Monday, June 15, 2009

After the Flood at Cooper Park


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Originally uploaded by jward199



A beaver lodge is located near the boardwalk at Cooper Park wetland in East Peoria, IL. This guy swam from the lodge down a narrow stream until he reached the open water. This area has been underwater most of the spring, due to flooding on the Illinois River.

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A Great Blue Heron sat out by the edge of the river.

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A pair of Prothonotary Warblers were flitting around the bottom land forest.

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This huge old snapping turtle was just off the boardwalk on the south boardwalk at Cooper Park in East Peoria.

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The forest floor was covered with cottonwood seeds.

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Another heron was out at the edge of the forest along the river.

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Maple seedlings carpeted the woods, in wide rows where the flooding waters dropped them.

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Canada Geese were milling around by the water's edge.

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More Maple seedlings carpeted the ground out to the playground, like a lawn where the flooding river deposited them in fertile sediment.

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