The Beginning of the Autumn Season in Connetquot

Lately when I’m visiting Connetquot River State Park, I walk to Bunces Crossing and Bridge. It is there and at the Deep Pond Bridge that I am beginning to see the leaves turning to autumn colors.  Unfortunately, when I was hiking this weekend, the weather was overcast and my photos reflect this.  But this is just the beginning of what I hope will be a spectacular fall foliage show.

View from Bunces Bridge

View from Deep Pond Bridge

Butterfly on a Yellow Wildflower

I took this picture last Saturday at the Connetquot River State Park. The butterfly is a Sulphur, but I don't know what the plant is. When I tried identifying it by examining its flowers, it seemed like it was wild parsnip. Although when I studied its leaves, I thought it could be Goldenrod (a lanceleaf variety). There are about a hundred species of Goldenrod in America. Most of them are found in the East and bloom during late summer or autumn. Knowing these facts about Goldenrod makes me think this is a good candidate for being one. But for now, I give up on trying to identify it.  I’ll just call it a pretty yellow wildflower. If you know what it is, I would love to hear from you.

Buck in Connetquot River State Park

Today I took a late afternoon walk in the Connetquot River State Park. It was a lovely afternoon, but surprisingly there was only one other person at the time walking there. As we passed one another on a path, he asked me if I had seen anything interesting, and I told him I hadn’t. He said that he saw some deer, which I also spotted at the beginning of my walk. He mentioned that in previous years he would see bucks in the park, but he had not seen any in a while. I also have not come across any bucks in the past couple of years, but as I mentioned in a previous blog entry, I am not too interested in deer. I walked for miles, at least four, and since I was on a trail I am not familiar with, I was worried I might be lost at a time when the park was closing. However, when I saw a sign for the artesian wells, I knew how to get back because I am familiar with the path leading to them. When I finally neared the parking lot, I was disappointed because I had not not seen anything of interest during my long walk, but then I spotted something amazing. There on a path leading to the parking lot, was a handsome buck. This seemed rather ironic since I was told by someone at the start of my walk that he had not seen a buck in the park for a long time.

Puffball Mushrooms

These eyeball looking mushrooms are commonly known as puffballs. If you were to press on one, you would most likely see what looks like a puff of smoke come out of it. Of course, it would not be smoke, but spores. Unlike most other mushrooms, puffballs produce spores as an interior mass (gleba) rather than on the exterior surfaces such as gills or pores.  Some varieties of puffballs can grow quite large (up to two feet), but I have only seen small ones at the Connetquot River State Park, where I photographed these.

Wood Nymph

Wood Nymph on the Green Path at the Connetquot River State Park

During a walk through the woods in the mythological world, one might encounter Satyrs (half-goat and half-man creatures) and Wood Nymphs (beautiful and amorous young women). In the Connetquot River State Park, one could also see Satyrs or Wood Nymphs, but these would be of the butterfly variety.  The pictures above are those of a Wood Nymph butterfly and they can often be seen flitting along the edge of  woods or resting on a tree bark or path. Its nickname is Goggle Eyes because of the eyespots on its wings. These serve as targets to divert attacks by predators away from its body region. I find the eyespots useful because they make it easier for me to see and identify these butterflies. Usually when they are resting, they hold their wings together and above their heads, as shown in the top picture. Today I got the rare opportunity to see one with its wings wide open and get a good glimpse at those eyespots.

Water Snake

 

I had mentioned in last week's postings that although I knew there were snakes at Connetquot, I had never seen one. Well, this week I saw another one or more likely the same one I saw last week. It was near the Deep Water Pond Bridge, in a spot I normally look for dragonflies. What makes water snakes different from most other reptiles is that they do not lay eggs, but instead the mother gives live birth to her young.This sunbathing beauty was coiled up on a branch hanging out along the pond's edge. Even though they are not poisonous, I would not pick one up or get too close. They will bite, omit a foul smell, or even defecate if they feel threatened. Those are all very good reasons to leave them alone.

Box Turtle

This is probably a male because it has red eyes.

Connetquot River State Park Box Turtle

Not too long into my walk on the green path,  I came upon a box turtle. It did not seem disturbed by my presence even when I got close to take pictures.  I can easily tell if I’m bothering a box turtle because it will withdraw into its shell. Other turtles, such as snapping turtles, cannot totally retreat into their shells like the box turtle can. This is because the bottom shell of the box turtle is hinged in the front and back, making it able to totally clam up. This one was not alarmed though, and seemed as interested in me as I was in it. I have also included a picture of the turtle’s fascinating face. In the eye of this beholder, I think it's beautiful.