I spotted this squirrel as she finished toting a corncob from an adjacent cornfield to a nearby maple tree in our neighbor’s yard. She placed it on the ground and pulled it backwards to fit between the roots of the trunk. There, in her safe and comfortable spot she sat, enjoying her delicious prize, one kernel at a time.
“Should you eat corn that has fallen off the stalk? Maize well!” ~Corn Puns
Some of the beautiful dragonflies hanging around the lake.
Below are dragonfly nymphs on the underside of leaves near the water.
Curious dragonfly with
Wings of stained glass,
Oh, ancient bearer
Of secret dreams,
Your delicate beauty
Keeps wonder in my heart.
~Grace Edwards
We saw an interesting animal at the refuge that we had never seen before. From a distance, it looked like a muskrat or beaver, but a local landowner told us that it was a Nutria. He said that he sees them in the wintertime out walking on the ice.
Larger than a muskrat but smaller than a beaver, Nutria have brown shaggy fur and whiskers, and can be found both on land and in the water. They also have orange front teeth, long, round, hairless tails, five-toed front feet and webbed hind feet.
When we first saw this one, it was swimming in the water, stopping to nibble on vegetation.
Notice that it appears to have lost part of its long, rat-like tail.
Eventually, it climbed up on the shore and proceeded to scratch or groom its fur. Oil, produced by glands near its mouth, is used in grooming and waterproofing the fur.
You can see an orange tooth in the fourth photo.
Although Nutria resemble the muskrat and beaver, they are an invasive wildlife species that was brought in from South America by fur traders hoping to profit off of their undercoats. When the fur industry was unsuccessful, many of these animals were released into the wild or escaped. Now the population has expanded, and they are considered a nuisance. They eat all parts of aquatic plants, including the roots, making the plants less likely to grow back. This makes the soil unstable and destroys food and habitat needed by native animals.
“Visitors should behave in such a way that the host and hostess feel at home.” ~J. S. Farynski
A devoted brown thrasher standing guard over a nest of babies which was tucked between the rails and posts of a split-rail fence.
“The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.” ~Patrick Henry
While out hiking, it is fun to find trees and root systems that have twisted and bent in interesting ways or that are oddly shaped, often for the sake of survival. The unusualness tends to add character to the landscape.
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” ~Alice Walker
Enjoying some of the beautiful shades of orange that come along with the spring and summer seasons.
“Mere color … can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.” ~Oscar Wilde
Dozing and soaking up the afternoon sun, this little Tufted Titmouse, which is usually a flurry of energy and activity, had found a restful place.
“Give me a blanket, a warm drink, a good book, and a weekend full of nothing-to-do, and you have found my happy place.” ~Unknown
It was a surprise to discover this mostly nocturnal mammal wandering along beside our country road in the late afternoon. It seemed, at first, to be oblivious to our presence as it foraged in the vegetation, using its pointy snout to root around for insects and other small creatures. Eventually, it became curious and wandered out to take a closer look at us before continuing on its way.
“Don’t just exist, wander and explore.” ~Unknown
This Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is usually timid when we see him in the refuge. However, on this day, he had found the perfect fishing hole and wasn’t willing to give up his spot with its abundance of food. Paying no attention to our presence, he stood intently, watching and waiting, before methodically pulling out one crawfish after another.
“If you spot an opportunity and are really excited by it, throw yourself into it with everything you’ve got.” ~Richard Branson
As you drive along the levee in the late spring, you can hear them calling to one another from among the dense, tall vegetation that grows along the embankment. Finally, you spot one perched on top of a plant stalk that’s swaying in the wind. He throws out his chest, tilts his head back and bellows a loud, sharp song. The dickcissels have once again arrived to nest and raise their young.
“In spring birds return from their tropical vacation. Six months later they regret their decision and go back.” ~Unknown
walking on a country road 