Leaf, flower, and pods of the wild Yamroot
We also saw Lopseed,
Lopseed (Phryma leptostachya) We see Lopseed less often than
Jumpseed (Polygonum virginianum).
Jumpseed lines the trails of most wet woods in west Michigan, sometimes the flower stalk can be several feet high but are usually knee high. Jumpseed is also known as Virginia Knotweed.
Back to Barry County...
I found this dragonfly with a drop of dew on its back.
Round-leaved Sundew.jpg)
There were a few shy Pitcher Plant blooming.
Lily Family. I didn't get a good shot of the leaves. I have been trying to get the whole plant in the photo, not just macros of the flower. I'll keep trying.
We saw a skullcap, we didn't identify the type, probably Mad Dog Skullcap or Marsh Skullcap. I just like the color.
The lake was like a mirror.
+of+107.JPG)
We stopped at Bassett Lake access site, and Baker Lake access site, both are beautiful lakes.
Baker Lake in Barry County, Michigan
Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) was blooming.
In the Yankee Springs State Recreation Area we visited Hall Lake.
We talked to a guy who was fishing at the lake, he told us there were natural springs down along the trail so off we went part way around Hall Lake.
I saw a Great Blue Heron on a log across the lake.
If you look close you will find the heron just up from the center of the picture, slightly to the left. See him on that big log way out there?
Now maybe you can find the heron. I circled him in red.
Here is a picture that I zoomed in on the heron with my camera from the same place as the picture above..
Pretty amazing. No tripod either, just a steady hand.
We found many Spotted (Striped) Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) blooming. I always call it striped because there is a stripe on the leaf. This plant blooms in my woods too.
We found the springs the guy told us about.
I know it doesn't look like much in the photo but it was a natural spring with running water. One more plant we saw blooming.
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Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine)
It is an orchid and grows just about everywhere around here, in the lawn, along the driveway. It seems to prefer disturbed areas.
Hall Lake
It was a fun day with temperatures in the mid 90's. We made it through the heat and even managed to walk a few miles!
Beautiful flowers, and some great shots of the lakes. I need to start hitting more of these smaller places, although Yankee Springs isn't small, you seem to find the most interesting plants in the smaller parks and preserves.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jerry, Baker Lake reminded me of the U.P., and it is all owned by the State of Michigan! Yankee Springs has so much to offer. My favorite places to go are where other people don't go, places that have been left alone - for the most part.
Delete:)
The shot of the dragonfly with a dewdrop is amazing! I saw liatrus growing in the wild for the first time the other day-it's mostly a garden flower here. The death camas is interesting. I've never seen the flowers that close up. I feel your pain trying to get the entire Sticky False-Asphodel plant in one shot! I just went through that with a downy plantain orchid. It's not as easy as it seems that it should be.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allen, the dragonfly was a cool shot. The death camas had been blooming for two weeks, this is the first year I have seen a good example. Trying to get the whole plant in one photo it seems the flower part goes out of focus and the bottom half in focus. Maybe it is the angle, or a setting on the camera.
DeleteI'll figure it out one day.
:)