Emiquon in June on a Not-So-Humid Day

After a week or so of oppressive humid heat in early June, some cooler air blew in over the Emiquon Wetland Observatory.

As I entered the compound from the highway, I paused and looked south towards Havana. Bright blue sky and billowing clouds filled the sky behind the remaining foundations left over from farming.


Looking North, the trees that once surrounded the farm houses and buildings stood tall on the grass emerging after the year-long construction project.


The Lake Observatory is closest to the boat ramp. The boardwalk reaches out over the edge of Lake Thompson.


Looking north across the lake from here I could see the long boardwalk leading to the Wetland Observatory.




Looking to the west towards the highway and the upland bluffs of Morton Mounds, a semi-truck passes by.


I started out on the boardwalk that crosses the wetland on its way out to the observatory.


Long ropes of algae made patterns in the water.


As the humidity began to rise, clouds formed over the bluffs.


And a Red-winged Blackbird called out to mark his nesting territory.


A female Red-wing also stood watch nearby.

Clark Road in June

On a walk along Clark Road, I found some Assassin bugs on various types of vegetation.




The apples on the old apple tree that grows along the road, one of the few of an original orchard planted by one of the settlers along Clark road, had a few apples beginning to form.


From the mowed path leading from Clark Road to the wetland, you can see the growing bottomland forest trees planted by TNC back in the spring of 2009. One day, I will not be able to see the lake from this spont for the trees!


Quite a few Blue Dasher dragonflies were cruising along the path, pausing every now and then on a dried stem or blade of grass.




A pair of Red-tailed Hawks worked the area from high above.


Moth Mullein, Purple Vetch, and Wild Parsnips were in bloom.








Grapes were forming in the vines growing along the tree-lined creek that runs beside the path.


Large patches of Prairie Thistle are establishing themselves in the prairie.






An Indigo Bunting sang a brief song before disappearing into the tree line.


Dragonflies flew overhead, underfoot, across the path in front of me, and on both sides. A few were nice enough to land briefly for photographs.






While photographing a bug landing on the leaf of a milkweed plant, I found a green tree frog camouflaged against the leaf.




Duckweed covered the creek that the beavers dammed earlier in the spring.