Theme day: The Road

The theme this month is "the road".  

This road is not really a road.  It is barricaded and is driven on only by park personnel.  It's a hiking path up to a scenic point on Falls Lake.  They must be warning the hikers to take it slow...or speed up to 10 mph.

 

Yucca

Yucca in North Carolina?  Yes it does well here and blooms prolifically.

 

Legal?

 

I think these are Opium Poppies.  They must be legal in North Carolina, they're blooming in front yards in the neighborhood.

Tree roots

Tree roots sometimes form patterns.

This one just looks like a dinosaur dig to me.

This one looks like someone started to braid them together.

And of course, "X" marks the spot...

 

Dragons and Damsels

The dragonflies are zooming around the lakeshore.

And even a few damselflies.

 

Here I come

Someone must be feeding the turtles off of the fishing dock at Durant Park.  Whenever you walk onto the dock the turtles come swimming.

 

Invasive

The forest floor is covered in many different types of plants.  Most are native.

But there are a few invasive species...

 

Conversation

I saw a buck-toothed face having a conversation with an open mouthed neighbor tree.  I think he's telling a joke and the other tree is laughing.  Is this how JRR Tolkien came up with the Ents? 

 

Summer

We could hear the summer tanager before we saw him.  

 

Forest trail

More "forest bathing".  

On a hot day, the forest trail is the best place to be.

 

Skipper

I never knew there were so many different kinds of skippers.  They move so fast that they all look the same.  I think this is a Delaware skipper.  (see here)

 

Peaceful?

It looked like a peaceful lake until the boaters came by...

 

Rocks

In the quiet forest we came to the remnants of a stone wall.  These stones balanced on the rubble.

 

Forest Bathing

I learned a new phrase-"Forest Bathing".  It sounds like something you do with soap and water, but it means to take time in nature to explore and absorb the quiet environment.

I think it means taking a walk in a natural environment.  It really does work to clean, not your body, your soul.

 

Last of the dogwoods

These little cuties bloom later than the native dogwoods and are smaller and pointy.  They cover the trees right now.

 

30% chance of rain

Every day these last weeks the weather says 30% chance of rain.  What does that mean?  Well maybe this is it, the rain clouds cover about 30% of the sky...?

 

Gnarly

This crepe myrtle had a lot of exposed roots.

 

Green Heron

Green Herons are harder to spot than their great blue cousins.  They're smaller, shyer and they match the lake color pretty well.

 

Camouflage again

This Solitary Sandpiper fit right into its muddy surroundings.

 

Camouflaged

We wouldn't have noticed the killdeers except for the racket they were making.  Calling to each other across the lake.

 

What are they waiting for?

This "gulp" of cormorants seemed to be waiting and watching for something.

Other names for a flock of cormorants?  Flight, sunning and swim.  I like gulp best.

 

Swallow

The swallows are back at the lake.  It's a good thing too, the bugs are starting to swarm already.

 

Coexistence

The turtles and heron didn't seem to mind using the same spot.

 

Flustered

This little titmouse was busy pulling on spiderwebs.  Maybe making a nest?

 

Catbird yoga

Is this the catbird's version of a tree pose?

 

Coming in for a landing

The carpenter bees were almost too big for the flowers.

 

All in a line

It takes both parents to keep them straight.

 

Mom needs a nap

Mama duck was sleeping, but the kids all had their eyes open.

Daddy duck was close by.

 

So long for now

Lake Lynn trail east side is closed for now.  Goodbye for 6 months!

The tree roots have been making the trail bumpy and broken.

The city will be clearing tree roots and some trees, widening the path and smoothing it out.  
 

By the edge

Don't worry, Mom was close by.

 

Towhee

Towhees always look like they're spoiling for a fight.  They are a bird with an attitude.