A Daily Dose of Awe

Josh and I took a walk around Windswept Bog on Thursday June 17. It used to be a working cranberry bog, but is now in the process of returning to a wetland. The flowers are taking advantage of that! There are view of whole fields of the the wild iris, blue flag.

Rose Pogonia,
Pogonia Ophioglossoides

 My daily awe was provided by a patch of wild orchids, the dominutive rose pogonia, (Pogonia ophioglossoides) near Stump Pond. I first saw an early colicroot and a plump thistle, and turning around saw another patch of white...and was surprised by the rose pogonia! These finds make the continuing sandplain blue-eyed grass seem almost humdrum! 

 It's the time of year when snakes and turtles are regularly crossing my hiking paths, for more surprises. On the roads, its Viburnum, Milkweed and Multiflora roses time. The multifloras have been rambling for a week, but the viburnum and milkweed have just popped.

On Sunday, the ovenbirds are still singing in Squam Swamp, accompanied by many red-eyed vireos and great crested flycatchers and an eastern wood peewee. They really belt it out...almost as much song per ounce as a carolina wren!

Sandplain Blue-eyed Grass, sisyrinchium fuscatum, is globally rare...except for ACK and MVY

Painted Turtle

Rosa Virginiana

A juicy pasture thistle, Cirsium pumilum

Colicroot, Aletris, contains a compound that mimics estrogen