Adventures from the Second Half of June 2014

This is the second half of June, here are some places we went "wildflowering".
On June 16, 2014 my sister Marie and I visited places in Oceana County, Michigan.  Gale's Pond and also that same day - Doolittle Memorial Park, Genevieve Casey MNA Nature Sanctuary, Park Road (End) beach.

First Gale's Pond.

 

Next stop Doolittle Memorial Park 

Doolittle Memorial Park is a small wooded area belonging to Oceana County. The trail and park area was developed by Boy Scout Steven Miller as an Eagle Project.  There is a trail of about 3/8 mile- a simple loop with a cutoff across the middle.

Then off to Genevieve Casey Nature Sanctuary.

 We ended up stopping by Park Road end where you can access Lake Michigan, a nice little beach for swimming.

June 23, 2014 Marie and I went to Bass River Recreation Area in Ottawa County, Michigan.  We have several places here to hunt wildflowers and there are varied habitats from swampy areas to forested areas.  We checked a site where we have found Loesel's Twayblade growing and there it was - right where we left it last year.
It isn't easy to spot in all the green.  The orchid is in the center of the photo below.

 Loesel's Twayblade - Orchid Family

 Loesel's Twayblade - Orchid Family

Nearby we found another orchid, also green-yellow in color and not easy to spot.  We examined it carefully.  It was small and close to the muddy ground.  We determined it to be Platanthera aquilonis, with the help of  the guide "Orchids of the North Woods" by Kim & Cindy Risen.  As it mentions in this guide, "This trio (Plantanthera aquilonis-huronensis-dilitata) is a bottomless pit of confusion to most folks, even the experts". So all I can say for sure is that we found these orchids at Bass River RA growing on their own, they really are not the prettiest flowers, but they are special.

Northern Green (Bog) Orchid  Platanthera aquilonis

One of the super secret ponds, filled with so much water it was too deep to cross with our knee-high boots.  Neat place!

               We also saw Moneywort Lysimachia nummularia Primrose family.

                         Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Milkweed family

June 30, 2014    We went southeast to Barry County Michigan.

 Here we saw a very showy orchid, beautiful and amazing,  growing in a wet area, a land of larch.  

Tuberous Grass Pink Calopogon tuberosus Some of the Grass Pink were a very blazing pink, some pale pink.  Most plants were over a foot tall, so easier to photograph than the orchids at Bass. 

 We saw some Showy Ladyslipper Cypripedium reginae Orchid Family.  These were already fading a little with brown on their petals, but still quite a sight.

We found Swamp Candles Lysimachia terrestris Primrose family growing deep in the tall grass.  Pretty flower. 

And below we have Death (White) Camas Zigadenus elegans
"All parts of this wildflower contain toxic chemicals (alkaloids) said to be more potent than strychnine."  I assume this is if you eat it but I leave most plants right where I find them because you just don't know what form of protection they might be using.

 

 Far across the water we saw a Great Blue Heron...

And here are a few other things we came across.

 

That was June 2014 a very beautiful month.  I also received a new camera from my very considerate husband!  The camera is a Canon EOS Rebel T3 1100D.  He really shouldn't have.  My brain is still working out how to use the last camera he bought me.  It is a whole kit with three different lens to attach and a carrying case.  I'm really more of a stick the camera in my back pocket type of person.  Well there is no sticking this camera in your back pocket, let me tell you. Okay now I say thanks, so much, Mike for the new camera, it was very thoughtful of you!

Bass River Recreation Area, Connor Bayou

June 24 2013
This adventure was to Bass River Recreation Area to look for a Twayblade orchid.  Marie and I have several special places in Bass River Rec Area.  One area we have found Nodding Ladies' Tresses and Loesel's Twayblade, both of the orchid family.  This is a low wet area tucked away from the trails. 

We saw many wildflowers, here are just a few...

Prunella vulgaris, one of our favorites

We did find Loesel's Twayblade, it is very small and I didn't get a great picture.  It is in the orchid family and it is difficult to find.  So seeing it again this year among all the green was fun.

The name honors Johann Loesel, a seventeenth century Prussian botanist.
The distribution range in the United States is the northeastern states to Alabama and the midwest, Washington. The distribution range in Canada is British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan. This orchid can also be found in Europe.

On to another super secret place at Bass River Rec. Area, where in September we find Closed Gentian blooming.

Here we found Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia) Primrose family.
Moneywort was introduced from Europe (long ago), this perennial plant is a non-climbing vine up to 3' long that freely branches at the base.

 Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnate) The color was perfect on these flowers.

 



This is another area down a long two-track, this pond was completely dry last year.

We saw a large patch of  Foxglove (also Tall or White) Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis).

We saw tons of frogs and tadpoles here, really probably thousands!

Lots of dragonflies too.



We saw a colorful Tall Meadow Rue, We also saw Deptford Pink, Indian Hemp, Common Mullien, Moth Mullein, Thimbleweed, Whorled Loosestrife, Birdsfoot Trifoil, St. Johnswort, Soapwort, Black-Eyed Susan, hawkweed, Rabbit-foot Clover, Sleepy Catchfly, Everlasting Pea, and more.

After Bass we went to Conner Bayou Park (Ottawa County) to check out the new trail.    Connor Bayou    Bladdernut - large shrub sometimes a small tree.

 

 

 

 

 Yes another fun day.  I'm trying to get up to date on this blog but it isn't easy.  This is the reason I don't identify every photo but if you have questions just ask and I will try to answer them.