August 20, 2017 - A Blackgum Casualty

We'll start with the good news:  Tardy continues to thrive and grow.  I saw Tardy with dad one morning, and this time it was mom who was fishing in the rain.

Tardy with dad at 17 days

Tardy surrounded by diamonds of rain

Another day Amy Wilson caught Tardy hitching a ride on one of the parents.

Hitching a ride.  Photo by Amy Wilson

And also a great shot of Tardy stretching those small, but growing wings.

  Photo by Amy Wilson

Think those wings will be large enough to fly to the Atlantic Ocean in November?

It takes some brave parents to raise a loon chick.  I've had several reports of eagles soaring overhead, drooling over this tasty delicacy floating right out in the open; only diligent protection by the parents keep them from attacking.  Amy experienced one of these moments, and caught these great pictures:

An immature eagle declines to attack with two large loons standing guard.  Photo by Amy Wilson

Keeping an eye on the sky.  Photo by Amy Wilson

Of all the loon pictures I've seen, I don't ever recall seeing one where a loon is looking up - thanks Amy for sharing these beautiful photos!

I've seen a lot Great Blue Heron lately as well, fishing, flying, or just contemplating life.

Resting in a pine tree - doesn't this one look like one old guy?

Darn mosquito got my chin

This next one appears to be a juvenile heron - perhaps it was one of the chicks in the Arbutus Hill Rookery back in June.

One the year's newbies

In the rookery on June 30th

Now for the sad news:  one of the only, and perhaps the last, of the Black Tupelo (Blackgum) trees on the shores of Lake Wicwas has become a victim of the ever-growing beaver population.

The Lakes Region is at the northern edge of the range for blackgum so they are not common here, and being such beautiful trees - especially in the fall when they turn bright crimson - it's sad to see this go.

The same tree, October 2014.  The smaller tupelo to the right, behind the dead pine, was taken down last year

Even if the beavers don't come back to finish the job it has probably lost too much of its bark to survive.  It is already turning red as it declines in strength.

Already fading to red

But we'll end back on a happy note, with another beautiful tree that brightened our world back in May with its large white flowers.  The Hobblebush Viburnum is now displaying contrasting polka dots of intense red and black all along the edges of trails and roads throughout the Lakes Region.

Nature is a world of give and take.  I guess I'll take what it gives me.

October 6, 2013

The foliage at Lake Wicwas is just about peaking now.

The hues are rich as the leaves are still losing their green pigment, and the cloudy and wet weather intensifies the colors that are being revealed from beneath the chlorophyll. The maples are particularly vibrant right now.

Cloudy weather and no wind meant even the leaves that have bid farewell to their parent and fallen onto the lake make for intriguing sights, with these leaves apparently floating in air.

One of our local nature experts told me this weekend there is a Black Tupelo (also called Black Gum) tree on the shore of Lake Wicwas right in our cove.  I have read there are some old-growth Black Gum Trees in the Hamlin/Eames/Smyth area, but I have never found them.  So I went out today to look for this local specimen, and found it - in fact two - just where it was described.

Black Tupelo (Black Gum) - Nyssa sylvatica

Black Gum grow in wet areas, and these had their roots right in the lake.  It is a tree I have noticed many times, but had never identified it.  (In fact, if you look at the first photo in this post, you will see them!)  The Black Gum has uncommon leaves that are thick and glossy, and turn bright scarlet in the fall.

It also bears fruit which is consumed by many animals;  if this tree had fruit, it has already been enjoyed by the lakeside creatures.  I now have another tree I know; I'll have to go searching for the old ones up behind the lake (thanks RB!).

Regarding wildlife around the lake, I ran into several deer this weekend, and we were even treated to a Bald Eagle sighting.  It had landed right on the shoreline at a rock off one of the Islands.  (Sorry - too far away for pictures.)  It stood there for ten or more minutes, just resting, dunking its beak in the lake now and then for a drink.  I think it was enjoying the fall foliage, and providing entertainment for the Lake Wicwas Board meeting which was occurring at that moment.  It was a nice reminder of why we all work to protect this beautiful lake.

With a mild weather forecast for the next week, we should enjoy one more weekend of good leaf peeping for Columbus Day.