Rowing the CLC Northeaster Dory to Sand Island for Nature Watching

This has been a perfect year on Lake Norfork. The winter was mild. Spring came relatively early. Rainfall has been frequent enough to avoid prolonged drought, and despite occasional bouts of torrential rain, there has been no major flooding in the streams and rivers; hence, the lake level has been quite stable. On the whole the summer has been fairly mild with no episodes of 100+ degree heat.

With these conditions it is no surprise that the fall shows signs of being spectacular. Now that the schools are again in operation, we have the lake to ourselves just at the time when the fall wildflowers are reaching their peak.

Today, Sue and I put the dory in and rowed out to Sand Island, one of three areas near Hand Cove and Jordan Landing with white sand beaches reminiscent of those on the Gulf Coast.

Tall Thoroughwort dominates the acres of wildflowers. . . . And I do mean "tall"! On our property the same plant grows to a height of maybe two or three feet. On the island there were specimens nearing six feet tall with stalks more like the trunks of saplings than seasonal flowers.

The Tall Thoroughwort was, of course, playing host to quite a large variety of interesting insects.

Common Buckeye Butterfly

Ailanthus Webworm Moth

Possibly a Byssus Skipper

Differential Grasshopper

Unidentified Moth

Tiny Caterpillar

Unidentified Beetle

The most common butterfly of all flitted about so incessantly that I could never creep up on it for a macro portrait, but it was about the size and color of a Cloudless Sulphur. There were also lots of tinier sulphurs flitting about.

One of the handsomest butterflies I saw would not pose for a close-up, but could be seen from a distance. It looked like a very dark Buckeye.

If you look past the Tall Thoroughwort, there was quite a lot of other interesting plant life along the beach. There were some tiny bluets that I didn't bother to photograph. In addition there was Small Morning Glory. But the prettiest flower was without doubt Bluecurls.

Bluecurls, Trichostema dichotomum

But Partridge Pea is a showier flower, especially on this beach where it grew into large and healthy bushes.

Partridge Pea, Chamaecrista fasiculata

While we are on the pea family, there was also plenty of Hairy Milk Pea, Galctia volubilis.

Finally, there were some plants that I have not yet identified. If you recognize the images on this "Most Wanted List," please drop me a line.

Smartweed?

Home for a Grey Tree Frog

Back in February of 2015 I wrote about trying to make inviting homes for Grey Tree Frogs by pounding 4-foot chunks of PVC pipe into the ground. The idea is that the frogs would climb up these vertical columns and then descend into the dark, moist space within -- protected from most predators. I checked these "homes" for more than a year and only rarely found them inhabited by anything but spiders.

It turns out that I was too cerebral in my approach to creating habitats. The perfect Grey Tree Frog home turns out to be . . . a partially filled plastic watering can. Yep, a Grey Tree Frog can climb in and out with ease, cool off in the water, find the occasional insect, and even shelter in the hollow spout or handle.

Who could ask for anything more? The little fella has been living in and around his spacious home for most of the summer. He has sometimes even made the trip inside the cabin as my wife refilled the watering can preparatory to tending to her deck plants.