Early September Walk

On any given day we wonder what will be seen as we set off to explore a local park. In this case it was Prairie Oaks Metro Park a few morning ago. Wondering now in the past tense, we were not disappointed.

One of the park’s small lakes. Dragonfly heaven!
A sunflower that was hard not to notice,
Along the Big Darby as it meanders through the park.
Phlox is seen along the trail. I always think of it as a spring flower.
Nothing says late summer like sunflowers.
A Royal River Cruiser swoops in and perches nearby. Not a common sighting.
A more common Halloween Pennant was also seen.
Being rather late in the season I was charmed by this lone Swamp Milkweed, but what were those small objects growing/crawling on it’s stems? Aphids?
Blazing Star. Very different than late summer sunflowers.
At waters edge something smaller than a average grasshopper launched itself about three feet across my path then poses for a picture. It was a Cricket Frog
Leaving the pond shoreline and continuing along the river a Green Heron tries not to be noticed.
In a dead tree high overhead a discarded snakeskin catches the breeze. Curtesy of a Rat Snake?
Ebony Jewelwings were still in the neighborhood.
So tiny but yet so beautiful, a Summer Azure poses.
Perhaps not so beautiful but fascinating nonetheless, mating robber flies. Be glad you’re not a small insect when one of these creatures flies by!
The deep purple of Iron Weed.
The fascinating flower of the Spotted Jewelweed can be a tough one to do justice to, but we try.
What would a hike but without a turtle sighting? In this case probably a map with a smaller painted.
With it’s many shades, in a month the river’s pure green canopy will be no more.

Other things seen eluded the camera’s lens but that’s okay because the above images are more than enough to hint at the riches found and the wealth accrued.

Thanks for stopping by.

 Category: Central Ohio Nature      Tagged:

8 Comments on “Early September Walk”

  3. Lovely pics of a variety of flora and fauna on this walk! I think you’ve got a river cruiser rather than a shadow darner though. I’m no expert on river cruisers, but maybe a Royal?

    Reply

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