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Borrego Springs, CA

Sunday, December 9, 2012

What to see at 7 mph

I woke up to heavy fog once again this morning with the prospect of overcast skies all day.  Oh joy.  The morning weather really didn’t matter since I was working the VC inside, but my expectations were low for my afternoon of roving.  Mother Nature ignored the weather and provided me with some great discoveries.

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After lunch at the rig, I got in a refuge car to rove the Swamp Island Drive.  I kept my foot off of the gas pedal, and whizzed along the route at about 7 mph with the windows down and the windshield wipers on low.  There was an intermittent mist dripping from the skies.  Along the way, I went down one of the back roads to the ‘secret’ pond near the Chesser Homestead.  I usually find something of interest to look at, and today the resident alligator was out of the pond along the edge. 

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Since alligators are all over the Okefenokee swamp, I tried to get some slightly different views today.  The gator cooperated so I could get a good look at its ridged and bumpy skin. 

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On the trail out from the pond, I noticed this interesting fungus pattern on one of the pine trees.  Can’t say that I’ve seen any moss down here on the north side of the trees, so maybe fungus grows instead?

IMG_1205Wild flowers getting ready to bloom in December?  That was a surprise. IMG_1207

I memorized the location of these buds so I can find them again in a few days when they open up.  When I went back to the VC, Kathy and I investigated their identity, and decided they were Soapwort Gentians.  It’s nice to have a friend with great internet skills!  When she investigated one of the sites for identification, this plant was listed as endangered!  I’ll be checking with Mr. Forbs, the staff botany guy on the refuge, to see if this is true.  (So funny that a guy named forbs is the flower and grasses guru Rolling on the floor laughing)

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Back to puttering along the drive, I noticed some more fungi along the roadside.  I pulled over to get out of the car to take some pictures.  This car is a real pain to get out of in my present condition, but my ears immediately perked up as I struggled to my feet.  Was that the sound of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker that I was hearing?  “Be still my beating heart…”

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Sure enough!  A family group of four or five peckers were working the longleaf pine trees surrounding the mushrooms.  Crappy weather today, but what a treat to be in the midst of these boisterous little ‘knock on wooders’.  The one in the left hand pic was checking out one of the nesting sites.  See all that dried sticky sap it’s on?  They peck holes around their nest cavity so the sap flows around the opening.  It helps to keep snakes away from getting to their eggs or young.

A dull and dreary weather day today, but it just might be that I observed two endangered species.  Can’t hardly beat that in my book!  Slow and steady (7 mph) wins the race??

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                                                                             THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

22 comments:

  1. Well, today must have seemed like Christmas day to you. All those neat presents sitting right there in the ‘secret’ pond. Merry Christmas!

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  2. You got some great photos today. I love the second photo of the alligator best!

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  3. Such a wonderful treat to read your blog today. Gorgeous pictures and an alligator. What a handsome fellow he is.

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  4. What a lucky day in the swamp. I can't wait to see those flowers in full bloom!!!

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  5. Are those wood peckers smaller than most other's? Or is the tree just that wide and big?

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  6. The Peckers are awesome! Sure hope that tomorrow brings you the surgery appointment you are waiting for!

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  7. That looks like a good sized gator. Cool on the other finds as well!

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  8. Oh, still my madly beating heart!!!! Snakes do NOT get UP into trees to nests, surely...?? I have to worry about looking UP for them too?

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  9. George Stoltz

    You could easily make gift calendars for family members using selected photos from the previous year. At 7 MPH you were also conserving energy. Way to go.

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  10. What a wonderful day in the neighborhood!

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  11. Beautiful photos! Just how low did you have to stoop to get those gator angles? ouch!

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  12. Good deal!! Interesting info about the wood peckers. I love learning something.

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  13. I am just eating my heart out over your time in this refuge. Every post makes me wish I were with you. Red-cockaded wow!! I would love to see that. Really gorgeous close up pictures Judy.

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  14. You are getting some great looks and pictures of the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. Looks like a nice afternoon drive.

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  15. Fantastic pictures! Amazing that you could tell which woodpecker it was by the sound. I learn something new in each of your posts!

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  16. Very cool post! I love the gator photos - isn't it funny how they look like they are smiling because of the way their mouths are crooked along the edges?

    That's an interesting fact about the sap created by the woodpecker pecking around nesting sites. Makes such sense, doesn't it? What a wonderful world we live in. Thanks for showing this part of it to us. :)

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  17. Interesting post. Grinning alligators, and possibly endangered flowers and birds. You hit the jackpot even though the day was not ideal. What a reward.

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  18. If you saw all that at 7 mph, imagine what you'd have seen if you traveled at 3 mph!

    Amazing defense against snakes. Pine sap, who'd have thunk it. Nature continues to astound me.

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  19. The red cockaded woodpecker nest trees are sure beautiful also. Look like a burnt candle with bluish wax drips on them.

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  20. Days with moody weather can hold some real treats ... you found your share.

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  21. I'm with you, Judy - we can see so much more when we're not whizzing along at 35 or even more!

    Two endangered species in one day - wow! You win the prize today!

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