Bona Dea Update

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.