2013 05 20
Lost Lake at Muskegon State Park was our adventure destination on this day. This place never disappoints. Lost Lake is considered a coastal plain marsh, someone referred to it as, " half marsh, half bog, a coastal marsh ecosystem...".
We (my sister Marie and me) go on weekly outings to look for wildflowers and anything else we find interesting. Also for the walk and being outdoors. We relax and enjoy.
Then we found Threeleaf Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) blooming.
We saw a Box Turtle, funny that we saw one several years ago in this same area, maybe the same turtle.
In the water we found bladderwort,
at Lost Lake a deck was added with a scope,
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On through the woods,
Marsh Marigold still blooming,
And Starflower.
We visited Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve. While we were there we saw lightning, it was to the east of us and there was no rain. Unfortunately for the people in Oklahoma this was the day of the devastating tornado.
After seeing this giant chipmunk we moved on to explore places nearby in North Muskegon.
We ended up on Creston Road west of U.S. 31, the road just ends in the North Channel - Muskegon River. There is a gravel/sand boat launch site.
This is where the path ends right at the North Channel - Muskegon River. We also stopped by the nice little North Muskegon library. Another fun time!
Whenever did you have time to do this? You amaze me! It was a nice day and even though they all are - each one is appreciated and unique. Your photos are so good - Fringed Polygala, the closeup of the Goldthread, the patterns on the turtle, the Larch, the Starflower, and the Muskegon River. Wow. Thank you. M :)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous M, I had most of the post done and I didn't give it much attention. Everyone went kayaking, so between making a fire in the woodstove and getting a meal ready for them, I took a few minutes to finish the post. Only you know how much I left out.
DeleteThe Fringed Polygala was a bit out of focus, I don't think I have ever seen that much Goldthread bloom at one time. Oh the Larch, it was a good trip, where to next?
:)
those are all excellent photos and I'm wondering how you got such a great shot of the bladderwort. I must have taken 50 shots of that flower last year before I got one I could live with. I wish we had strange pink looking cones on our larch trees like you have! I don't think I've ever seen that. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allen. My Fugifilm camera has 20x zoom, and if I can hold the camera still enough I can get a clear shot. The bladderwort was maybe 6 feet off shore. I didn't know the pink cones on the larch were strange, I'll have to look into that.
DeleteThanks for stopping by.
I went back to the one larch tree i know of with low enough branches to look at the cones. I found one pinkish / plum colored one among hundreds of brown ones, so apparently color blindness has kept me from seeing them all these years. Thanks for introducing us-the cones are fascinating, and you'll see the one I found on an upcoming blog post. Now for another crack at those bladderworts.
DeleteGlad you found a larch cone, I saw this bit online..."Larch cones...only 0.4–0.9 inches long, with 12-25 seed scales; they are bright red turning brown and opening to release the seeds when mature, 4 to 6 months after pollination". We planted three larch at the edge of our lawn.
DeleteI saw bladderwort again yesterday at Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary, I think it may have been a different type than the one I saw at Lost Lake. I look forward to your upcoming post. Thanks, Allen.
You scooped me again! I went to Lost Lake several weekends ago looking for the flowers, and came back with one lonely Fringed Polygala, as I was too early. Now, it's probably too late. That's OK, I got to see your photos of it, thank you.
ReplyDeleteNo scoop, Jerry, you were right we found no orchids blooming. I think we were at Lost Lake a day or two after you but I am slow to post. Many plants seem to be a bit slow yet, I think. Glad you enjoyed the post.
ReplyDelete:)
Great photos, as always. Thanks. We are seeing those bright red cones on the Larch trees up here now, too. We hiked the Jordan River area, near East Jordan yesterday and saw the first Blue Flag blossoms of the year. Lots of Indian Paintbrush and Yellow Ladyslipper blooming, also Marsh Violets, Golden Ragwort. The ground around the river looks solid with lots of vegetation, but it can be really mucky. Kathie went in over her knees at one point. It was a real struggle to extract her, but I pulled her right out of her boots and they stayed in the muck. It took all my strength to pull the boots out of that quick sand! She still wants to find a pair of those boots she saw Marie wearing at Dowagiac woods. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker landed on a tree about 10 feet from me. That was the closest look I have ever had of that bird.
ReplyDeleteWe went to Torch Bay Nature Preserve, near Elk Rapids and saw the first Dune Rose blooms of the year on the beach. Lots of Wood Betony blooming there. Fringed Polygala, Starflower, Starry False Solomon's Seal, Wild Strawberry, Wood Geranium and Canada Mayflower still blooming up here. Labrador Tea, Cranberry Viburnum and Nannyberry are in bloom now. Shrubby Cinquefoil, Red Osier, and Silverweed just starting to bloom. Canada Anemone close to blooming.
Thanks Mike for the information from up north. I think I will start to include a list of the plants we find blooming each week, even if I don't get a good photo of them.
DeletePoor Kathie! I got my boots at a Family Farm & Home Store there are several locations throughout Michigan. But they are only knee boots, I don't want to be any deeper in the muck than that! Did you get a photo of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker?
It is always amazing that so much is blooming so far north. I hope to be in the Manistee area soon, along the Manistee River.
Happy wildflowering to you.
I did get a picture of a Sapsucker the week before, but as often happens I was so startled by the one that flew close that I didn't grab the camera until too late.
DeleteWe have been hiking a lot up here - Sleeping Bear, Grass River in Antrim county, Wilderness State Park, the Headlands and Susan Creek and Oden Island (Little Traverse Conservancy properties) and Mill Creek just east of Mackinac City.