Bona Dea Sanctuary Nature Notes

Bona Dea Update-1

2011-08-26T23:50:00.006-05:00

Bona Dea is still in operation. I have been absent for awhile. I went there in the late afternoon today, Friday. I went to the spillway. After just going down swinging bridge trail for a few feet I saw a raccoon cross in front of me going from one pool to another one. I slowly crept up on it until it saw me and ran down the bank. Then as I was starting to walk again, 2 small babies walked across the trail and right in front of me stopped and stared and raised their backs like cats ready to fight. I had no camera so I missed a great photo opportunity. The link above shows close to what they looked like. After going to the spillway I fed the fish and also a small Musk Turtle. I have not mentioned one in a long time. The photo here shows one at the same location some time back. A few days ago I went to the Disc Golf Course near by and while standing on the iron cross over bridge, I looked down into the water and saw and really huge Midland Watersnake,Nerodia sipedon pleuralis. No camera again but this is a link to them. They really look mean and poisonous but aren't. I noticed out there that there are many young Eastern Kingbirds flying around and chasing each other like crazy. I saw this several days earlier out there too. In the early spring, there were several pair in the area so I supposed most of the eggs hatched by the looks of things. An oddity I discovered when I got home was while going to the mail box by the road, I noticed what looked like an apple growing in the Japonica or Quince Flowering bush. I examined it closely to see if it was attached to a foreign plant embedded in the bush. But no, it was attached to a stem of the bush. I researched it and found it was the fruit or seed pod for this bush called Chaenomeles. I have seen and been up close to these bushes all my life and never have noticed these things. Here is a photo of 2 of them together. And also a photo of what the mature flowering bush looks like in the Spring. You can actually eat these. They are very hard which I found out when handling it. But you can boil it down and make jelly out of them. Learn something every day huh? Back to the subject at hand, some time ago at the Disc Golf Course, I viewed these beans or seed pods to a Trumpet Creeper wildflower vine. These were huge. You can see them attached to the vine with the orange flower blooms. Also present behind these were some smaller seed pods of a Hazel Alder small tree or bush. They were planted there by the waters edge when the authorities built the park. I zoomed and cropped the photos to see the small seed pods that were in the background. It actually rained close to 9 inches in 9 straight days at my home in the last month. It has rained some since then. But it has really been a hot and dry summer up until August. The night now are in the high 60's to low 70's F. Nice sleeping weather.

Bona Dea Update

2011-08-01T22:11:00.006-05:00

Bona Dea has been very, very hot and dry for the last couple of months. There have been several days of over 100 degrees F. with heat indexes around 110 degrees. Very little rain in this period of time. However the vegetation and animal wildlife doesn't seen to be effected other than the birds stay inactive in the middle of the day. An interesting site a couple of weeks ago was out at the Disc Golf Course that I have talked about before, where at the small cross over iron bridge across the canal was a rather small black and white pigeon. This pigeon sorta resembled a Birmingham Roller pigeon. When I was a kid, I used to raise them and watch them tumble or somersault in the air. I got real close to it and it did not fly. I backed off and went the other way and someone else came across and it flew in strange patterns diving down and going back up before landing in a nearby tree. Did not get a photo but this is what it looked like preening itself. First and only one I have seen there or at Bona Dea. At a local restaurant close to Bona Dea, I was walking down the drainage ditch in back and happened to see this Common American Snapper Turtle. I am sure it was a female looking for a place to dig a hole to lay her eggs. At Bona Dea on Rabbit Run Trail on the south side of the park, I had noticed where the private land by the fense had been mowed in just one place. So I had jumped the fence and saw a wildflower that I had not seen there before. It just a few feet from a pond. It turned out to be a False Fiddleleaf wildflower-Hydrolea ovata. As you can see, it has a very pretty blue bloom. The days have been so hot that this bloom had started to wilt. The surprise came when in route to the Fiddleleaf plant, I saw this Prairie Kingsnake -Lampropeltis calligaster, going across the trail. I followed it and took these photos. No signs of the Alligator in quite a while now. They have posted signs at both park entrances to beware of them and not to feed them. There have been swarms of grasshoppers all around this area during the summer. They are all over the place. It appears they are the species Differential Grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis. We really need it to cool down and rain.

Bona Dea Update

2011-06-28T21:43:00.007-05:00

Bona Dea received almost one half inch of rain today. Hooray!!! We really need it. I have been watering got a bit at home and am doing so right now even though we got the rain. It has also cooled things down quite a bit today. As shown in the post below. Mr. Paul Ray and I went to the Disc Golf Course and Bona Dea Sanctuary on 06-21-11. These photos and text is in regards to the Bona Dea visits. We went there first and then returned there for another excursion. On our first visit, we went on the North end of Swinging Bridge Trail. Right off the bat we saw this momma or pappa Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata, bird feeding a lone baby. In this photo the baby is on the right with its wings open ready for a bite. Just a few feet down the trail we saw this pretty yellow and black Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus, butterfly. We went on down to where the old Swinging Bridge used to be and on Prairie Creek and saw several dragonflies.This is a Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans). In the exact same place was this Viceroy butterfly-Limenitis archippus. The smaller orange one. We left that area and went over to Waldon Way Trail. By the way, no Alligator seen on this day. We traveled down the trail a short ways and there were several beautiful Red-winged Blackbirds-Agelaius phoeniceus-male-on Black Water Swamp. Paul went crazy with his camera. This is a very pretty mature and excited male. It was absolutely showing out. It must have had a nest close by and was making his lover jealous. It was turning somersaults and tumbling and flying in all kinds of positions. A great shot of it flying and coming in for a landing. Then a really neat sight. There was a family of Red-bellied Woodpeckers on a nearby tree. One photo shows the father on a trunk up above the baby with its mouth open on a lower limb. Then the other photo showing the mother coming up the trunk to join the others. We then left and went to the Disc Golf Course for the info. showing in the post below. Then we came back here and went to the west parking lot and went on Serendipity Trail. First of all we saw this Black-and-white Warbler-Mniotilta varia. I thought it was a Nuthatch at first but the photos shows it otherwise. This is the black and white striped small bird. Then in the same place and actually right across the trail was this Carolina Wren-Thryothorus ludovicianus. This is the small brown bird with mostly a head shot. We then turned and went the other way on the trail and Paul took this shot of a Prairie Lizard-Sceloporus consorbrinus on a tree trunk. The blue under belly indicates a male. Out in the water close to this area in Black Water Swamp's west side were 3 female Wood Ducks-Aix sponsa. Wood ducks are the main and sometimes only ducks here this time of year and in the winter there are several varieties. A little further down the trail I spied this Northern Rough Greensnake -Opheodrys aestivus aestivus. At first I thought it was just a green vine growing out into the trail. It was frozen still and I had to touch it pretty hard before it moved. This was after Paul took some photos. But this days outing had its toll. We took a short cut down to the park on the first visit and went through some waist high weeds. We got absolutely covered in chiggers. Click on the chiggers highlight to see what these very small critters look like. I feet have been red and swollen for days. I think I have learned a lesson. Paul had some bug spray and used it on his sexy legs but not his feet. I used it on my arms but they were not in the weeds. But we had a wonderful time and saw a lot of interesting things you find in nature. If you get a chance, get outside and enjoy some of it every once in a while.

Disc Golf Course Update

2011-06-27T23:23:00.008-05:00

On Tuesday 06-21-11 Mr. Paul Ray came down for us to go on another wildlife Safari. These photos on this post were taken at the Disc Golf Course not far from the world famous Bona Dea Sanctuary. He took most of these photos with his camera equipment. We'll save the best for first. I had been trying to locate and photo the Baltimore Oriole birds that were at this place and Bona Dea. And so far this year no such fortune. But we stayed with it and patience paid off as we were able to see one. They stay in the very high canopy of the tall trees which this time of year have heavy foliage. So it is hard to spot them. But we followed this one bird and she suddenly disappeared. I thought that strange and started looked at the spot where she disappeared and then I spied her nest. They build their nest in hanging baskets that look like are put together with a spider web with leaves and small limps in it. There are 2 photos here of that nest. One showing a brighter clear representation of the makeup and the other showing the female in the nest. It was unusual to me to note that this nest was right above the main parking lot where a lot of people come and go every day. I also saw some more nests in trees closer to the water a few days later. There is a photo showing the female on a limb with the nest at the lower right. Then another showing her peering into the nest fixing to get it and further lay and or incubate her eggs as they had not hatched by this time. The other 2 Oriole photos are of the male of this pair. It is a poor photo as I had my camera a few days later and had to hurry to catch it in the open. I did see another male and a different location at this park and it was a much bigger and prettier specimen. It could be that when these eggs hatch both parents will be feeding the young and will be closer in photo range. Other Oriole photos. While in the parking lot we saw this real pretty Common Buckeye butterfly-Junonia coenia. It landed right next to our vehicle wheels. There have been some plants growing in the water and were grouped close together and I had never seen these before in this area. So I wanted to ID them. They were over on a small island and you could not get a close up without swimming over or taking a boat. These are Cattail plants-Typha latifolia. This photo here shows a close up of the cat tails starting to form at the top of the plant. They are called mature male & female flower spikes. Also real close to this area is a big Crossvine plant that had a lot of blooms this year. It also had a lot of Bumble Bees and other bees and wasps all over it in early spring. But now the blooms had disappeared leaving these seed pods that look like green beans. I was holding this string of seed pods but did not want my gorgeous Elvis Presley body to distract from this post. So I cropped myself out and here is some info on the Crossvine. This Fox Squirrel-Sciurus niger, was begging Mr. Ray to take its photo. So he said ok and look at this pose. In this same area was a Northern Mockingbird-Mimus polyglottos. Like the Oriole it was staying pretty close to the same tree and after further review we noticed it also had a nest. This nest was pretty close to the ground but was also in the parking area where people go right by it. One photo shows it in the tree close to the nest with a insect in its mouth. The other photo shows it on the nest after it had fed the little ones. Last but not least was this Scissor-tailed Flycatcher-Tyrannus forficatus-that was flying around the park and it landed in this tree right beside the parking lot also. Seems like everything today was right in the same area where we parked our vehicles. You can really see its scissor tail in this photo of it chasing a flying insect. They actually have 2 double tails. They are beautiful in flight and this year there are more of them here and at Bona Dea and also in town than I have ever seen.

Wasp and Caterpillar action

2011-06-20T01:13:00.002-05:00

This video clip shows a Thread-waisted Wasp working furiously to cover up and fill in a hole to its nest where it has just deposited a big Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth-caterpillar for food for whenever the eggs in the nest hatch and then the new larvae will eat it.

Bona Dea and Disc Golf Course Update

2011-06-20T00:03:00.009-05:00

This area of nature has really been hot and humid as of the past few weeks. With highs in the high 90's f and heat indexes over 100. Only scattered occasional showers. The Canadian Geese have really been doing their thing and I have not seen so many families of so many little ones. This especially along Pleasant View road on the way to the Disc Golf Course. Also several have been killed on the road. The water pools at Bona Dea are holding up pretty well in the heat. They should with all the flooding there just recently as shown in previous posts. There have been several Baltimore Oriole birds at both places. The males being especially pretty. Have not taken photos of any yet but hope to later on before they leave out. I was following a guy at Bona Dea close to the parking lot when I noticed him beating something in the grass. I ran up there and it was a King Snake. I got him to stop but it was too late. This is a wildlife sanctuary and people are not allowed to kill or catch anything wildlife there. He did not know a king snake from any other snake but they have their place on earth too. People also pick the flowers when they are at their peak. On 06-03-11 I saw a real pretty Wild Sweet Potato Vine. This is actually and type of Morning Glory flower. They do make tubers also. That is the root part you can eat. This is the white flower with a burgundy center. This was very close to the gazebo by the main parking lot. The other photos here were taken at various times at the Disc Golf Course which is very close to Bona Dea. This is very strange but even though the photos were taken on different days, they were all taken right beside the small iron bridge by the parking lot. Just shows you what can happen when you have the patience to just stay put and let things come to you. I can say this easily as I have a bad foot and do not go as far as I used to.Put at the north end of the bridge was this good specimen of a Black-eyed Susan- Rudbeckia hirta-wildflower. It is the pic of the yellow flower. Then on the south end of the bridge right next to it was this Common Spreadwing damselfly- Lestes disjunctus. This is a small dragonfly. It is the pic showing small splotches of blue on head and tail areas resting on the rock. In this same area around the bridge were 2 Prairie Racerunner-males- (Aspidoscelis sexlineata viridis). These are a type of lizard. These 2 were running around chasing each other and grabbing at each other. They were so excited that they were this beautiful and bright green and blue. They don't show this brightly when in normal temperament. .They have long tails and move very fast when they want to. Their tails come off on purpose when something grabs them. But the other day, I really saw something interesting. I have seen this action before many times but have not taken photos of this occurrence and really did not know what all was going on until I researched it. But literally at my feet was this wasp that was trying to carry this big worm/caterpillar around. I knew that it had killed it or was going to but did not know what it was going to do with it. Soooooooooo, I just kept watching. Then I saw it. It was taking it to a hole in the ground not far from my feet and the bridge. I then managed to scare the wasp away and took and hid the worm until I could run to get my camera out of the vehicle. I was hoping that it would stay around until I got back. I got the worm and put it back where I got it and sure nuff the wasp came back and started to carry it to the hole. I took several photos and these are some of them. One showing it with its jaws around the caterpillar and others showing it putting the worm in the hole and another showing it backing up to the hole and actually kicking small loose debris into the hole to fill it up. Also showing it carrying debris in its jaws and depositing it into the hole and finally showing the hole totally filled up. The wasp then padded the debris down pretty hard so you could not even tell a hole had been there. Research shows that this process is when this Thread-waisted Wasp - Ammophila procera, finds a caterpillar it carries it to its nest in the ground where it has already laid its eggs. Then it covers the nest and hole up so no other wasp or predator can find it. Then later the eggs hatch and the wasp larve/caterpillars will eat this food source so they can grow and then crawl out of the hole and turn into wasps. Wow!!! By the way, this really big lime green caterpillar/larvae is of a Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth-(Orthosia hibisci). A close up pic of it is here and also is a pic of what the worm/caterpillar/larvae would have turned into had it lived and not been turned into foot for other types of larvae. Wow!!! Also the video shown in prior post shows the wasp furiously trying to cover up and fill in the hole before I mess with it again.

Disc Golf Course Update

2011-05-19T23:30:00.005-05:00

For the past few days I have been going to the Disc Golf Course again. The mosquitoes and gnats have been really bad at Bona Dea and also the Golf Course. So I have not been prowling around on the trails very much. Especially close to any water. So these photos were taken at the Disc Golf Course. I saw this man in a boat going under the iron bridge that I was walking on so I thought this would be a barber pole boat. Wonder why?? At Pleasant View park and the Golf Course there are several families of Canadian Geese and just had to take a cute shot of this gosling by itself. There were some pretty purple very small wildflowers growing in the turf of the Disc Golf Course. They are Common Venus' Looking-glass- Triodanis perfoliata. The one with 5 petals. There were several long tooth brush looking bluish lavender wildflowers growing from small tender vines. These are Cow Vetch-Vicia cracca. They are a different variety from that taken on a recent post. Then a group pic showng them close together in bunches. There was a group of real pretty tall yellow wildflowers growing together and no where else in the park that I saw. The are Large-flower Tickseed- Coreopsis grandiflora. Look at the pretty pattern on the large yellow bloom. Right close to the parking lot there was a bird at the edge of the water I saw while driving away. I had to stop and take a closer look at this wading bird. It was a Yellow-crowned Night Heron-Nyctanassa violacea. It looks pretty serious don't it.

Bona Dea Update

2011-05-08T22:44:00.006-05:00

As mentioned in this blog recently, there was tremendous flooding at Bona Dea. I believe this was the worst I have ever seen and lasted longer. The spillway and most of the trails were completely under water to the extent that the various pools/ponds and all creeks were actually all meshed together. Only a few high spots were available for wildlife to go to. I know that there was a similar flood a few years back in the winter months and the number and kinds of mammals and amphibians have decreased. For instance, I used to see extremely large needle nose Smooth Softshell Turtles. Also used to see many large Copperhead snakes. I have been wanting to get photos of both of these for some time at Bona Dea. This photo shows a look from the spillway and downstream of Prairie Creek. You can see how high the water line was at the peak of flooding. This was between 8 and 10 feet. This was the creek and close to the lowest part of the park. The other photo shows the water line being about 4 to 5 feet on Waldon Pond at the other side of the spillway. While I was taking these photos, a Muskrat-Ondatra zibethicus came swimming up Prairie Creek. So I suppose it survived the flooding. Also as I was leaving this area, I saw a low spot on Swinging Bridge Trail that was under water the day before and then I was there and could not cross over put saw at this low spot, where the water was moving like something was there. I got as close as I could and decided it was fish going back and forth from Goose and Waldon Ponds. So I then figured out that the night before, Raccoons had been having a feast on the fish as they would be easy to catch. This photo is of the numerous Coon tracks just in that one area of the trail.I then went over to Beaver Trail. There I found the birds. I had just crossed over the bridge and saw this pretty yellow Prothonotary Warbler-Profonotaria citrea. These are the front and rear views. A little ways down the trail I heard this Red-bellied Woodpecker-Melanerpes carolinus, just pecking away. Don't know why it is red bellied but it is pretty with the big red splash on its head. When I left the park and was close to my vehicle, I just had to take this beautiful sunset to end the day.

Disc Golf Course Update

2011-05-08T21:30:00.006-05:00

I have been going to the Disc Golf Course quite a bit in the past few weeks. This is a place not far from Bona Dea and offers some unique features as I have talked about before. The flooding that has occurred here in the past 2 weeks have not effected this property as much. These photos included here shows some of the last couple of weeks takes. There were a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds in a tree and this photo shows a closeup of one looking at me with the very brown head and neck and coal black body and looking at me. They actually don't usually build their own nests but rob the nests of other birds and lay their eggs right next to the other bird's eggs. There is a city baseball and softball park on the way to this area and I saw 4 or 5 Canadian Geese families. This is a photo of one of them. These small yellow butterflies were all over the place. They are Cloudless Sulphur-Phoebis sennae, this pic is of a female. Notice the bright green nodules or cheeks on the sides of the head. Click on all photos to enlarge. There was a group of daisy like wildflowers I only saw at this one particular spot by the waters edge. They were Common Fleabane. They got this name as a long time ago they were ground up and used to protect one from fleas. This photo is of the very small white blooms with yellow centers. This Green Heron water wading bird was in a thick foliage tree right on the water's edge. It was bent over preening itself. Very pretty brown neck and greenish blue back and wing feathers. This mean looking critter is a Green Lacewing insect Larvae-Neuroptera Chrysopidae. I saw this purple worm looking insect on some flower blooms. It actually eats all the bad bugs. So it is a goodie not a baddie. This insect was found on a commonYarrow-Achillea millefolium-Wildflower. You can see the closeup of the blooms with this very small insect in the middle. There was a Northern Mockingbird just singing away very loudly and heard all over the park. It was flying from the very highest part of the trees. This is the grey and white bird in top of the tree. It is the state bird of Arkansas. There are several pairs of these very pretty and impressive birds. They are Scissor-tailed Flycatcher-Tyrannus forficatus. They seem to have 2 very long tails. This one was on a limb with vehicles in the background. I had just walked over the narrow arched bridge off the parking lot to the course/park and saw a long green snake crawling along. Some young men were com ing toward me and they had been playing disc golf. One of them spotted this snake and ran and caught it by the tail. A no no. It turned to bite him and he used the other hand to catch it behind the head. He then held it up that way for everyone else to see and asked if anyone wanted to pet it. I won't say what some of them said to him. He then released it. It took off to the water and heavy brush before I could photo it. I walked just a few few further down and another one the exact same size was crawling toward where the other one was. I was able to get these photos of it. It is a Speckled Kingsnake-Lampropeltis holbrooki. They eat other snakes and especially like poisonous snakes just before bedtime. I have seen this vine like small flower plants all over the place and decided that it was a type of ground cover that the authorities had planted along with Wild Oats and Red Clover. All three were mixed and were growing together. This park is a land reclamation project which used to be coal strip mining property. It turns out to be Spring or Garden Vetch-Vicia sativa. It is a type of ground cover. It is the photo with the small redish pink bloom. It's seeds contain Cyanide and very toxic to humans and animals. I wonder if the many White Tailed Deer out there eat that stuff. Humm!! Speaking of the deer. The other day, I saw several grazing on the part of the park that was cut real low and full of Red Clover at the very far end. There were several real small fawns. Click on fawns to see a video of close to what I saw.

Bona Dea Update

2011-04-26T21:12:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea is currently mostly under water. It has rained about 14 inches in the last 2 weeks. You cannot get around on the trails. I walked down the paved ramp at the pumping station and took this video of the flooding around it. The electric repair crews shown in the video informed me I might want to vacate the area as there were tornado warning out. Sure nuff and few minutes later one came over. It did not touch the ground. I did not get to go to other places on the park to look at those places. Maybe can soon.

Bona Dea Update

2011-04-15T01:35:00.002-05:00

Today, Thursday 04-14-11 I was able to go to Bona Dea. I noticed first off that the authorities or someone posted a sign by the parking lot to be aware of a Alligator. Someone had earlier told me that the sign was there. Oh well I hadn't fed the fish in a while and went to do that. I then made the rounds to where the alligator usually hangs out this time of year. Behold!! I saw it. Here are 3 of the photos taken today. Also a link here to the other photos I have of it over the years. And a few interesting stories.

Bona Dea/Disc Golf Course Update

2011-04-15T00:57:00.006-05:00

Bona Dea and other park areas have gotten some much needed rainfall in the past week or so. The water pools at Bona Dea are filling up now. I have been going to the Disc Golf Course quite a bit lately as it compliments Bona Dea quite a bit. It is located a little over a mile as a crow flies and is on Lake Dardanelle also. The photos I have posted here are at the Course. The small solid yellow flower is a Early Buttercup-Ranunculus fascicularis-wildflower. The 4 petal opaque or transparent small flower is a Stemless Evening Primrose-Oenothera triloba-wildflower. It really is a pretty flower. The plant showing a white 5 petal flower is a Highbush or Common Blackberry vine-Rubus allegheniensis. This flower will turn into a delicious blackberry. They make wine and jellies out of it. Really a tart/sweet flavor with this wild variety. As I was leaving the Course on 04-10-11 I had my camera off and not ready for anything and when I approached the small bridge to the parking lot, this American Mink was running on one side and this suddenly crossed in front of me. I had to scramble to get the camera on and up for a unfocused shot. You can see it really is running. Then I got another shot of it in the water on the other side. It climbed on bank and was walking around and then disappeared. I thought it might have a den over there. The next day I went to that area and looked all over but could not find its den. Also on a recent day there were several of these pretty yellow Eastern Tiger Swallowtail-Papilio glaucus-butterflies on a very smelly shrubbery that was in the middle of the Course. Also while looking for the butterflies on the same shrubbery the next day I saw this larvae. A Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle or Lady Bug larvae-Harmonia axyridis. This worm like insect will actually turn into a LADY Bug soon. Really quite amazing. Look at those spines on that thing. There is really quite a bit of plant and animal wildlife in this particular area as also noted in very recent posts

Bona Dea Update

2011-04-10T01:42:00.005-05:00

Last Wednesday I went to Bona Dea and took this photo of the currently numerous Common Blue Violet wildflowers. They were all along the Swinging Bridge Trail all the way down to Prairie Creek. I also went to the Springbeauty plants seen and photoed the day before, as shown in post below, and took another shot of the whole plant as shown below. On the trail between Waldon and Goose Ponds there was a Field Sparrow that was just singing away. I was surprised to see and hear it at that location. Took this photo of it. I had not fed the fish in quite a while so I went to the Spillway to do just that. Wow!!! they were waiting for me. There were several Flathead catfish. Some pretty good size. I took these 2 photos. The Bluegill Brim pan fish were larger than last year and plentiful. There were some small Musk Turtles rising from the bottom to the top to feed on the pellets. Also a large Red-eared turtle had to come for some feed. Saturday I went back to the Russellville Disc Golf Course and walked around seeing what was there and I saw this lizard running around and ended up on a tree trunk. It was a Prairie Lizard. I took these 2 photos and when enlarging them you can see the blue throat and belly. This means it is a male in breeding season. Also note that most of its tail is missing. They loose their tail very easily in getting away from prey etc.

Bona Dea Update

2011-04-10T00:10:00.010-05:00

Last Tuesday Mr. Paul Ray made another visit to this part of the world to go on another field trip and take some photos. We again used his photo equipment. We began our rounds by going to the Russellville Disc Golf Course. That is really a small but beautiful area with water all around. And the land is on a hill and you look down on the water on 3 sides. It is just up the road from Bona Dea and has the same wildlife habit. It has woods and grassy areas making it ideal for various kinds of wildlife. Paul took these shots of a black American Crow taking off from the top of a tree and then took this really great photo of a black Double-crested Cormorant flying right over head with its large wing span. Its head looks really streamlined and serious in a closeup of this photo. In about the middle of the course there are some scrubby bushes and some small trees that are either dead or not leafed out yet. We were walking along looking at some butterflies when we heard a bird just singing away close up. I thought it was a mockingbird. It was a really big Brown Thrasher.We came upon it and Paul took this shot of the bird's rear. I was able to go around front and take a front shot. It has its mouth open in the middle of a note. Right from the start after parking and going across the small bridge to enter the Course, we were in the midst of a flock of Dark-eyed Junco birds. They are very skiddish and take off and hide really quick. Paul was able to get a front shot of one deep in the brush. The top half of the bird is a dark grey and bottom half is white. One of the descriptors of the bird is that when it flies it appears to be flashing white lights in its wings. Speaking of butterflies there were several real small ones yellow and white and then I got this shot of a Viceroy. The orange one. Then Paul got this shot of a Zebra Swallowtail. The one with the pigtails. We went down a old road and path into the deeper woods with really tall trees close to a water canal and high up in the tree canopies were flocks of noisy birds just flitting around and gleaning the new leaves and some catching insects in mid air. They were Yellow-rumped Warblers. Several of them were going through a spring molt and looked like they had a bad case of mites. This one photo here with a profile view shows one kinda like that and looks like a female and really shows the body striping and colors of this breed. The other photo shows what looks like a very pretty and mature male perched on a limp and showing its well built body and pretty colors. Solid white neck and black V chest and yellow on chest and yellow on the upper wings and under the tail. After this productive outing, we decided to go to Bona Dea. The same variety of Warblers were in the high tree canopies there too. We headed to the water pools to see about the ducks. On Goose Pond we saw these Blue-winged Teal ducks. 2 pairs of them. The males with the dark blue heads and white spots on rear end. Females plain brown all over. On Black Water Swamp from the old boy scout wildlife viewing blind, we saw several American Coots. I took this shot of a really big one standing on one leg. They rest or sleep in this position. We decided to look for wildflowers and I knew that this time last year they were starting to bloom down by the old Swinging Bridge area. We found several varieties. There were wild violets but we took no photos for some reason. I think because I had so many from last year. But we saw 2 Butterweed wildflowers in bloom. A photo here of one with many blooms in the head of the plant. While we were shooting this plant, a spider jumped up on the blooms. So we of course had to shoot it too. This was a Neon Nelli Jumping Spider. Photo here is a zoomed and cropped up version of the one we saw. Right next to this Butterweed plant was some Narrowleaf Springbeauty wildflowers. They are small white flowers with pinkish small stripes running through the petals that reminds me of peppermint candy. We got Pauls macro lens and equipment and started to shoot the photos. One of these photos shows the closeup of a bloom and the other showing the spiraling small long leaves and stems close to the ground. So we had a pretty productive outing as usual and good fellowship.

Bona Dea and other Update

2011-04-05T22:35:00.006-05:00

Bona Dea has been a little more active lately due to some rain in the past week. It had been getting pretty dry in the pools. About a week and a half ago there were several American Coot ducks that were congregating along the bank along the highway that runs between Lake Dardanelle and Bona Dea Park. I was able to get a shot of a pair of them that were below where I parked and was swimming away from me. They look like a cross between and duck and a chicken. They are all black with a white chicken, not duck, like beak. They actually look a little odd. Don't tell them I said so. They walk on land like a chicken and eat on land like a chicken. Go figure!!! Last Friday the 1st, Aprils Fools Day, I went to a new city park just down the road from Bona Dea. I was walking down by the water side and saw this very pretty, and unusual for me, wildflower. It is a Virginia Spiderwort-Tradescantia virginiana. It has very pretty blooms and horizontal heavily vained leaves as you can see by the photo. The next day I was out at the city Golf Disc course on the old strip pits north of Bona Dea. The pits were where they mined surface coal for years and can remember has a kid running around there up and down the mounds of coal shale. They have reclaimed the property and made a wonderful park and boatramp with the large pools of water and canals etc. I saw this Northern Flicker woodpecker just hanging around me for some reason. I had my camera and kept trying to photo it but it would move around and then decided to perch right on top of a dead topped out tree. I have enclosed 2 photos of it as one shows a small red patch on the back of the head. This identifies it has a Yellow- shafted variety of the bird. As it has yellow under the wings that can be seen when in flight. The other variety is a Red-shafted variety which shows the red patch on the front of the neck.Last Sunday I went to a local collage women's softball game and was walking on a narrow grassy area between the paved parking lot and the main highway running through the area. I saw a bird on the ground that looked like it was injured as it was laying on the ground sort of flat and had its feathers ruffled and mouth open and hissing at me. Daring me to come near it. I thought it had been ran over and started to walk away and then decided to go back and have another look. That is when I noticed this nest and eggs. The female was guarding her eggs. I did not have my camera but went back later in the day and shot his photo of the nest and eggs and one of the mother who was walking down the road by the parking lot just making a lot of noise. It was a Killdeer. Noticed in the local paper that they were going to do some work on the pumping station at Bona Dea and the last few days showing construction crews working making an addition to it.

Bona Dea Update

2011-03-27T23:29:00.002-05:00

I suppose we will leave the best for last. The Famous Alligator, or one of them, has arrived for the first time in 2011. As Paul and I were out a about on the trails, several people saw us with camera equipment and asked if we were going to see the alligator. They said several people had seen it and had taken some photos. In fact for the past 2 days, the local newspaper had photos and comments of the gator from people who had sent in pictures. This may not necessarily be a good thing. It was about 7 to 8 feet long and appeared to be one of the smaller ones. It was said last year as posted on this blog that the authorities had taken out the larger one. So this would be a very lonely creature now days. These are 4 photos of it as seen on 03-23-11.The link highlighted above will take you to other pictures of this one and a bigger one. The earliest photos in the album are of the bigger one.

Bona Dea Update

2011-03-27T22:06:00.009-05:00

In the afternoon of 03-23-11, Mr. Paul Ray and myself went to the Russellville, AR Golf Disc Course where the Illinois Bayou and Lake Dardanelle Converge. I had a few days earlier took a photo of a real pretty wildflower and we went back to check it out and to see other things. These are 2 photos of a Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue-anemone)-buttercup (wildflower family). We experimented with this equipment and then went over to Bona Dea for the rest of our photo trip. Paul took these photos shown here with his equipment and one was this Parrot's Feather-water plant-on Black Water Swamp. This is the green spidery plant with the top layer above water and the rest below. It shows a very pretty pattern. It was a day for the turtles with this photo showing a group of basking type turtles on a log in Black Water Swamp. And then he spied a Red-eared Slider Turtle on a log at the same pond. You can see why it is called Red-eared. In this same area a female Downy Woodpecker flew on a tree trunk and we shot it live. We noticed a male Canadian Goose right close to the trail in between Waldon Pond and Black Water Swamp. Then I remembered that its mate was setting on its nest on the island in Waldon Pond. So he was guarding the nest as he was watching people coming and going on the trail close by. Some of them with dogs etc. One of these photos looks like a painting as shot through dense vegetation. On same pond there was a pair of Gadwall ducks. Photo with the 2 small ducks together. The photo showing the numerous ducks together was shot in same pond with identification as follows from left to right: Male Northern Shoveler, Male Blue-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Male Northern Shoveler dabbing under water, 2 male Green-winged Teals together, female Greens behind duck dabbing, black American Coot, 2 male Northern Shovelers together(look at their shovel beaks), female Northern Shoveler and behind another black American Coot. this was really a variety of ducks all together at one place with the Gadwall's close by and the geese and probably some others around also. A surprise as most ducks have migrated out of the area or had mated in pairs and left the groups by now.

Holla Bend Wildlife Refuge Update

2011-03-27T21:36:00.003-05:00

This is a departure from Bona Dea Park. But on 11-23-11 Mr. Paul Ray made a visit from Van Buren, AR to again make use of his camera equipment. Holla Bend was actually in a transition stage from Winter into Spring. The winter wildlife residents had moved out and the spring ones not yet arrived in force. We saw some very small yellow and black and blue and white butterflies that were fluttering around and being too skittish to photograph. We did get some shots of a Mourning Dove that flew in a tree. It was one of a pair that was apparently looking for a nesting place. This is the time of year for them to to this. Also we saw a Turkey Vulture on the ground. One shot shows it with its wings spread some from the body and the other looking around over its back. This was close to the observation tower on the refuge. A really big Red-tailed Hawk was flying low to the ground apparently looking for some poor critter to catch to eat. It would dive very low to the ground and then go up high into the air. It is noted that it was very warm and windy and sunny on this day. These are 2 shots of it close to the ground and up high in the air soaring like an eagle. We had looked for a pair of Whooping Cranes but did not see them. It also has been very dry and the pools and ponds on the property with either dry or very low.The officials at the refuge showed us where they were seen just recently. So after this visit we went to the Russellville Golf Disc course on Lake Dardanelle and then to Bona Dea Park.

Bona Dea Update

2011-03-01T22:49:00.004-06:00

It's been a while since I have posted. Have been slow to get around so have been taking it easy. However I have managed to get around the park a few times in the past weeks. The latest thing is that there are some signs on Waldon Way and Swinging Bridge Trails that note that the authorities are trapping. Don't know what but presume it is Beavers. But I haven't seen any real new damage of the trees. I noticed that at the recent snow the a couple of weeks ago that someone had walked around the edges of Prairie Creek and Waldon Pond. Then a few days later the signs and markers went up. But I looked all around and could not find any traps or chains attached to trees and traps. Actually some of the markers are now gone. So don't know what is going on. I have some photos here of the snow that we had in this area on 02-09-11. These are from home and was around 8 inches. More than this around some parts of the state especially in the NW part of the state. However the last few weeks have been spring like and the trees and flowering shrubs and early flower bulbs have been doing their thing. Also the Canadian Geese have been thinking that enough winter is enough and have started feeling a little romantic. They have begun separating from the flocks and looking for their nesting places. Various woodpeckers birds have been coming in and the Turkey and Black Vultures have been flying in numbers around the park. The ducks are moving out on their migration routes. Not all as Wood ducks and a few others stay here in the spring and summer months. Also down on Prairie Creek I put out some cracked corn today and saw numerous raccoon tracks right in the spot where I feed. You can see at the tracks link the front and rear footprints. They look like human baby hands I think. I also jumped a pair of Redhead Ducks a few weeks back at this same area. Also the Double-crested Cormorants and Pied-bill Grebe ducks have been in Lake Dardanelle close to Bona Dea. These are also one of the earliest forms of wildlife to come around in the spring each year.

Bona Dea Update

2011-01-29T00:04:00.008-06:00

On Tuesday the 25th. Mr. Paul Ray joined me at Bona Dea. He had his camera equipment and took some photos. The day started out cool and got warmer as time went on. This link will take you to more of the photos that were taken. They are dated 01-25-11 at the end of the album. We ran out of battery juice before we got through but out on Lake Dardanelle across from Bona Dea were a pair of Bufflehead ducks. These are not found that often around the park area. This photo shown at the link is exactly like the ones we saw on the lake. Also close to them was a Double-crested Cormorant spreading its wings as they often do. A photo here of me feeding the deer and birds and other critters on Prairie Creek.A closeup of a Great Blue Heron in flight as we scared it off and it scared us as we did not see it right away. Double click the photo and look at the sharp claws on this dude. The nest in a tree is a Barred Owl nest. That must be the nest of the owl I have been hearing every time of go to the area late in the evening. The small bird with the yellow streak on its head is a Golden-crowned Kinglet. This bird actually came to me when I was calling to it. It came within 2 or 3 feet several times. It is a very small bird and is very active. They are here just for the winter and will be leaving in the spring. We saw these ducks as we were walking along Beaver Trail and they were swimming in line following one after the other military style. Very small and compact with large heads. They are the black and white ducks. Notice their shadow in the water.There were several female Northern-shoveler ducks swimming together with no males in sight just ahead of the Ring Necks. Must be a female only meeting. They are the brownish ducks with orange legs. Also double click the photo to see the shovel looking beaks they have. They use it to dig in the mud. The ducks that are standing on the mud bar are Lesser Scaup ducks. They were just up stream from the pumping station. We also took photos of 3 different species of Sparrows: Field, Swamp and White-throated. Also Northern Cardinals and a Downy Woodpecker and some Eastern Chickadee birds. Photos shown at the link shown above. We had a good outing and saw some unusual wildlife. I was out at the park today , Friday the 28th., to feed the wildlife and while on the site a very big owl flew over and landed in a tree across the creek. Could not ID but it was not a smaller Barred Owl. It look more like a Great Horned Owl. Several flocks of what looked like Mallard Ducks flew in to Black Water Swamp about dark. A scary thing was that after nightfall I was walking on Serendipity Trail toward Waldon Way Trail and something in the woods close to the trail jumped and ran a short distance in the leaves and limbs on the ground. I believe it was a Raccoon by the way it moved and the sound of it.

Bona Dea and Sequoyah State Park Updates

2011-01-22T01:00:00.003-06:00

Bona Dea has been very cold the last few weeks. There has been some snow and ice off and on and the creeks and ponds have ice on them all the time. I have been feeding the deer and doves and looks like some raccoons and other birds. Can tell by their tracks. Need to get a game camera and see what all comes around. I have been there after dark a lot of times and today, Friday, I saw walking along on a very cloudy and overcast night and pretty dark and heard what sounded like someone throwing a very big rock in the water by the trail. It did it again a little farther down. I figured it was a Beaver but did not see it. They flap their tails when trying to warn others of impending dangers. I heard this a few weeks back at the exact same place and swore that someone was on the other side and throwing rocks to scare me. Also the last few nights there has been a Barred Owl hooting, calling, for its mate. Also at exactly the same place. In fact, I heard the owl a couple of times and then the Beaver doing its thing. It was sorta scary. If it was Halloween, I would have probably took off to the moon. Also the Turkey Vultures have been swarming overhead just before dark going round and round and landing in various trees close to Waldon Way Trail. I took a photo shown here some time back of what they have been looking like. Hugh black buzzards with a bare red featherless head.The Canadian Geese are flying in flocks overhead and landing in Black Water Swamp for their nightly stay. Also several varieties of ducks doing the same. Where I feed the chopped corn, there are hugh roosts of Mourning Doves. They have a habit of drinking water just before roosting for the night and then roost compacted together in a cedar tree that has thick branches for winter weather protection. My friend Paul Ray went to Sequoyah State Park in Eastern Oklahoma USA last week and took some interesting photos. The ones I have posted here besides the roosting Turkey Vultures are his photos. One is of a Bald Eagle on its nest. Then a passing car scared it off and he took this photo of it in flight. Also a closeup of a Red-shouldered Hawk in a tree close by. Then an American Wigeon duck. The one with the green mark on the head in the water behind some weeds. And a Gadwal duck. The lone duck one the water with the black rump. Here is a link to see all the photos he sent me.

Bona Dea Snow Update

2011-01-10T21:04:00.002-06:00

Today was a snowy day at Bona Dea. It started snowing yesterday afternoon and continued for 24 hours off and on. It only snowed a little over 2 inches for that duration. But it covered the ground pretty good. Here, you can view photos of the snow there taken last year and today. I have included a few here with this post. Someone made and small snowman on a sawed tree trunk. I got to it late and used a flash for enough light and it looks like a snow ghost don't you think? For some reason the Herring Sea Gulls were flying all over the park and town yesterday and today. They must like the snow or were looking for food anywhere.

Bona Dea and Holla Bend Refuges Updates

2011-01-01T00:02:00.002-06:00

I have some new photos taken at Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge near Dardanelle, Arkansas which is about 12 miles from Bona Dea. Paul Ray came by for another visit and we took his camera equipment to Holla Bend. Here is a link to that photo album: However I have shown here a photo of a American White Pelican closeup of its opening its very big beak used to eat very big fish. Also a closeup of a young Bald Eagle. The one with the white head and a closeup of a Red Tail Hawk that is sitting in a small tree. We went to Bona Dea also on last Tuesday and I got this first ever photo for me of a Gadwal duck in a private pond right next to one of the trails at Bona Dea. Today, I went to feed the deer and doves at the park and I scared off a Green-winged Teal duck. Did not have my camera but here is 2 links for info. on them. Also today, Friday, there were several flocks of both Black and Turkey Vultures flying overhead. More than I have seen in some time. It had rained over 2 inches the other day and the creeds and ponds were looking a little better. I fed the fish at the Spillway for the first time in a long time. They seemed to be too cold to care much about eating. A lot of people out in the cold weather the last few weeks running or riding bikes or just walking about. The Canadian Geese and Mallard Ducks are plentiful this year at the park. The geese come in from the open waters to spend the night at the park and they come in dozens at a time at nightfall. Different varieties of ducks do the same.

Bona Dea Update

2010-12-16T00:27:00.005-06:00

Bona Dea was very cloudy and cold today, Wednesday. It was also the day for the water birds for sure. There is a private pond right next to the south border of the park and in it were several Mallard Ducks and American Coots and some Great Blue Herons and Double-crested Cormorants. Overhead were hundreds of Herring Gulls flying about and some diving down close to the water. What a sight to see and I stayed there a long time watching it all. Before that visit, I went to a new boat launching site on Lake Dardanelle not far from Bona Dea. There I viewed more of the Double-crested Cormorants than I have seen in a long time. Looked like hundreds of them. They were landing on the electric high line towers in the lake and swimming in the water and flying overhead. There were hundreds of the Herring Gulls flying and landing on the water. On the causeway coming back, there were several American Coots actually walking on the highway and the shoulder. Don't know what that was all about unless they were looking for grit. The other day I saw at the park and saw a pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker woodpecker birds. They were in the trees on the East end of the Big Bridge over Prairie Creek. They seem to stay just in that one area flying from tree to tree. Have seen them there for several days now. Today I also saw 6 White Tail Deer. They were just standing close together and were watching me for a few minutes until one ran off and the others followed. They were at the bottom of Bullfrog Pond. The pond is almost completely dry due to the drought in this part of the country. I saw some very pretty bright orange berries on a shrub that had lost its leaves for the winter. It turned out to be a Possumhaw or winterberry holly tree, Llex dedicua, on Swinging Bridge Trail. Three photos here of the berries and tree. Also there are several of these evergreen shrubs in the park and actually all over this part of the USA. It is a Chinese Common Privet shrub-Ligustrum sinense-on trail by the Pumping Station. Photo of the leaves and one of the plant. I have been starting to feed the deer and ducks and mourning doves. The deer have been eating and then covering up the remainder that is left. Not going to make this a full time thing like feeding the fish in the summer.

Bona Dea and Holla Bend Parks Update

2010-12-08T23:40:00.010-06:00

The weather has been from cool to cold in this area. Still in need of a lot of rain. The migratory birds are coming in pretty good now. Got a chance to see a White-breasted Nuthatch. This is a good look at one. Also yesterday, Tuesday, I was at the Spillway at Bona Dea and looked around and saw the water rippling like something was in the water. I noticed on the other side a really big beaver and was feeding on the bank. Did not have a camera but this is what it looked almost exactly looked like. Last week I saw 6 white tailed deer at the same visit. One was at Bullfrog pond and the other 5 were across Prairie Creek by the pumping station just down from Bullfrog pond. But it was after dark and one of the 5 came to the water's edge as it saw me but could not make me out as it was in the light of a close by nightwatcher light and I was in the dark. It started stomping its front feet and grunting. So I started doing the same thing. It got all excited and started doing it more and more and finally jumping around. The other 4 deer just were standing around watching the show. Finally it ran into the woods and the others followed. Which I had a video of that show. The mallard ducks are really coming into Bona Dea for the winter. Even though the water level is really low. The Canadian Geese are coming in just before dark to Black Water Swamp as they do each day in the winter months. Lots of pretty cardinal birds flocking up and moving around. But last Wednesday I left Bona Dea to take on a nearby National Wildlife Refuge called Holla Bend close to the town of Dardanelle, Arkansas. A friend came from out of town to take some pictures. I will post some here but this is a link to the relevant ones I saved on album. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43612&id=100000601870934&l=55e5569c0c We saw a pair of Nine Banded Armadillos. I thought one was there but another one was hid and jumped up close to me and I jumped too. The other one stayed around and this is a pretty good closeup. It needs a shave don't you think? Also a Red- Shouldered Hawk sitting in a tree. Also a shot of a Double-crested Cormorant taking off over the water and showing it skipping its feet in the water. A flock of American White Pelicans. Click on the photo for a closeup showing their weird large beaks that seem to hold their heads down. One funny thing happened on this field trip. We were driving down a road parallel to the Arkansas River and was driving real slow looking for wildlife. Up ahead there was something up high in a tree right close to the road. It looked like something with a white head and I thought of the Bald Eagle first thing. So I get out of the vehicle and start walking very deliberately as not to scare it away. It was sorta behind some limbs and I could not get a good shot of it from far away. So I kept slipping up on it hoping all the time that it would not fly off. So I just got closer and closer and wondering why it had not flown away and finally after getting almost completely underneath it I saw what it was. It was a Bald-faced Hornet nest. They are big wasps that really can sting you. This photo is of the big nest hanging from the tree limbs. Of course it is winter hear so the insects have left. But here is a link to what they look like.

Bona Dea Plants Update

2010-11-25T01:50:00.003-06:00

Bona Dea was cloudy the last few days with about 1 and a half inches of rain. This is very welcome. The authorities have been pumping Prairie Creek for some stupid reason. This has lowered the water level and the ducks have not been as numerous. I had the opportunity in the last few days to take some photos of some fall and winter plants. The tree with the red leaves is a Red Maple-Acer rubrum L. It was ironically located right next to Maple Creek Bridge. A photo showing the leaves of this tree as a carpet underneath it. All in all the colors at the park were not too good this year. Lack of rain and real not temperatures most likely. The small green bush with red berries is a Heavenly Bamboo-Nandina domestica. It was located below the bluffs on Serendipity Trail at the West end of the park. The other 2 photos is of a Christmas Fern-Polystichum acrostichoides.This was located in the exact same spot as the Bamboo. This is an interesting note about the Christmas Fern: Why the name Christmas?-If you look closely at the leaves, you will see that they are made of many leaflets in pairs on either side of the central stalk. Each of these leaflets has a little "ear" pointing upward along the stalk. These ears make the leaflet look something like a Christmas stocking. Kinda interesting huh!!

Bona Dea Update

2010-11-18T23:49:00.003-06:00

Bona Dea was very cloudy today, Thursday. It had rained about an inch in the past 2 days. We needed it and a whole lot more. I had a visitor with me at the park today from out of town. He was a former co-worker and he is a friend that wanted to bring his camera and take some photos. We walked on most of Serendipity Trail and on Swinging Bridge Trail and did some exploring in the bluffs on the west side. So Paul Ray gets the credit for the photos on this post. We went to where the Alligator usually plays around. Of course it is in its winter sleep format by now. While at the bluffs and going down the steep stairs, he took this water pond photo of Black Water Swamp. It had several ducks in it. It is very run over with lily pads and other vegetation. Also a Great Blue Heron wading bird was there and we actually saw a few more all over the park. Coming into the park after parking, he took these 2 photos of the two separate park signs. The Mallard Ducks photo was taken up stream from the Big Bridge on Prairie Creek. The photo showing all the leaves shows a small White-throated Sparrow bird right in the middle of the photo. There were a lot of birds out today. Some nuthatches, Pileated Wookpeckers, Cardinals, Crows, Cormorants on their on snag on Lake Dardanelle, Carolina Chickadees. Some really small birds that looked like Acadian Flycatchers or something similar birds. Gray Squirrels were all over the place. I had hoped to see a deer but no luck on this trip. Also some very small brown Grebie Ducks out close to the Cormorants. But from both ends of Prairie Creek straight through the park, the Mallard and Blue Teal ducks were all over. Did not see any Wood Ducks. That was odd. But they won't mix with the Mallards to well if they don't have some room. The Bird and Duck populations are starting to look like they did this time last year. But the water levels are really low. Never have seen them that low and Bull Frog Pond is completely dry or was before this last rain. The authorities have completed cleaning out the pumping station debris that accumulates from the drainage from the City of Russellville and backs up at the pumping station screens. We had a good visit and will do it together again pretty soon.

Bona Dea Update

2010-11-07T01:13:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and cool today, Saturday. At the South end of the Swinging Bridge Trail next to Prairie Creek, there were several Downy Woodpeckers being real noisy pecking away for food. Small gleaning birds and some Acadian Flycatchers were with the woodpeckers. Also Robin birds were flocking together all over the park. Great Blue Herons were in several spots. Fox Squirrels are beginning to show up more than usual. The Grey Squirrels far out number the Reddish Fox types. However in urban residential areas the opposite is true. At the Big Bridge over Prairie Creek looking upstream to the South, I saw Mallard Ducks and Wood Ducks mingling together and foraging in the mud areas along the creek. These 3 photos shows the grouping. The 3 wood ducks, 2 females and 1 male, can be seen at the very top of the photos. The female and male Mallards are the ones below them and closest to the camera. I noticed yesterday when I took an exercise walk, something I have never seen before at the park. I had always noticed a mound that looked like a Native American burial mound or some kind of human dirt construction but never walked over and inspected. Well I did yesterday and got quite a surprise. I saw this brick ring just laying over on its side. I could not figure out what it was. There were thorn bushes and small trees and vines all around the area. I walked behind and up on a small dirt mound and again to my surprise I saw a big hole in the ground. Then bingo, I realized that this was a Hand Dug Water Well for some residence long ago. So today I took the camera and took the photo of the brick ring that is actually the protective wall that all such wells have. But it would stand upright on top of the well hole. The other photo is looking down into the well hole. It is probably about 4 feet deep as it has been filled close to the top. It am sure it was pretty deep when in use. The hole is about 2 feet in diameter and the diameter of the outside of the brick protective wall about 4 feet. Also the well hole is lined with brick that you can make out in the hole photo. I have seen these type wells in the Ozark Mountains of this state where my Ancestors used to live. I know of 2 of them on their former properties. They are lined with natural stone and have no remaining protective walls. Also close by were some Blue Mistflower wildflowers. This is a photo of some of the blooms.I walked over the deer trail between the spillway and Serpendipity Trail and saw 2 White Tail deer walking in the Creek and then crossing it to disappear into the thick woods over by the water well site. Could not get a photo shot.

Bona Dea Update

2010-11-03T22:44:00.002-05:00

The last 2 days has produced about one half inch of much needed rain. The creeks and ponds at Bona Dea are really low. The nights have turned much cooler and the vegetation has started to lose its leaves and has stopped growing. Also the ducks and geese have began to move back in. On Prairie Creek just a few yards north of the Big Bridge on Serendipity Trail there is a flock of Mallard Ducks that just keep moving or swimming in the water chasing each other as they usually do. Only a few feet from them is a flock of Wood Ducks. They keep separated and watch each other. You cannot see these flocks unless you leave the trail and walk down thru the bottom-land and woods and sneak up on them before they fly. Today, I was walking, without camera, and close to the West entrance to the park, I saw a unusual and pretty sight. There were a couple of oak trees next to each other and in the tops were several gray squirrels cutting acorns, the hulls would fall to the ground and through the limbs and leaves making a noise and then several Acadian Flycatcher birds were darting about the lower limps trying to catch food and then on the trunks closer to the ground there were White-breasted Nuthatch birds gleaning the bark for insects. I stayed there and watched for several minutes. All kinds of wildlife in that one spot. Also flocks of Eastern Phobie birds were about. They have long slender tails and constantly flip them up and down. Flocks of American Crows were flying around and the Cormorants were back in Lake Dardanelle on the snags spreading their wings wide open. Just like last year. Also the Grebe very small brown ducks were in the water closeby. Today I also saw a Night Heron wading bird standing in Prairie Creek by the big bridge and just staring down at the water for as long as I was there trying to hypnotize a fish for supper. Have been continuing to feed the fish every few days. But the many many Turkey Vultures have not returned to the area as yet. Yesterday I saw a white tailed deer standing motionless at the edge of Prairie Creek not far from the spillway. He was waiting for me to move first. I did and then he did. A few days ago at a boat launching ramp close to the park on Lake Dardanelle I happened to notice some very pretty and to me unusual type of daisy flowers that were still blooming in this colder weather. I took these photos of a Lobed Tickseed wildflower..

Bona Dea Plants Update

2010-10-26T01:30:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea received very little rain in the past 2 days. Most of state got more than around here. I was walking at the park on Sunday, 10-24-10, and saw some unusual wildflowers and then went to my vehicle and got the camera. The leaves on the trees around here have not really turned real pretty this year so far. But the sumac bushes never fail to provide their brilliant red shine. This bush,photo, is a Smooth or Scarlet Sumac. This one was by the Dike that separates Lake Dardanelle from Bona Dea Sanctuary. The photo showing the red spike flowers which look like firecrackers is called a Lady's Thumb. By the Pumping Station. If you enlarge the photo and look at the leaf in the middle of the photo and then look at the middle of the leaf and you w ill see a dark spot. People of long ago thought this looked like a lady's thumb and hence called it such. Kinda interesting don't you think. The photo with the small yellow bloom is a Common Purslane wildflower. By the Pumping Station. This bloom had actually closed up but when opened would have 5 petals. The plant this bloom was on is here too. The photo showing the pinkish spider shaped blooms is a Blue Mistflower wildflower. The actual color to the naked eye is a solid light blue. Other photos I have seen on the internet shows a pinkish color. But this was a small patch of flowers, photo, seen only at this spot by the Pumping Station. .

Bona Dea Update

2010-10-23T23:37:00.003-05:00

The past few days have been sunny and unusually warm for this time of year. Also below average for rainfall. Tonight and tomorrow it is suppose to rain. Hope so. The water level is really low all over the creeks and ponds. The birds have been coming back in to the park. Woodpeckers and nuthatches and chickadees and blue jays and boat tailed grackles. Wood ducks also in the creek and water ponds. Aster wildflowers are all over the place right now. The photo showing the many lavender or blue daisy like blooms is called a Common Blue Wood Aster or Heartleaf Aster-Symphyotrichum cordifolium. Pardon the white shoe.The photo showing the green leaves is of this type of plant. The pic with the many white blooms is a bushy Mayweed. This is a variety of Aster.This clump of flowers had all varieties of flies, wasps and bees all over it. I tried to get some photos of the insects but they would not be still long enough to get a good shot except for a Southern Paper Wasp but I have that one in the insect album and most of you have seen them. See links in column to the right of this blog for Bona Dea Wildlife. I did see a really big Northern Flicka woodpecker today. Great Blue Herons are back at the park and one staying in the Waldon Pond area. Mosquitoes were really biting today. I fed the fish at the spillway. New fish pellets and they are larger and the fish don't like them as well. Will have to soak them a little bit first. Also saw some vulcher or buzzard birds flying high over the park. This is the first time in a long time. Also some Cormorants were seen in Lake Dardanelle a few days ago across from the park. The Cooler weather the past few weeks have really brought the people out to the park. Sometimes you cannot find a place to park your vehicle.The other day at the spillway, I saw a really big needle nose soft shell turtle that surfaced for only a little bit. The first one I have seen this year. They used to be seen in the spring quite often. Have had reports that people have seen a really big copperhead snake at the south part of the park on Serpendipity Trail. I have seen it in prior years but have not been able to see one to photo this year. Oh Yeh, I almost forgot. Today at the post office in town, I saw a Woodchuck across the street in a lawyers office back yard. It was just chomping away not far from the street. Strange to see in the middle of town. Stupid me, Forgot to get my camera for a photo.

Bona Dea Update

2010-10-14T00:05:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea has been sunny most days recently except the other day when it rained a little bit. We do need some rain around here. Flocks of various birds have been coming through this area. October seems to be the main month for migration heading south for the winter months. Still been feeding the Blue Gill Brim at the spillway but the catfish have disappeared since it has gotten cooler at night. Some Pileated and Downy woodpeckers have been active. Also the late summer and fall wildflowers are coming and going pretty fast. I suppose in anticipation of cold weather. Sorta wish it would hurry up and get here. I must have scared the Gator the last time I saw it as I have not seen it since. But the cooler weather at night may have moved it to its winter quarters away from where I mess with it. I recently saw a pretty male wood duck land right close to the spillway and then saw me and quickly started swimming towards some friends further out in the water as shown by the photo. Also saw a Great Blue Heron wading bird. This photo shows it was in a hole of water where the Alligator usually heads for at night in the summer time. It would make a pretty good supper don't you think. I took this photo of a very pretty bright red cardinal plant close to nightfall. This plant was very tall with some others like it nearby on Beaver Trail. Also on Waldon Way Trail there was a really pretty purple headed Trumpet weed or Joe-Pyed weed plant that I had to photo. Speaking of the spillway. There was a pretty small yellow single flower bloom of a Water Primrose wildflower that was actually growing in amount several tree roots in the very bottom of the dry spillway. These photos shows the bloom closeup and then the entire plant. Also on Waldon Way Trail I saw some Wild Rose Hips growing on the very sharp thorny limbs or stems of the rose plants. The red berry like hips are actually the seed pods for roses. On Swinging Bridge Trail I saw this Asiatic dayflower with the long seed pods. There were more of them in earlier stages on Waldon Way Trail by the Trumpet weed plant. They have very small and bright blue flowers that actually bloom only in the morning and are gone by the afternoon when I usually go to the park. Lazy me, I should go and take some picks of the blooms. Just google Asiatic dayflower and you can see the really pretty blooms.

Bona Dea Plants Update

2010-10-03T00:52:00.003-05:00

From bottom up: Red Buckeye Bush-Aesculus Pavia-Seed Pod-1-on deer trail across from Spillway-09-16-10. Sideoats Grama-Wild Grass seed pods-Bouteloua curtipendula-by Spillway-09-25-10. Small-flower White Aster-Symphyotrichum racemosum-bloom closeup-on Swinging Bridge Trail-09-25-10. Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly-on left. Red-spotted Purple butterfly-on right-by Big Prairie Creek Bridge-09-05-10. Wild Hydrangea-seed pods-Hydrangea arborea-by Spillway-09-25-10.

Bona Dea Plants Update

2010-10-03T00:46:00.003-05:00

From bottom up: Chinkapin Oak or Chestnut Oak Tree-on Serendipity Trail close to Big Prairie Creek Bridge-09-15-10. Giant Sunflower-forming blooms-Hellianthus giganteus-on Serendipity Trail-09-09-10. Honey Bee-Apis millifera-on Swinging Bridge Trail-09-16-10. Pearl Crescent butterfly-Phyciodes tharos-on Swinging Bridge Trail-09-16-10. Red Admiral butterfly-on left. Red-spotted Purple butterfly-on right. by Big Prairie Creek Bridge-09-05-10.

Bona Dea Plants Update

2010-10-03T00:33:00.004-05:00

These are some plant photos taken over the past couple of weeks at the park. From bottom up: Biennial Beeblossom wildflower-bloom closeup-on Swinging Bridge Trail-09-25-10. Canada Goldenrod wildflower bloom-Solidago canadensis-on trail by dike-09-25-10. Cardinal Flower blooms- closeup-Lobelia cardinalis-on Waldon Way Trail-09-09-10. Chinese Bush Clover-with Honey Bee-Lespedeza cuneata-on Swinging Bridge Trail-09-25-10. Chinkapin Oak or Chestnut Oak-acorns-on Serendipity Trail close to Big Prairie Creek Bridge-09-15-10.

Bona Dea Update

2010-10-02T23:40:00.003-05:00

I have not posted in some time. Have taken some pics but not posted here. The weather is really turning out to be pleasant these days after all the very hot weather recently. The birds are coming back to the park in flocks. Crows and Crackles and some flocks of ducks. Also some woodpeckers. Haven't seen the gator again since the post below. I did manage to see a Texas Rat snake. In this part of the world we call them Black or Chicken snakes. This one was meeting me on the trail and I tried to get it to stay on the smooth surface but it went into the woods and I followed it and it was getting late and had to use the flash to get the pics. Also I saw this man on what looks like a serf board using a paddle. I have seen him out on Lake Dardanelle across from the park on Fridays doing his thing. I suppose it it good exercise. The late Summer and early Fall wildflowers are in bloom and have some pics to post next.

Bona Dea Gator Update

2010-09-16T00:23:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and warmer and more humid today, Wednesday. I was feeding the fish as usual and then decided I would look around at some of the places where the Alligator hangs out. Sure enough I found it. It was facing the water with its tail going up hill on the bank. Never saw it in that position before. It was in a position to take off in the water in a hurry. I started taking photos then decided to try to get closer. When I moved in, it really jumped high with its feet and hit the water with a big splash. It went straight under water and I never did see it again. It did not come up for air or go swimming off. It must have moved away totally under water. People must have been messing with it and now having it too scared to stay put. These 2 photos showing it just before it took off.

Bona Dea Alligator Update

2010-09-05T00:36:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and mild and no humidity today, Saturday. A great day to be at the park. I will get right to the best part first. I saw the infamous alligator today. It was the first time since around May that I have seen it and haven't seen anyone else who has. Have no idea where it has been. I could not get a photo as I was looking through underbrush and the gator was a long ways off. I have a recent photo of it here and this is close to what it looked like today and it was swimming away from me to the other end of a pool of water. Good to know it is still around or has come back home. Also took some photos of a couple of plants and the one showing the smaller pinkish blooms is another Trumpetweed or Joe-Pyed weed wildflower. It shows a lot of blooms as was just off of Prairie Creek trail. The other one showing a big trumpet like bloom is a Wild Trumpet Flower bush bloom. This one is fully opened up and a recent photo shows one folded up. They tend to open up in the bright sunshine and close up for the night. This one was right by the Big Prairie Creek Bridge on Serpendipity Trail. Also on this trail I took a photo of another Question Mark butterfly. It is the one by the leaf on the gravel and a Hackberry Emperor butterfly which is the one in the photo with the many small rounded leaves. By Bullfrog pond, I saw many many Little Yellow or Little Sulfur butterflies just all over the Partridge-pea plants that I have photoed in a recent post. Also a Pearl Crescent butterfly which is the striking one showing black and yellow markings and seems to be down in the grass. I have never seen one of these before. The butterflies are really all over the place now that the weather has improved. But the day was made by seeing Mr. or Mrs. Alligator.

Bona Dea Butterfly Photos

2010-09-01T22:37:00.003-05:00

These photos were taken on Sunday, August 29th. The photo showing the 2 smaller dark grayish butterflies are of a Question Mark on the left and a Red Admiral on the right. They were really looking each other over and would touch each other and fly away and then come back together again. They are different species and really looked odd together on the willow tree trunk. Also there is another variety of the Question Mark that is shown in the photo showing a single butterfly in front of what looks like a sky background and is very light gray. When it opens up showing the top view it is in the photo showing the pretty yellow with small and large brown spots with the wings spread out on a leaf. They really look different when closed or opened up. There is a photo of the above mentioned Red Admiral butterfly opened up with wings spread out. The photo looks blurred as it was moving its wings pretty fast. It is the one showing the top view on a tree trunk and a semi-circle of orange color with white spots on the outside. The other photo shows a Viceroy butterfly with its very pretty orange and black spider web pattern wings spread apart with a Question Mark butterfly messing with it. That was a day gone to the butterflies.

Bona Dea Update

2010-09-01T22:11:00.002-05:00

For the past few weeks Bona Dea has been very hot and humid. But the last 2 days have been cloudy and rainy. We really needed the rain. Today it rained a lot. There have been flocks of Grackles and Robin birds. They must be getting ready to migrate. The fish have been really eating the food pellets at the spillway. I was walking along Swinging Bridge trail the other day and a delta wing shaped fly of some sort started buzzing around me and then stung me on both hands. I could not get it to stay away from me even after swinging my arms around wildly. Don't know what kind it was. It or one like it buzzed me again later but I did not get stung that time. Groups of Blue-teal ducks have been swimming around in Waldon Pond. Also a Great Blue Heron has been in the area. They seemed to leave the area in the hotter summer days. Grey Squirrels are coming out and playing around. Must be this years young stretching their legs for the first time. On Bullfrog Pond I saw some Great Egrets. They are pure white large Heron type birds. When they fly they keep their necks bent and not straight like the Herons. One photo here shows one along with a Tri-colored Heron which is sorta rare around here. It is the grayish looking bird. Also on Bullfrog Pond were a group of Partridge-Pea wildflowers. The photo showing the small yellow bloom is one of them. The foliage is fern like and if you squeeze the stems the leaves will double up or close. I used to do this to them all the time as a kid. Then the other photo is of a Lavender Trumpet Bush bloom. These plants are plentiful at the park and only grow along Prarie Creek where they can get plenty of water and are actually flooded when the creek is high. The butterfly photo is of a Red-spotted Purple showing the top view. This was at the spillway.

Bona Dea Update

2010-08-17T01:40:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea has been very hot and humid until today, Monday. It was cloudy and threatening rain yesterday afternoon. But it did not rain around here. Today was sunny but after front moved through it was less humid and about 10 degrees cooler making it like winter around here. I have still been feeding the fish the last few days at the spillway and last Saturday I took these photos. The 2 showing the insect with the solid black wings is a Ebony Jewellwing Damselfly. It was by the Beaver Dam Trail Bridge. I actually saw one a few weeks ago at the Spillway. Don't think I have seen these before. When they spread their 4 wings, which they do every few seconds, they are really beautiful. It was getting dark when I took these photos. On Swinging Bridge Trail, I saw 2 very small butterflies. The photo showing the middle size butterfly with the small spots and yellow splotch is a Little Yellow and also known as a Little Sulphur Butterfly. The smallest butterfly of the 3 shown in a Southern Slipperling Butterfly. It is the smallest of the Skippers. I have started to notice the Skippers coming out right now. They are supposed to be the most numerous of the butterfly types. Since the buttonbush blooms are coming on right now in the water ponds and by the spillway, the butterflies are coming around more. The Largest butterfly shown is another Tiger Swallowtail and I took the photo on Waldon Way Trail. This showing the top view, but now showing the true beautiful yellow color like the ones shown in a recent post below. The 2 photos showing a plant is a Trumpetweed or also known as a Joe-Pyed-weed plant. The one photo showing the whole plant shows it to be over 5 feet tall and you can see it has just started to bloom and many other buds ready to open. It will be very pretty when fully in bloom if someone don't walk down the tail and pick them or tear the plant down as probably will happen. So I wanted to get that first bloom before it might be too late. May take other photos if it makes it to maturity. The photo shows the bloom to be a pretty dark pink and lavender.

Bona Dea Update

2010-08-13T23:55:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea was again very hot and humid today. There were some clouds and just a sprinkle or two but nothing else in this area. Before I went to the park, I was at a restaurant close to the park and saw a hot dog on wheels at a nearby hotel. I haven't seen one that big. Here is a photo. I remember that it was about time to check out the Wild Muscadine Grapes at the park. I walked along Old Shorty Trail by the main parking area and sure enough there were some ripe ones on the ground at their usual place. The vines here are up high in the trees there. The photo shows where I picked some up and placed on the bench to photo. Then I walked along the Rabbit Run Trail not far from the parking area and there is a really big vine closer to the ground where there are bigger fruit. These photos shows the vine and one shows the unripe fruit still on the vine. There were also some downy woodpeckers chasing each other around and some Heron wading birds in the private ponds across the trail from this big vine. Also there were flocks of Robin birds flying in the trees close by. They usually leave the park and nest in town closer to residences for some reason. They must be leaving and grouping together again.

Bona Dea Update

2010-08-12T01:18:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea has been really hot, over 100 degrees F., and sunny and humid the last few days. It rained a couple of days ago that helped some. The last couple of days has, for some reason, brought in the birds. Some Eastern Phoebes and Green Herons. Also some smaller warblers or vireos have been flying around. Also same some ducks for the first time in a long time yesterday, Tuesday. They may have been the brown Grebes. August is usually the last month you will see the Alligator at the park. However I have not seen it in a couple of months. It probably is no longer there or alive. That was really the feature of the park to a lot of people. Also the butterflies and dragonflies have been out in force in this heat. have been still feeding the fish at the Spillway and the flathead catfish have really been tearing it up. I have a photo here of a Musk Turtle holding its head out of the water to breathe but it looks like it is asking for more food pellets which I have it after taking its picture. Have not seen snakes as of late. This heat is really keeping things quite. I did see something that to me was unusual. This was on Old Shorty Trail. It was a Green Lacewing insect larvae. The Lacewings are flying insects sorta like May flies. They lay eggs which hatch into larva and go around eating the tender vegetation. But this particular larvae will coat itself with fine material that it finds along the way and sticks it to its entire body just hiding it completely. These are 2 photos of this very small thing with the white covering. This covering is called debris by experts. Today, Wednesday, I saw a yellow Tiger Swallowtail butterfly and a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly at the Spillway. The Tiger is the yellow one. The photos shows the top and bottom view of both butterflies.

Bona Dea Update

2010-08-01T02:05:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea the last few days have been very hot, over 100 degrees F., and humid and sunny. You really bake out there and most birds have been staying inside with the air conditioning. The fish however have been eating pretty well at the spillway. Also the dragonflies and butterflies are plentiful. The photo showing the smaller butterfly on a leaf is a Silver-spotted Skipper. The skippers have the smaller sail shaped wings and are small in size. I also saw a really beautiful Tiger Swallowtail yellow butterfly on Old Shorty Trail and it landed on my leg. Also at the Gazebo I saw a Red-admiral butterfly. It has the orange border and a black body.It is strange but it too landed on my leg. I must smell really sweet. Today, Saturday, I took these photos of a Black Cherry Tree. There are 2 of them right next to the main parking area of the park. The fruit in this photo looks red but when they ripen they will be black. You can eat them and make jelly and wine. Also a photo of the tree. I also saw a web holding several Fall Webworms. They are actually larva/caterpillars of a very small white moth. They eat the leaves on the trees and can strip a whole tree. These were in a Shellbark Hickory tree. In the coseup photo of the worms you can see 2 of the hickory nuts just coming on. While I was tracking down butterflies, I stumbled upon a Southern Yellow Jacket Wasp nest in the ground around an old tree stump. I am really happy about not stepping on the nest. See the video posted below showing these going in and out of the nest. Sorry for the poor quality of the video.

Video of Southern Yellow Jacket Wasps at nest

2010-08-01T01:50:00.002-05:00

I just happened to stumble upon these Southern Yellow Jacket Wasps at their nest around an old tree stump at the picnic area of the park. I wall actually tracking butterflies and almost stepped on this nest. I have run over these nests before with a lawnmower. I ran away swatting the wasps that were chasing me and let the lawnmower roll down a steep hill.

Bona Dea Update

2010-07-24T00:53:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and hot and humid the last few days. Yesterday, Thursday, I fed the fish at the spillway again and it seems another flathead catfish joined the group. They tend to take the food away from the smaller Blue Gill Brim fish that like for the hard feed pellets to get softer in the water. Also Musk Turtles had their fill. Also saw a big Yellow bellied Water Snake in the spillway and was not afraid for me to mess with it. I suppose it is used to me by now. On Swinging Bridge Trail I saw these wildflowers that I have not seen before. They are Autumn Clematis vine plants and one photo shows the pretty bloom and the other one shows the entire plant growing in with other plants. The broader leaves in the photo belong to this plant and are on long vines. Close by was a butterfly. It is a Pearl Crescent. It was a small one and the photo shows it is on the White Bedstraw plant bloom. Also close by was this Yellow Garden Spider. It was just sitting on one of the long plants fern like plants that is shown in the Bedstraw plant photo. Today, Friday, I just stayed around on Old Shorty Trail by the main parking area. I saw a really big dead Cicada Insect. I put in on a bench and took this photo. Also in this post is a photo of a exo-skeleton or shell that this insect emerges from that I took and posted some time ago.

Bona Dea Update

2010-07-19T00:24:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and hot and humid today,Sunday. It rained about .05 inches yesterday. I fed the fish Saturday and the 3 flatcatfish are now regular eaters at the resturant. They really stir up the water when they eat. They act like vacuum cleaners the way they open their mouths to take in the food pellets. Sunday I stayed around the main parking area by the Gazebo and saw some dragonflies. The photo showing the one with dark spots at the very end of the wings is a female Common Whitetail. The other one is a young male Common Whitetail. It has not as yet got the total white color in its tail. The other photo shows the adult male with the white tail that I took some months ago. Also, I saw a Carolina Horsenettle wildflower plant on the dike by where I moved to next. This plant shows that the blooms have fallen off and now have the seed heads. It also has small thorns on the stems. A few days ago, I took a photo of another plant that had just the blooms. Photo of it here too.

Bona Dea Update

2010-07-16T01:26:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and hot today, Thursday. But it rained later in the night. The other day I saw a Yellow-crowned Night Heron in a tree on Swinging Bridge Trail. These are 3 photos of it. Today I saw a Common Buckeye butterfly on the same trail. It had its wings spread out and is really pretty don't you think. Also close to the exact same spot I viewed this Red-speckled Bolete mushroom. These 2 photos shows the top and bottom. It is a type of mushroom that has no gills. It has a spongy underneath. Supposed to be sorta rare. Also I fed the fish at the spillway and there was a third flathead catfish joining the group of Blue Gill Brim and Musk Turtles. Also a large Red-eared slider turtle joined in. Not much in the way of birds lately as it has been so hot. No snakes and still no alligator. On my way to my vehicle after the hike, I saw this Great Blue Heron wading bird right in front of my truck. Then it flew and a shot of it flying and then it landed close to a Yellow Crowned Night Heron which did not like that so it flew further down the lake.

Bona Dea plants Update

2010-07-11T22:54:00.003-05:00

The past few days have been rainy days. Pretty hot and humid. The rain causes the park to shine and the vegetation flourish. I fed the fish today at the spillway. There is another flathead catfish added to the group. Also many more Blue Gil Brim which are getting bigger each year as I have been feeding them up fat. Also the small Musk Turtles came around more and more. This usually happens as the days get warmer. Saw a flock of Crows come over Waldon Pond and some Great Blue Herons. Haven't seen those in a while. The Green Herons come around some. On Swinging Bridge Trail, since it has been wet and soft, the turtles seem to be digging their nest all over the place. No snakes seen in a while. Last Friday I did see some new and interesting plants. I saw a Burnt Sugar Mushroom. And that is what it looked like. There was a big one that someone had broken to pieces but these photos shows 2 smaller ones. They look good enough to eat but are poisonous. So don't eat any that looks like these. Also saw what looked like a Bellflower type of wildflower plant but it was actually a Caroline Horsenettle. These 2 photos shows the small lavender bloom and then one that shows the leaves and stems. The stems have very small and sharp spikes or thorns. I remember as a kid stepping one these barefooted. I wouldn't do that again. Then I saw something I haven't seen before. That is a Wild Sweet Potato vine. These 2 photos shows the bloom closeup that will open up later like a trumpet and the other photo shows the redish stem and pretty leaves. I had to break it off the bigger vine to photo it as it was in tall weeks and a Mimosa Thorn bush and did not want to get snake bit or thorn stuck. That color inside the bloom is a bright deep pink. I used to grow sweet potatoes and the vine and leaves did look familiar to me. It is actually a type of Morning Glory flower. I got rained on the other day with my camera. I got wet trying to protect the camera. Will take some rain gear next time.

Bona Dea Update

2010-07-05T22:12:00.005-05:00

Bona Dea was partly cloudy and warmer and more humid today. Yesterday I saw a Persimmon Tree. These photos shows the tree and leaves and the bark and then the small round purple fruit. When the fruit is ripe and just right, it is very sweet and good to eat. Today I went to the spillway and fed the Blue Gil Brim and Flathead Catfish and a few Musk Turtles. A pretty red male Northern Cardinal came for a visit. Also saw a big black Boat Tail Grackle bird that was eating a worm. I went to the Pumping Station and took some photos of the gates and screens at the end of Prairie Creek. From that point the water is pumped into Lake Dardanelle. This water comes from the city of Russellville. Russellville and surrounding areas would flood if this was not there. When they dammed the Arkansas River, it formed Lake Dardanelle and a dike had to be built to keep the lake out of Russellville. So this Pumping Station pumps the drainage from Russellville into the lake as it used to go straight into a bayou that is now under Lake Dardanelle and then it flowed into the Arkansas River. Also a photo of some very large piping connectors that they are changing out of the Pumping Station. As I was leaving the park, I saw a beautiful sunset and had to photo it. On down the road I saw another person doing the same thing.

Bona Dea Update

2010-07-03T23:48:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea was cloudy and mild today. Nice day to be outside. The new pumping station road they had started a few months back looks like almost finished. It doesn't look as bad as I thought it would after they took down so many trees and shrubs. Most of them will actually grow back along the wooded side. Will photo one of these days. At the spillway, I fed the fish consisting of Blue Gill Brim and Flathead Catfish and Musk Turtles. The other day I saw this Yellow bellied Water Snake up on top of the spillway. Today I saw a Green Heron over Waldon Pond. They were nesting by the spillway but left their nest for some reason. But this one finally landed on a log below the spillway in Prairie Creek. One photo shows it just standing on the log and the other one shows that it was all shook up, ruffled, as I kept mocking it and it thought it was threatened. It sure stuck its head up in the air and feathers standing out. Looks twice the size. Along swinging bridge trail I saw a Buttonbush shrub or small tree with its seed heads. When the white spores leave the head there will be green balls. 2 of them on either side of the large head with spores. Then the green balls will turn black later in the year and ducks and other water birds will eat them. They are sometimes called honey balls. Don't think I want to try them. I have tried to trick the fish into eating them. While at the spillway a flock of Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee birds along with a few Northern Cardinals came for a visit. Went to the old swinging bridge but did not see any snakes or turtles or birds. On the way out I saw a White Tail deer standing right beside the trail. I just walked right up on it and I guess it wanted its picture taken. Looks like the same one I have seen and photoed before in that general area. When I got to my vehicle on the Dike by Lake Dardanelle, I saw a family of boaters and they said I could take their photo. Then another one of two fishermen close to the Dike further up. It is the forth of July holiday weekend here, Independence Day, and people are heading for the parks and lakes. Then when I opened by truck door I noticed a pair of bugs on my truck seat. I took these 2 photos of them. They were attached and pulling each other around on the seat. They were Rice Stink Bugs. Research shows that they mate most of their adult like. Well it looks like it here. I guess they have learned from humans. LOL

Bona Dea butterfly, turtle Update

2010-06-26T23:03:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny, hot and humid today. It started to rain lightly in the late afternoon. Day before yesterday it had rained over an inch and then I went to the park. I was walking down the steep dike by the parking area and yep I slipped down on my can and slid some of the way down. I was more worried about my camera around my neck than my can. That is when I saw the turtle in the previous post. Yesterday I stayed around the main parking area on Old Shorty Trail. They had cleared up the down trees and limbs that I had photoed earlier but as I was walking around a big limb fell at the exact same spot as the other limbs. It was scary hearing the sound and seeing the limb falling to the ground. Glad I was not under it. Today at the spillway, I fed the fish and saw a Belted Kingfisher bird flying around Waldon Pond. Also a Great Blue Heron wading bird flew over head as well as some American Crows. The Northern Cardinals were all over singing away. Also the butterflies were out. I finally managed to see a Red-spotted Purple Butterfly land on a low hanging limb and finally decide to stay there awhile. Actually a long while and took 47 photos just to get these 2 better ones. I believe it must have been laying her eggs there as she would just spread her wings from time to time and not move around like it was feeding.

Bona Dea turtle, traffic accident, Update

2010-06-24T23:33:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea was wet in the late afternoon as a rain shower came over the park with a little over an inch of rain. It was really nice to be out there after the rain. This is an update regarding the traffic accident that occurred at a parking area off dike road by the park. Photos of the aftermath is on the June 17th. blog post. The local newspaper shows that an elderly gentleman was reaching for this cell phone and in the process swerved into oncoming traffic. He looked up and over corrected to the right and was going to fast to stop and ran through the traffic guards and ended up sideways by the water below. So we all need to be careful using cell phone while driving. I fed the fish and catfish and musk turtles at the spillway and noticed that Prairie Creek and the water ponds were refreshed by the rain. The Northern Cardinals were really expressing their appreciation for the rain by singing away. A really strange thing happened. I had walked down the steep dike after parking and went onto the trail. There was no turtle there when I went down. However when I came back about an hour later, a Red-eared Slider turtle had already dug her nest and was in the process of laying her eggs right where I had walked before. That was really fast work. These photos shows her on the nest and then a closeup showing the hole where she was laying her eggs. The ground was soft and muddy there due to the rain which probably prompted her to start laying.

Bona Dea, plants Update

2010-06-23T22:15:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea was very hot and humid and sunny. Heat index over 100 degrees. Took a closeup photo of a Crape Myrtle shrub blooms. Pretty redish pink in color and they are really starting to pop out now. On Swinging Bridge Trail, I observed a Trumpet Creeper Wildflower. It was actually very well hidden in the heavy overgrowth of weeds of the trail. They grow in vines and are related to the Cross Vines that I took photos of earlier in the year. The photo of the flower showing more red and orange and close to the ground is the Creeper and the other trumpet looking more yellow type flower is the Cross Vine. At the spillway I fed the fish consisting of the numerous Blue Gill Bream and a few Musk Turtles and ole Mr. Flathead Catfish was there for a taste. Also a flock of Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee birds came for a visit. Also on the trail were a pair of really big and really black American Crows. They took off when I approached them.

Bona Dea Update

2010-06-23T02:56:00.005-05:00

Bona Dea was very hot and humid today, Tuesday. Yesterday I fed the fish at the spillway and some Musk Turtles. Not much happening in the bird world the last few days. I did take some photos of some unusual plants on Old Shorty Trail by the main parking area. The photo showing the numerous redish or pink blooms is a Crape Myrtle Tree. It was by the gazebo and several have been planted in this area of the park. There are 2 photos of an American beautyberry shrub and they are the ones showing the very small lavender blooms with the yellow stamens sticking out and then one showing the leaf pattern. The last 2 photos shows an Canadian Germander wildflower. Showing the tube like white blooms and then one showing more leaves. I suppose new plants will be blooming until late fall. I did see a Downy Woodpecker on a tree yesterday at the spillway while feeding the fish. The water pools are starting to get lower due to the excessive heat and no rain.

Bona Dea, turtle, mushrooms, Update

2010-06-19T23:01:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and hot and humid in the late afternoon. It had rained about .05 in. earlier in the day. Just a short shower. First off while entering Swinging Bridge Trail I saw this turtle just walking along in the grass by the trail. I noticed that it was heading for the water after having been doing something with her nest. You can see by the photos that the lower back of her shell was very muddy. She had been doing some serious digging. Speaking of digging. See the photo showing the powerful hind leg she uses to do this. Another photo shows the smaller front feet.This is a Eastern River Cooter, Aquatic turtle. In a previous post, I showed some photos of a turtle nest on Swinging Bridge Trail. I have again shown them here to show it could have been this same type of turtle. You will notice the hole and the empty egg shells laying close by. At the Spillway, I fed the fish and the Musk turtles. I noticed some new brownish mushrooms that had just popped up. These are a variety of Russula. Blue Jay birds were flying around and on Old Shorty Trail earlier on I heard Northern Cardinals and Tufted Titmouse singing away.

Bona Dea insect, plant, Update

2010-06-18T20:55:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea was hot and humid as usual today. I went to Old Shorty Trail next to the main parking lot. I saw a mature May Apple. I took some photos of the plants and blooms in early Spring. They are again shown here. They show the white May Apple blooms and then the plants. Today I saw the mature May Apple seed pod that the white blooms turn in to. You can see why they are named apple as the seed pod looks like the green apple fruit. Also, I saw something rather interesting and wanted to share it with you. I saw a Cicada insect exo-skeleton or dry shell. This is shown here as the brown shell is split open as you can see. The mature Cicada emerges or molts from this shell. Another picture shows what the emerged insect looks like. These insects start to make a unified singing sound all around the place when it gets dark this time of year. This is the life cycle explanation of this insect: "After mating, the female cuts slits into the bark of a twig, and into these she deposits her eggs. She may do so repeatedly, until she has laid several hundred eggs. When the eggs hatch, the newborn nymphs drop to the ground, where they burrow. Most cicadas go through a life cycle that lasts from two to five years. Some species have much longer life cycles, such as the North American genus, Magicicada, which has a number of distinct "broods" that go through either a 17-year or, in the South of the USA, a 13-year life cycle. These long life cycles both happen to be prime numbers, perhaps developed as a response to predators such as the cicada killer wasp and praying mantis.^[11]^[12]^[13] A predator with a shorter life cycle of at least 2 years could not reliably prey upon the cicadas.^[14]

Cicadas live underground as nymphs for most of their lives, at depths ranging from about 30 cm (1 ft) down to 2.5 m (about 8½ ft). The nymphs feed on root juice and have strong front legs for digging.

In the final nymphal instar, they construct an exit tunnel to the surface and emerge. They then molt (shed their skins), on a nearby plant for the last time and emerge as adults. The abandoned skins remain, still clinging to the bark of trees." I hope you found this as interesting as I did.

Bona Dea traffic accident Update

2010-06-17T23:18:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea has been sunny and hot and humid over the past several days. Rain has been threatened in the late afternoons but no rain. Sometime in the last few hours to current time, there was a traffic accident at the parking area where I usually park. This is on the Dike road between Bona Dea and Lake Dardanelle. These 5 photos shows the site of the accident as a vehicle went through the iron railings along the dike and the parking area and then down the embankment and close to or into the lake. There was a gasoline slick in the water near the bank. I fed the fish at the spillway and went on Swinging Bridge Trail and down by old Swinging Bridge and then over to Beaver Trail. There were some Blue Jay and Redwing Blackbirds and Eastern King birds around the park as well as several Northern Cardinals. A few single Wood Ducks in the water ponds. Also the past few days, Belted Kingfisher birds were hunting for fish.

Bona Dea Update

2010-06-15T23:23:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny, hot and humid. Nothing new there these days. Yesterday on Old Shorty Trail, I took this photo of a Silver Maple Tree. What is unique about this type tree is that when the wind blows you can see the silver color on the bottom side of the leaves. Also saw a Brown Creeper bird. They sorta look like a wren but they stay real close to the bark of trees. This one was working real hard at the bottom of a tree trunk. Today, Tuesday, I went on Swinging Bridge Trail and at the spillway fed the fish and Mr. Flathead Catfish came back for a snack. And one Musk Turtle got its share. The Green Herons must have left their nest by the spillway. Some predator may have gotten the eggs or scared them off. Me going there all the time may not have helped. Also saw this Yellow Bellied Water snake at the bottom of the spillway. Did not feel like doing trees today. I am getting tired of that. Dragonflies were flying all over the place. Looked like Blue Darters or Pondhawks. Really have a lot of chigger bites from walking in the dense vegetation at the park.

Bona Dea storm,trees, squirrel Update

2010-06-13T23:57:00.002-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and very hot and humid. So much so that the mosquitoes were not around. On Old Shorty Trail by the main parking area, I noticed some tree storm damage. One had large limbs blown down and another was broken off at the ground. Photos shows the damage. Also on the same trail was a young Gray Squirrel enjoying a late lunch. The tree blown down appeared to be a Camphor Tree but not really sure about that. Over on Swinging Bridge Trail and by the Spillway, I just arrived and noticed that something had jumped across the spillway. I looked up and noticed a big Cottonmouth snake scrambling trying to get away. I mean it was really and big around and long one.It just kept going toward Prairie Creek and could not get a photo. I fed the fish and noticed that the Green Heron was not on her nest and never came back as long as I was there. I took a photo of a Crack Willow Tree which was growing in the water right below the Spillway. There was a female Wood Duck swimming close to the bank on Waldon Pond. Some Tufted Titmouse birds were around the same area. Also a Red Headed woodpecker was on a tree pecking away on Old Shorty Trail.

Bona Dea,snake,insect and duck Update

2010-06-13T00:18:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and warm and humid today,Saturday. The water had receded quite a bit today. I walked on the previously flooded Prairie Creek bottoms by the Old Swinging Bridge. And guess what??? I almost stepped on a Cottonmouth snake. Yes, they are Poisonous. Here are 3 photos of it. I looked at me as if to dare me to step on it. Really glad I didn't. I went to the spillway and fed the fish and the water was still real muddy. While there I looked on some leaves and saw this strange bug walking around on them. I took these 2 photos of an Assassin Bug-nymphal Sinea. I am also glad it did not assassinate me. That was 2 close calls today. Over on Beaver Trail I saw this female Wood Duck standing on a log. I thought she might have babies near by but did not see any. The vegetation at the park is really getting lush. It looks tropical. The Blue Jay birds were around a lot. Also Northern Cardinals. I saw a Brown Thrasher down low in the bushes but could not photo it. That was the type of bird that was singing like a mockingbird I talked about and photoed in previous posts. I also jumped a deer on Beaver Trail yesterday and took a photo that turned out bad. That is probably because it actually jumped me. They tend to do that a lot. They don't give you warning. They just jump and run and scare you to death when it is so close.

Bona Dea tree Update

2010-06-12T03:07:00.003-05:00

For the last few days I have taken some more photos of trees. Here are some and the order from bottom to top: Weeping Willow Tree, Shortleaf Pine Tree, Horsechestnut Tree, Black Willow Tree, and Baldcypress Tree.

Bona Dea, deer, wood duck, Update

2010-06-12T02:59:00.002-05:00

Thursday night into Friday morning, it rained 3 inches in a short period of time. When I went to the park today, Friday, the park ponds and Prairie Creek was filled to the brim. The Spillway was running very full and fast. I have posted 2 videos below showing this and also showing the Green Heron on her nest and 2 Yellow Bellied Water snakes. I took a photo of a male Wood Duck on Waldon Pond spreading in wings on the water. Yesterday I took these 2 photos of a Whitetail Deer on the new road to the pumping station along the Dike. Also have a photo of a White Mushroom growing out of a dead piece of wood. Also saw today a pretty yellow Prothonatary Warbler by the spillway. Also at the gazebo by the parking lot, there were some Tufted Titmouse birds actually playing around inside the gazebo. They were not afraid of anyone. A mother wood duck and her babies were swimming around in Black Water Swamp.

Bona Dea Flood Video-06-11-10

2010-06-12T02:49:00.001-05:00

Spillway Flood Video-06-11-10

2010-06-12T02:29:00.001-05:00

Bona Dea tree Update

2010-06-09T01:50:00.005-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and warm the last 2 days. I am still doing the trees at the Park. But I fed the fish at the spillway and the Green Heron is still on her nest by the spillway. Also a male Prothonatary Warbler came by. It is really a pretty bright yellow bird. I will post a photo of one I took some time ago at the park. Also a flock of Canadian Geese few over the park. I have not seen them in quite some time. And also no Alligator. Don't know where it has gone. No snakes seen in some time. Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee and Carolina Wren birds have been around the spillway or Swinging Bridge Trail the last few days. For some reason the Blue Jay Birds are numerous. I have taken a lot of tree photos lately and will try to get some more to have a collection for the photo albums of the park. These tree photos from top down are: Willow Oak Tree, Water Oak Tree, Redbud Tree, Red Pine Tree, Red Maple Tree, Pecan Tree and Green Ash Tree.

Bona Dea trees Update

2010-06-06T23:10:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea has been sunny and warm for the last 2 days. Mosquitoes have been out in force. Ouch!!! Also the last couple of days I have been working on trees at the Park. The only birds I have seen much seem to be Blue Jays. Have seen the Green Heron on the nest by the spillway. Also some more of the yellow mushrooms I talked about in a previous post are popping up more. The Common or Eastern Pondhawk dragonflies are pretty numerous. But on Swinging Bridge Trail yesterday and on Old Shorty Trail today, I have been doing trees. It won't be long before the leaves start to change color and they will be harder to ID. So I have posted some photos here of the trees. The name of the trees and other details such as leaves and bark can be found by clicking on the Bona Dea Trees link in the right column. Hope you enjoy the trees at the park. The photos here shows the trees from top to bottom in this order: Yellowwood Tree, Sycamore Tree, Southern-poplar Tree, Northern Red Oak Tree, Common Juniper Tree-looks like a cedar, and Black Hickory Tree.

Bona Dea deer, plants Update

2010-06-05T00:32:00.003-05:00

Bona Dea was hot and sunny today,Friday. We were supposed to get rain a day to two ago but no go. I have 2 photos of a Common Hoptree. One shows the white blooms closeup and the other shows the blooms and leaves. And 2 photos of a Sweetgum Tree and then a single leaf. The Hoptrees are all over the park. So are the Sweetgum Trees but these photos were taken of one at the spillway. Yesterday I saw a Whitetail Deer on the dike close to my parking place when I was leaving. The yellow mushroom is a Cantharellus minor, what a name, on the deer trail above the spillway. The Green Heron is still on her nest and is not afraid of me anymore as she did not move when I went there to feed the fish. Mr. Flathead Catfish came to eat today. Not really much bird activity at the park today. It is getting so hot they are not moving around much. However a Belted Kingfisher was on Waldon Pond looking for a fish to catch. Also I noticed that several Dragonflies were darting over the water and actually dipping their abdomen into the water. These are females that are depositing their eggs which will hatch into larva. Very interesting!!! In the woods the small moths were flying close to the ground. Haven't seen Mr. Alligator in some time now. Must be too hot to move around much.

Bona Dea butterfly, wildflowers, Update

2010-06-03T00:34:00.004-05:00

Bona Dea was sunny and very warm and humid today, Wednesday. On Swinging Bridge Trail there was a pretty Eastern Tailed-Blue female butterfly. This photo shows the bright orange spots on the lower wing and the 2 short tails coming from the wings by the orange spots. When she opened up she was a beautiful brown. She would land closed up so couldn't photo the brown color. At the spillway, the Herons were still nesting and the male came around and did not like be being there and started telling me to leave. The fish were fed again as usual. Some Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee birds came for a visit. On across the spillway the Northern Cardinals were there playing around. The ground moths were all over the place and also in other areas of the park. But guess what? There were no mosquitoes over there today. Must the the dry warm weather. Also some dragonflies were darting around and mostly pond hawks. I went over to Bull Frog Pond as I had not been there in a while and it has really grown up as the new people doing the mowing did not go around the pond. But that is good for the wildflowers. Wow!!! What a find. I new the Mimosa Trees would be in bloom and were they. These 2 photos shows their really pretty redish pink blooms. Also saw 2 different species of Daisy wildflowers. They are the big yellow flowers. The photo showing the fewer and rounded petals are the Brown-eyed Susan. And the photo showing the more numerous and longer petals are the Black-eyed Susan. Also underneath the Mimosa Trees were some fern plants. These are the Common Polybody and are many in number around there. The photo shows very fine branches. This was a good day for color to say the least. I also saw a bird that just flew in and out and could not photo but it had a yellow chest and a beak like a finch or grosbeak and a solid olive green back and tail. Never saw one of those before.