A small group of Apple trees grow where the old homestead used to be.
The power lines remain standing at the south end of the lake, but are completely down closer to the boat ramp.
A turkey ran up the bluff ahead of me as Scott and I climbed it one morning.
Domestic ducks and hybrids hang out at the corner of County Road 9 and Dickson Mounds Road.
An American Painted Lady warmed itself on the rocks near the shore of the lake.
Philadelphia Fleabane bloomed along the sides of the road and in the prairie.
A Great Egret hunted the estuary between IL 78 and Prairie Road.
A Snowy Egret hung out with a small group of Great Egrets.
I flushed a Green Heron and an American Bittern as I approached the wetland. It happened so fast that I barely had time to snap a couple of shots.
Another Common Yellowthroat appeared and then vanished, as well as dozens of Indigo Buntings, Song Sparrows, and American Goldfinches, most of which disappeared in the brush before I could focus on them with my lens.
Black Flies were present and buzzing around my face, but not biting. The Buggins spray was working that day. Here are some flies in the mud near the wetland. They may or may not be the biting black flies.
As we drove Prairie Road on our way home, a Turkey Vulture was feeding on a carcass in the field. After being harassed by an aggressive Red-winged Blackbird, he took off. His slow rise from the field with the sun shining on his wings allowed for a couple of fairly close shots of this huge bird.
