Bona Dea Update

Bona Dea was mostly cloudy and very windy and cooler today. Just right to be in the outdoors. By the pumping station there were a pair of Bluebirds sitting on the electric lines. I have seen them there the last few days but did not pay too much attention until today. They flew off and couldn't get a photo. They were using the pumping station to draw down Prarie Creek as the big crane has been moved back in to clean out the basin that is full of trash. They are also making progress with the new road to the pumping station. American Crows were flying in flocks all over the park. A Cormorant was floating in the water by their favorite snag in Lake Dardanelle. While walking along the trails Bullfrogs would jump into the water when you get close. That sorta scares you at first. The Belted Kingfisher the last few days as been fishing off the trail close to the Big Bridge over the creek. He would never stay in one place long enough to photo. Photo in a previous post. The female goose is still on her nest on the island in Waldon Pond with the male around today as he wasn't yesterday. No snakes seen today. Some Red-eared Slider turtles were swimming around the spillway where I fed the Blue-gill Brim fish. I walked again today over the deer trail from the spillway and then back over Waldon Way and took some photos of Water Lily Plants. 2 of them here. They are the small round plants in the water. A few feet down were some Wild Blackberry vines starting to bloom. This is the photo with the white flowers. Wild Blackberries are very good in pies and coblers. Also by the pumping station the real pretty Red Clover plants and are planted on the dike by the highway are staring to bloom and 2 photos of them here. They are planted to help prevent errosion as the dike is pretty steep. I also mentioned a few posts ago that the water plants I had labled Primrose was actually Alligator Weed. That fits as there were and hopefully will be one there this year. The Azelias bush plants at my house are staring to bloom a pretty red color. Will take some pics when they get in full bloom. A neighbor has some pretty White and Pink dogwood trees I hope to photo. I also saw a white one off in the distance by the Water Lily plants. Off of Beaver Trail off Waldon Way a Canadian Goose was screaming bloody murder and I later saw it and it was preening itself and just hollering real loud. Hope the Gator didn't get its mate. Also saw a Gray Squirrel and every time I started to take is photo it took off. Same way with a Bluejay bird. They don't give me too much respect. The snakes and turtles don't move to fast so I can catch up with them.