Covid Journal, Day 58: Green Bottom Wildlife Area, Part 1

39 again this morning, and overcast after a night of rain and wind.

Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area in Cabell county, West Virginia, was once a thriving plantation on the Ohio River where corn, wheat, cattle, hogs and other crops and livestock were raised. Today, the house stands empty, renovations stopped mid-stream due to electrical issues, and all of the cropland is long gone, having turned into marshes when the locks and dams system were installed on the Ohio River, and a railroad and a highway created a barrier to the former shape of the landscape. It is a magical place, full of wildlife, plants, water creatures, and insects.

We have stopped here several times over the years and enjoyed the ever-changing, strange beauty of the place. (Click here to see Green Bottom in summer photos, or here for a little more about the history of Green Bottom) I’ve been wanting to go back, so Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day by packing a light picnic, camera, binoculars and a bird book and making our way to Green Bottom.

Here is just some of what we saw there.

A lone fisherman in a kayak takes advantage of the beautiful day.

Something big has been here. Maybe someone brought their dog along on a walk?

And someone lost a fluffy white feather. The marsh is full of birds of many varieties. I was happy to see a new one for me, a Great Tufted Flycatcher. I may have seen these before, but this time I could positively identify it. I got no bird photos today--they were far too quick for me.

And something little is here too--hundreds of minnows in a puddle. On the way back out we saw a killdeer merrily feasting on the hapless little things.

In summer these plants--I believe they are a kind of lotus--will be beautifully in bloom, reminding me of Monet's water lilies paintings.

This plant looks like purslane, but must be some other species since it lives in the water.

A fleabane sports vibrant pink petals against the red leaves of a baby maple tree.

And into the woods...

Ol' mud turtle was enjoying a nice sunbathing session. I am not sure what that cross is behind him. Any ideas?

Pretty Star of Bethlehem is a garden escapee that seems at home in the marsh.

A family of geese--mama, papa, and a string of young'uns.

I have more photos to post tomorrow of this beautiful place. It's a habitat so completely different from where we live that it just fascinates me. We hoped that there would be few people here, and we were right. Although several family groups and couples passed by, everyone kept a good distance apart and altogether I doubt we saw 20 people in the 3 hours we were there.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

At Green Bottom Again: Summer in the Wildlife Management Area

A trip to the VA Hospital for Larry's appointment last week meant another opportunity to stop by Green Bottom wildlife management area. You might remember this post about GreenBottom when we stopped by there in April.  Now it is high summer in the bog, and the place is carpeted with wild hibiscus and American Lotus blossoms. (Edited--I thought they were water lilies but my friend Jenny corrected that. Actual name is N. lutea. Learning something new every day!)

 

I don't know the name of this little yellow flower--it's new to me. Can anyone identify it?

Deep shade, the sounds of thousands of insects and hundreds of birds filled the hot, humid air (temperatures were near 90 when we stopped).

One of dozens of dragonflies we saw as we followed the boardwalk through the swamp.

Another unknown flower. I'll have to find my flower identification books and take them with me next time we go to Greenbottom.

Another dragonfly. Their wings are so delicate, and their color is iridescent in the sun.

A hibiscus offers tempting pollination opportunities to the many bees that buzzed from flower to flower.

The water is murky, but we could see to the bottom, where tiny fish--or minnows, perhaps? darted quickly out of sight.

 In this area the water was covered with green algae, looking uncannily like a field of grass.

Shy jewelweed hides in a shady spot beneath taller growth. This plant places itself near poison ivy often, which is very handy since jewelweed is a great antidote for the ivy. Simply break the stems and smear the jelly-like substance inside over the affected area.

A bee works on the blossom of a plant I call bindweed--I detest it in my gardens but here it has a singular beauty.

Visitors! Raccoons must find this place a paradise.

A little of the sights and sounds--a patch of busy water, and the songs of insects and birds.

Have a lovely day, my friends, and stay cool if you can. It will once again be near 90 degrees here.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.