October Road

Although I can still see the lake when I look across the newly planted bottomland forest from Clark Road, some day the Oaks, Pecans, and Sycamores will block the view.






Several small snakes didn't make it across the road in their attempt to get up the bluff from the grassland.




Few flowers bloomed.


Dragonflies were still abundant, and slower than they were in the hot months of summer, more likely to land.


Bumble Bees still buzzed about.


Katydids and spiders.


All to be found along Clark Road in October.

The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Wetland Observatory

The trees north of the entrance road leading to the Wetland Observatory displayed their autumn colors.


Dabbling ducks of various kinds filled the shallow waters of the wetland.


A group of people with some folks from TNC and Dickson Mounds Museum gathered out on the boardwalk overlooking the lake.


From the Lake Observatory boardwalk, I could see the Wetland Observatory, across water alive with plants and algae.


Pelicans and Cormorants lined up on the ridge between Flag and Thompson Lakes.

October Light

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October."
- Nathaniel Hawthorne

A view of the Emiquon Wetland Observatory from Clark Road shows the changing colors of early October.


In early Autumn, many insects are out sunning themselves, making it easier to get photographs:

Praying Mantis:




Common Green Darner dragonfly, female:


Common Green Darner, male:


Harvester:


A grackle seemed to be eyeing the insects I was photographing!


A female Indigo Bunting came out to see what was going on:


The trees between Clark Road and the lake are growing; one day I won't be able to see the lake from this point.

Sunset over Thompson Lake

By September 4, the weather had cooled down and it was quite pleasant. I stopped by the Emiquon Nature Preserve visitor access area and took a few photos of the lake in the setting sun.


I walked past the canoe launch on my way to the elevated observation platform.


As I climbed the steps to the overlook at the Wetland Observatory, I turned to look towards the sun setting over the bluffs on the other side of the highway.






The waxing half moon was rising as the sun set behind the nature preserve.

Clark Road Pathway Overgrown

On the last day of August, I decided to take a walk down the pathway from Clark road to the levee. The pathway was completely overgrown with wetland plants that heavy rains created in June and early July, before the oppressive heat and corresponding drought moved into the area.


Great Blue Lobelia bloomed at the edge of the prairie.


The pond the beavers created under the bridge was dried up, and the plants had taken over.






Plants blocked the pathway leading away from the bridge TNC built to cross the stream that crosses the path.


I fought my way past the plants only to find more plants; no trace of the former pathway could be found. Foxtail grass, Sneeze Weed, Boneset, and Ironweed, sedges and other wetland plants covered the open acres of land between the stream and Thompson Lake.

Duncan Mills

I took the long way home from Emiquon, taking Route 100 to Lewistown. This route passes the corner of Duncan Mills, an unincorporated community near the Spoon River. I have long admired an old barn near the intersection of US 136 and IL 100.




An automobile garage is the only business left in the area.


Here is a photo from long ago, when there was a mill here:

Short Trip Through the Prairie

After meeting with the Emiquon Corps of Discovery at Dickson Mounds Museum, I drove through the prairie to see if the Cardinal Flower was still in bloom. I found several of the brilliant red plants blooming at the foot of the bluff along Prairie Road:


I found several Anise Hyssop plants blooming, which is rare in Illinois. Typical habitats include upland areas of prairies, such as the one at the base of the bluff here at Emiquon. It may also be found in scrubby barrens and thickets.


The cup flowers had almost finished blooming by mid-August.

Summer Sunrise at Emiquon

The summer of 2011 was sweltering here in Fulton County, as in much of the nation, and I didn't venture out very often. Early one day in August, I woke to find the temperature had dropped into the upper 60s. A cool front! So I headed to the Lake Observatory at Emiquon Nature Preserve's newly opened visitor center.

 From the boardwalk at the Lake Observatory, I could see across the lake to the Wetland Observatory, which was silhouetted against the morning sky.