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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Nature Notes: August ending

Hard to believe that summer is almost over. The fern below has been growing in the foundation of my house for years but it never fails to surprise me when I look at it.
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This week I could have done a whole nature notes post on toadstools and mushrooms.
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Now that the weather is cooling down, the abundance of rain is a haven for fungi of all sorts.
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I wish I could trust my identification of the mushroom above because it looks a lot like a chanterelle which would be a treat.
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I would never trust a red toadstool although something took a bite out of the one below.
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I find mushrooms very beautiful and I love to eat the ones I buy but am too fearful to gather them wild.
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I know some people are good at identifying them but not me.
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I love to watch water running over rocks in the stream.
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I was surprised to see a new group of chicks at the lake.
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It seems late in the season for new babies.
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There were 6 of the lighter colored chicks and 2 of the darker ones.
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I was looking for snakes near the creek because a neighbor warned me about them. I wanted to spot one to photograph but no such luck.
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I don't know what the wildflowers below are but I think they're pretty.
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I don't know if the duck below has a fish in its mouth or if it's a part of her beak.
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I think the duck below might be the baby chicks mother but I wasn't sure. There were lots of ducks around but none were clearly the parent. The one below walked around with them before hopping up on the log.
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The mallards below were on a protected part of the lake near where the creek feeds into it. That's usually where I see offspring with parents but the late babies were near the bridge where I usually only see adults.
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It amuses me the way the ducks tend to line up on driftwood.
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The Canadian Geese were mostly in the grasses where I usually see them in the spring and winter but not as often in the summer. In the spring I sometimes spot them leading the young around in the grass.
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The mallards were swimming away from me after I unintentionally go too near to where they were fishing.
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More toadstools brightening up the environment.
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Below is another mushroom that tempted me as it looked edible unlike the ones above that look poisonous to me.
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A great blue heron was keeping an eye on the lake.
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13 comments:

Leora said...

Love all the mushrooms. I don't know - your orange ones look like they are growing in clumps - perhaps a different flower than mine.

Fun to try to figure it out.

DeniseinVA said...

Such a lovely end-of-the-summer kind of post. Those mushrooms look real pretty. I've taken a few photos of my own but they aren't as pretty as these. The baby ducks are so cute.

eileeninmd said...

Love the mushroom and fungi shots, they cool to see all the different colors and shapes. The baby ducks are adorable. Great post, Carver!

EG CameraGirl said...

Nice collection, Carver! Now I need to get out and check to see if we have toadstools growing too. :))

Sallie (FullTime-Life.com said...

Lovely post! I am scared to try wild mushrooms too; I just look and admire, and I think yours are just beautiful.

Nature Rambles said...

Wonderful to see the fungi in your area. Some of them are so pretty! The duck images are lovely too!

Vores have said...

Very nice image series showing.
Hanne Bente

Cezar and Léia said...

wow I love those mushrooms!Great set of images dear Carver!
Léia

Anonymous said...

ben c'est l'automne chez toi...

Rambling Woods said...

Gee..it looks like somebody dumped off some little domestic ducklings off at the lake...The duck is a muscovy and they aren't pretty but I couldn't see the bill.. love all the fungi...yes..fall in headed in..Michelle

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I saw some red toadstool, SILLY ME, PICK IT UP TO TAKE A CLOSELY PHOTO.

A Colorful World said...

Glad you are getting some rain! Love the little ducklings...they are so cute! It does seem late for there to be young ones, doesn't it? It does seem as if, perhaps fall is around the corner! I hope so.

SandyCarlson said...

That heron is a beauty of a sentinel. These are wonderful early autumn shots. Thanks!