I made a quick visit to the site of the old Buck Creek Lodge to collect a few seeds
from a large group of irises I had seen the previous year. It wasn't really a photo
expedition, but I saw a few interesting things and took just a few pics...
Late July 2018:
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Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), just laying across middle of the road...
This was probably the heaviest snake that I've ever come across...
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Of the five timber rattlers I've encountered in the past year, three were in the middle
of gravel Forest Service roads, while a fourth was on the side of a FS road. If I hadn't
parked right in front of this guy, I guarantee it would have been run over (probably
intentionally) by the truck that came by shortly after I had stopped.
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Rattles
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Some Turk's Cap Lilies (Lilium superbum) were still blooming
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It was odd to see gladiolus, as well as some cultivated iris and lily
species, growing in this seemingly wild area. These were near the
site of the former Buck Creek Lodge, no sign of which remains.
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Heirloom Gladiolus
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Another quick visit to look for any interesting late summer blooms...
August 2018:
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The power line ROW had been partially cleared recently, and I only saw a few
Yellow-fringed Orchids (Platanthera ciliaris) in bloom.
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Savanna Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa)
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Savanna Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa)
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Immature Carolina Mantid (Stagmomantis carolina)
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Featherbells (Stenanthium gramineum)
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Yellow Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)
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I saw lots of Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars (Euchaetes egle)
chewing on Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) seed pods and leaves.
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Southern Harebell (Campanula divaricata)
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Nice roadside colony of Sunflowers (Helianthus species)
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