was a good reminder to me of why I lug around my heavy camera bag with 3 cameras--one dedicated for macro shots, one for telephoto, and a point and shoot for whatever I'm not shooting at the time. I was thankful that even though I was planning to spend most of the morning with the macro for flowers and bugs, I also had the long lens for the lovely sparrow singing at the top if its lungs from way up high.

Sweet Songs of the Bachman's Sparrow

After watching and listening to the sparrow for a nice long while, I went back to the car and got my rubber boots and put on my bug spray. I was still itchy after the yellow fly bites at San Felasco and didn't want a repeat. I put on my hat and walked out into the grassy ditch. It was still mowed short, but the mowers had left a swath uncut next to the fence. I hope that they plan to let it all grow up at the end of summer so the Liatris and other tall flowers can bloom, but for this trip it was good to be able look at the plants and also see where I was walking. Besides keeping my feet dry and the ticks and chiggers off, I consider the boots to be a little bit of snake protection. I was glad I had them on when I almost stepped on the Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake that quickly slithered away from my foot. It hid under some leaves near the fence and I got some obscured shots of it (using the zoom). I have been lucky so far with snakes. I respect them and try to avoid bothering them, and I find that they are just as loathe to interact with me. But I am always on the lookout, just in case.

Got My Boots On

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake

Early summer is Rhexia time in the ditch. There were 3 species blooming and each has its own appeal. I am partial to the bright, showy flowers of Handsome Harry, but I also like the compact shape and little hairy leaves of the Nuttall's Meadowbeauty. And Pale Meadowbeauty is welcome dash of color appearing all over the county at this time of year. Tiny grasshoppers boinged out of the grass as I walked along. I wasn't fast enough to photograph any, but a Katydid nymph kindly stopped chewing and posed for me. I saw a few spiders, including a huge Wolf Spider racing away from me. I did not realize until I got home and looked at my pictures that it was actually 2 Wolf Spiders together. I don't know if they were mating or fighting or what was going on, but it was an interesting surprise on the computer screen to see all those legs and 2 abdomens. I was also surprised by a Green Lynx Spider whose hairy legs blended in marvelously with the hairy phyllaries of the Goldenaster. I only saw that one on the computer screen, too.

Katydid Nymph Munching on Handsome Harry (Rhexia virginica)

Nuttall's Meadowbeauty (Rhexia nuttallii)

A Couple of Wolf Spiders

Lost in the Phyllaries (Green Lynx Spider on Scrubland Goldenaster--Chrysopsis subulata)

It's probably not quite the right time for my favorite Little Metalmark butterflies. Their host plants, the Deer Tongues are just getting tall and will be ready to bloom in a month or so. I usually see them in August or March. The large swallowtails were also absent because there were so few tall nectar plants for them. I saw a lot of them down the road where it hadn't been mowed. But they'll be back when the plants grow taller again. I did catch glimpse of a tiny Least Skipper that landed on a blade of grass, and an unidentified skipper that blended in with the brown and red leaves. A fuzzy little bee fly hovered around potential nectar sources and stopped moving long enough for me to get a closer look.

Tip of Deer Tongue Spear (Carphephorus paniculatus)

Least Skipper--Teeny Weeny Butterfly

Unidentified Skipper on Shiny Blueberry

Fuzzy Little Bee Fly

A couple of small clusters of Hairy Laurel reminded me that I will get to learn new varieties of familiar plants when we move closer to the mountains of Georgia. Last month when we were buying our new house, we took a day and drove to a state park at the base of the Appalachian Trail. The Mountain Laurels were blooming and it was beautiful to see splashes of soft blossoms all over the mountainside. The flowers were immediately recognizable to me. They were similar to those of the Hairy Laurel, but larger, whiter and they grew on large bushes instead of like small shrubs. I imagine there will be a lot of these moments of recognition in my future.

Hairy Laurel (Kalmia hirsuta)

Tiny flashes of pink through the green grass revealed some variety of Hoary Pea. There are several and I've never been good at determining which is which. I have a similar trouble with St. John's Wort, Yellow Eyed Grass and Goldenrod. I think I'm going to use the move and learning new plants as a chance to hone my botany skills.

Hoary Pea (Tephrosia of some sort)

Myrtleleaf St. John's Wort (Hypericum myrtifolium) (I think)

About halfway between the roads that form the boundaries of my ditch, the woods behind the fence open up and it is much drier. Some early sandhill wildflowers were blooming and I found one of the biggest clusters of Rattlesnake Master that I've ever seen. A few Rayless Sunflowers were blooming and the leaves of hundreds of basal rosettes gave a hint of what fall will bring. It's going to be a beautiful season. Further down the road, closer to again to flatwoods, pretty pink Barbara's Buttons thrived in the wet areas near the culvert, along with Red Root, Seed Box and a whole lot more Meadowbeauty. Still, the ground is relatively dry and the carpet of tiny Sundews I've seen in the past were not evident, and the Orange Milkworts were few and far between. In wetter times the Milkwort would be growing all through the grass with Little Metalmarks feeding on them. I'm sorry I missed them.

Huge Rattlesnake Master!

Rattlesnake Master Closeup (Eryngium yuccifolium

Blister Beetle Perched on Rayless Sunflower (Helianthus radula)

Open Rayless Sunflower (Helianthus radula). I think it looks like there's a party going on in there.

Grassleaf Barbara's Buttons (Marshallia graminifolia)

Seaside Primrosewillow, or Seedbox (Lugwigia maritima)

Handsome Harry Looking Fabulous (Rhexia virginica)

The Back of a Hooded Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia minor). The white spots are like stained glass when viewed from the other side--they let the light in.

Mid-morning, the skies darkened and thunder rumbled in the distance. Time to turn back. I walked the length of the ditch and back to the car, loving and remembering.

Bracken Fern Fiddleheads Opening

30 Days in June: Day 24, San Felasco (City) Park

San Felasco Park--the Big Picture

Errands and appointments yesterday put me on the far NW side of town and it seemed like a good day to visit San Felasco (City) Park. It is so confusing that we have so many San Felasco Parks. This one used to be a County park but was acquired by the City about 5-6 years ago. Many people are not aware that it even exists because it has the same name as the State Park. I think renaming it would be a big help. If anyone asks, my suggestion would be to name it after Alice Tyler, a founding member of Friends of Nature Parks, and active member of Alachua Audubon, Florida Native Plant Society, Sierra Club, Florida Trails Association and other nature support organizations. I would definitely go to Alice Tyler Park.

Mushroom and Moss on the Trail

My first visit to San Felasco Park was about 5 years ago when I was still teaching at Morningside. We had a session of summer camp where we took the campers to explore as many parks as we could during the week. The campers loved the play structures and enjoyed the walks to the cypress dome and the marsh overlook. I was able to do a little exploring on my own during my lunch break and discovered a quiet trail that led to a dark swamp in the woods. It was very enjoyable and I remember seeing Partridge Berries for the first time.

Picnic Area and Playground

I came to the park on another occasion for a guided bird walk offered by Alachua Audubon and led by the City's park biologist, Geoff Parks. We learned a lot about the park and saw lots of birds I would not have seen without his help. I could have used his help again on this trip. I'm sure he would have helped me add some new birds to my list!

Broken Bird Egg 

Maralee and I explored this San Felasco several times. It is practically in her back yard, so she knows it well. She showed me beautiful yellow Bladderwort flowers in the ditches along the utility easement just outside the park boundaries. It was always a good place for frogs and turtles, butterflies and birds.

Golden Silk Orbweaver Spider

Last year I had the opportunity to lead a guided nature walk through the park for Friends of Nature Parks. I read a lot about the history and significance of the park and walked through several times in preparation so that I could know the interesting nature to point out to my group. A friendly and helpful group of about 6 people came and we swatted mosquitoes and looked at plants and animals and then the skies opened up and it poured. But we had a great time.

Hairy Laurel (Kalmia hirsuta)

Cinnamon Fern Fiddlehead (Osmunda cinnamomea)

Purse Web Spider Tube

I was thinking of all these experiences as I walked, stopping at the shelter with interpretive panels, then at the marsh overlook. I walked up the boardwalk to the cypress dome, which was bone dry, then back up the path to the bridge over Blues Creek, also dry. I saw some flowers, but mostly there were the hints of flowers to come later in the summer. The birds were very quiet, probably due to the heat. It was late morning by the time I arrived. I heard Towhees and Cardinals and the occasional Red Shouldered Hawk.

Informative Panels

Path Through Urban Woods

I had hoped to walk along the power easement, but it was closed. I was disappointed, but also a little relieved because the path is in full sun and I was getting hot. But in turning back I saw a cluster of lovely flowering vines that I had missed while walking over.

Oh Well...

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)

I retraced my path back to the playground and decided to visit that quiet path through the woods that I had seen years ago during summer camp. The trail was hidden and narrow and I was not quite sure if it was a real path or just one made by the neighbors cutting through the woods to the park. But when I saw the wooden bridge over a dry creek I knew it was at least a little official. The path took me to the dark swamp in the woods where there was some water. And this is where the birds were. I saw an Eastern Kingbird, many Great Crested Flycatchers, Woodpeckers, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, and heard Osprey from a distance.

Narrow Path Through the Woods

Bridge Over Dry Creek

Wet Cypress Swamp

Noisy Great Crested Flycatcher

Gray Squirrel

I left the park with quite a few bug bites (the yellowflies were fierce) but no ticks. I did not see any new birds for my list, but I had a nice time in another favorite natural area. Maybe when I come back to visit it will have a new name.

Vanilla Leaf (Carphephorus odoratissimus)

30 Days in June: Day 23, O'Leno State Park and Old Bellamy Road

O'Leno Used to be "Keno"!

I have been working on my big list of favorite places I want to visit again before we move, but I have another list of places I never quite got around to seeing and always meant to. Yesterday, my photo buddy, Maralee helped bring me up to speed on a couple of Alachua County birding staples that I had managed to miss over the years. The first was O'Leno State Park, on the Santa Fe River. I had actually been to O'Leno once before for a butterfly count, but the year I was there the state was in the height of drought and there was almost no water. It was an entirely different experience, and I didn't walk any of the river trails, so this was like a first visit for me.

Suspension Bridge Over the Santa Fe

O'Leno is a CCC era park, one of the oldest in the Florida State Park system. The picnic pavilions and cabins are charming log and chert rock structures. You cross the river over a beautiful suspension bridge and walk down to the water on sturdy block steps with rock retention walls. The river is the border at that part of the county, so we tried to concentrate on the Alachua County side of the bridge so any bird sightings would count for me. In the end, it didn't matter, because the Yellow Throated Vireo called but stayed invisible, despite our best efforts to draw it out. O'Leno did turn out to be an excellent birding location, but I had already checked all the ones we saw off of my list: Red Eyed and White Eyed Vireo, Yellow Billed Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Barred Owl, Cattle Egret. We were met in the parking lot by a very friendly deer that people have probably been feeding.

Looking From the Alachua County Side

CCC Era Construction

The sound of the river as the water goes over the rocks and little drop is so soothing

Green Waters

Closer to the river banks, we found a some beautiful wildflowers that we don't usually see around Gainesville; Coastal Rosegentian and Swamp Milkweed. The Southern Toads are finally making an appearance for the summer and we had to watch our step so as not to squash tiny toadlings the size of beetles. There were also quite a few dead Red Bay trees, killed by the exotic Ambrosia Beetle that spreads Laurel Wilt Pathogen. It is sad to see so many of these beautiful trees dying or dead, and I wonder what this is doing to the population of Palamedes Swallowtails that use the tree as a larval host plant.

Coastal Rosegentian (Sabatia calycina)

Frog in the River

Minute Toadling (Compare to Size of Oak Leaves in Back)

Dead Red Bay

Florida is currently experiencing drought conditions, and though they are not yet quite as severe as the year I visited O'Leno when there was no water in the swimming area, sections of the park were very dry. We climbed around in a dry Cypress Swamp, looking for the Yellow Throated Vireo that we never saw. Walking through Cypress knees feels like walking in a strange alien landscape.

Cypress Knees

Gnarled Tree Roots

We stopped to look at the exhibit of rescued Gopher Tortoises by the nature center. I wanted to photograph at least one Gopher Tortoise this month and they were the only ones that I had seen in my explorations this month. Predictably, just as we were exiting the park we saw a tortoise grazing by the highway. Our cameras were stowed, so the captive tortoises will have to do for my photo record.

Rescued Gopher Tortoise and Burrow

We finished the trip with a quick visit to Old Bellamy Road, a place I had heard many naturalists mention for birds, butterflies and wildflowers, but I had never been there. All this time I thought it was just the name of a road. But it is actually a historic old road, and part of the state park system, with a parking lot and interpretive signs! Old Bellamy Road was Florida's first Federal Highway, built to connect Pensacola and St. Augustine in 1824. The road crosses the Santa Fe River over a "natural bridge" where the river goes underground for about 3 miles at what is now O'Leno State Park and comes out again at River Rise State Park. Parts of the old historic road run through state park land, which is where we went. We saw a Summer Tanager and heard Eastern Towhees and Vireos. Long-tailed Skippers darted along the grass, and we found nice clusters of Indian Plaintain, Butterfly Pea, and Sensitive Briar. I had been missing a real gem all these years.

Historic Old Bellamy Road

Old Green Grassy Bellamy Road

Sensitive Briar (Mimosa quadrivalvis)

Atlantic Pigeonwings (Clitoria mariana)

Fluffy Tanager

Every time I think I know my surroundings, I get a little reminder of how big Florida really is and how little I have seen of it. I feel like I know my area so well and then I find a place I've never been to in 20 years of living here, yet it was only a short drive from home. There are so many wonderful places, in Florida, in the US and in the world. I guess this means that I have a lot more exploring to do.

Colors on the Santa Fe River

June Challenge Count: Still the same, no new birds, but I've been to 28 natural areas.