Holy Macro !

After our adventure out in the swamp yesterday, it was back to reality for me as I headed into work this morning.  I was scheduled to rove this morning, and then work the VC this afternoon.  Jack came along for the roving part of my day.  It was a little chilly, so not much was out and moving about this morning.  After an hour or so, we headed for the secret pond.  I often see something good in this secluded area, and today was not a disappointment.

As we rounded the corner that leads to the field surrounding the pond, there was a group of wild turkeys there.  Spring is definitely in the air, as a couple of tom turkeys were displaying for the hens.  Cool beans!  It seems I always find something of interest when I visit the pond.  I shut off the engine, and we made our way by foot to see if we could a little closer without spooking them.

They only let us approach so far before they ‘headed for the woods’.  Only us turkeys out here this morning.    This was the first time I’ve been witness to the mating ritual of this species, so I was thrilled.  There was a whole lot of gobbling going on, and the males fanned out their feathers in an effort to show their best sides and bright blue heads to the ladies.  It seemed to me that the hens were rather ambivalent to all this show casing.  I thought that was rather wise on their account.  All that bluster and chest puffing out doesn’t mean they’ll be a good mate…

Remember those sundew plants that I’ve been wanting to get a good picture of?  Well, Jack brought along his macro lens today, and I asked him to take some pictures for me using that lens.  I’ve never had or used one, so I wanted to see what it could do. 

Those sundews are across a watery ditch on the way out from the secret pond, and I am not allowed to go into these kind of contortions yet to get a good picture of them.  He was up for the challenge, and put his macro lens on my camera.

This was the result.  These carnivorous plants are only about an inch or two across, and the macro lens captured the dewy sticky globs that bugs get stuck on very well I thought.  Once the bugs are stuck, the pads fold up to digest them.  Holy cow!  I’m thinking a macro lens might be in my future as soon as I’m able to fold down and get up close and personal with little things.  Thanks, Jack.

This afternoon, I had a brainstorm while working the VC, and asked Jack if he would like to extend his visit for a few days so we could do a boat trip into the swamp from the west entrance.  I just found out he is up for that adventure, so we’ll rent a motorboat out of Stephen Foster State Park and slowly investigate the dark cypress part of the refuge next Monday.  I’m really excited about that, and hope we have wonderful weather.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy