Woodpeckers on the Old Oak

An old oak tree in our front yard is a favorite hang-out for a resident pair of red-bellied woodpeckers during winter.  They are often seen scooting along the thick branches in search of tiny insects.  They also hide their gathered acorns in holes along the branches.  

Other birds like to visit this old tree too.  I've seen blue jays, cedar waxwings, chickadees, robins, downy woodpeckers and many others perched upon its branches or inspecting the branches in search of food.  

This old oak tree needs to be cut down because of the many signs of destruction and disease within its trunk and limbs.  My hubby and I have talked about having it cut down, but it's another one of those things that we procrastinate on because we can- seems there is always something more important that needs attention.  So, for now, the birds can enjoy it a while longer, and I can enjoy watching them.

Squirrels Like Them Too

They also partook of the tiny fruits from the Cleveland Pear tree...

Obviously, squirrels aren't bothered with gastric reflux ;)

First Angel Trumpet Blooms

My Aunt Joyce surprised me with a truckload of newly propagated Angel Trumpet trees.  She had them unloaded and lined up in my front yard before I knew what was going on.  I was all the more grateful for these passed down treasures from her collection of pink and yellow trumpets.  

For the time being, they're lined along my back porch in full sun and doing well.  The first pink blooms appeared a few days ago...

I love the way the long blooms dangle from the branches and sway in the breeze.  I'm looking forward to seeing these beauties grow into mature trees.

Mimosa Trees

FREE:  Mimosa Trees.  U-DIG & U-HAUL.

I seriously doubt that I could give these trees away, but it was worth the thought.  Several of them have invaded my back yard and though I like the fluffy pink and white blooms, I hate the ugly brown seed pods that are all over the place in the fall.  

Steve Bender wrote an article for the Daily South, which stated "Mimosa adapts to almost any well-drained soil, laughs at heat and drought, and does not mind if you spray-paint the trunk white, hang tires from the branches, or park your pickup on top of its roots. In short, we called it a “pioneer species,” because if you disturb the land, remove native vegetation, and open the tree canopy to light, it’s one of the first trees to appear. That’s why you see it growing along just about every highway and country road in the South. Northerners be glad it doesn’t like your cold winters, but with global warming, who knows how much longer you’ll be free?".  Yes, that pretty much sums it up, Mr. Bender.  

Besides the pretty blooms, the only other good thing I have to say about these trees is that they attract plenty of butterflies and hummingbirds.  

Thank you for stopping by.  Have a great weekend!

Louisiana Swamp Tour, Part 2

Beautiful weather made our tour around Lake Martin even more enjoyable.  Temperatures were in the mid 70's with a consistent gentle breeze in the air.  It was a perfect day for being outdoors.  

Our tour guide, Mason, shared his knowledge of the lake and its plant and animal life.  He was very informative and kept conversation interesting with an occasional tale, local lore and rumors about the area.  Tourists were allowed plenty of time to take photographs and I took advantage of every opportunity possible.  

A determined turtle balanced himself atop a protruding log to soak in some sunlight.

A variety of plant life inhabits the swamp.

Duckweed causes the green, slimy appearance on the water's surface in some areas.

This young gator is about 2 feet long.

Many hatchlings fall prey to predators around them such as snakes, raccoons, otters and larger gators.

One of the "big boys", this adult male is about 14 feet long.

Being close to him made me a little nervous, but excited at the same time.

Another large gator swam nearby.

Some of the gators went under water as we passed through.  Others ignored us.

Huge duck blind?  I don't have a clue.

A couple enjoys fishing in Lake Martin.  Largemouth bass, crappie, bream and more are caught here.

I still don't have a clue...

My eyes scanned the tree tops and fallen logs for wildlife...

like these birds- Double-crested Cormorants.

Another Double-crested Cormorant and an unidentified small bird share a protruding branch.

I think I'd like to try a kayak ride.  It looks enjoyable.

An Osprey peered down from her nest.

She looked around a little while-

then made a flight loop and returned to her nest.

Tour boats can become stuck around logs and bogged in all the mushy vegetation. We had no problems.

Another gator slowly glides by.

This one is probably 8 to 9 feet long.

Alligators are cold-blooded and regulate their body temperature with their surroundings- sun or shade.

I hope you enjoyed Part 2 of our Louisiana Swamp Tour.  Since I have a few more photos to share, I'm going to post a Part 3.  I took over 300 photographs during our 2 hour swamp tour- that's nuts I know, but I like to have many to choose from.  Thank goodness for digital cameras!  

Look for Part 3 of our tour within a couple of days.  Click here to return to Part 1.  I'm going to share today's post with Eileen for Saturday's Critters.  Have a great afternoon!

Louisiana Swamp Tour, Part 1

I grew up in Louisiana, a state known for its lakes, swamps and the wildlife that inhabit them. I went on a lot of fishing and crabbing trips with my parents, but never a swamp tour.  I didn't have a clue of how much fun and photo opportunities I had been missing- until last weekend. I convinced my husband (who, by the way, has Cajun DNA) to take me to Lake Martin aka the Cypress Island Preserve in Louisiana.    I was only 9 days post-op knee surgery but I was about to go stir crazy. What harm could I do by simply riding in the car and standing for a few minutes here and there to shoot some photos?  

It was a little more difficult than I thought.  Standing in one spot trying to wait and focus on my subject was challenging, for sure.  After a little while of that, I resigned to taking my photos from inside the car, using the window for a camera prop.  That night, I read a brochure about the swamp tours in the area and knew that I'd have to try it.  Hubby tried to convince me to wait a few weeks until I was further along in recovery.  I considered his advice for a little while but my desire to take the swamp tour the next morning prevailed over safety precautions regarding my knee.  I chose to make reservations with Champagne's Cajun Swamp Tours because their tour boats appeared roomy and the chairs looked comfortable enough.  

Our tour was scheduled for 10:00 a.m.- I could hardly wait!

Champagne's Cajun Swamp Tours has a great reputation in the area.

The back deck and boat dock (Photo from tripadvisor.com)

Nice boats

A nice place to sit, relax and enjoy the view or a good book,

 or do some fishing off the bank, like this family.

Many of the birds enjoy fishing here as well (Great Egret).

Heading toward the marshland surrounding the lake-

I enjoyed the close up views of the bald cypress trees. 

Our first alligator sighting- his head and tail covered with swamp vegetation.

Many of the turtles soaked in the sun along downed logs.

Several people slowly meandered around the swamp in colorful kayaks.

Spanish moss dangles from the cypress trees and

gracefully sways in the light breeze, creating a sense of peace and serenity.

Water hyacinth densely populates large areas of the swamp.

Thick roots of the water hyacinth can be seen for several inches below the water's surface.

Small, round cones are produced by bald cypress trees.

Amazing how some plants can grow in the strangest places.

An alligator moved quietly along the water's surface

while another bathed in the morning sun.  

"Ahhh, this is the life"...

Don't be fooled-

he's well aware of his surroundings.

Several duck blinds are located in convenient areas around portions of the lake.

The water vegetation was more of a golden color on the opposite side of the lake,

and very dense in some areas.

I hope you enjoyed the first part of our swamp tour as much as I enjoyed writing about it.  Look for Part 2 within a day or two.  Have a safe, wonderful weekend!