A Year in Pictures

Nov 19, 2012 by Stephanie

For one year, we kept a monthly photojournal of Glen Providence Park– walking through the park a few times a week looking for wildlife and changing plantlife.  We regularly posted photographs on facebook, and compiled them here in our photojournal.  We wanted to document what is in Glen Providence Park, and share all these discoveries with others!

It was a wonderful way to observe and learn about the park’s array of plants, fungi and wildlife. Having completed a year, we will transition to a more manageable seasonal photojournal. Here’s an overview of what we observed, with links to each month’s photojournal!

 

A Year in Pictures: August 2011 – July 2012

 

Our photo-exploration started out in August with an abundance of wildlife- with frogs, snakes, and so many turtles!  A Green Heron was frequently seen fishing at the pond.  Hurricane Irene’s damage changed the landscape, including felling a large oak, which was enjoyed by the resident turtle colony until the tree was removed!

In September we discovered the Common Muskrat living in the pond, and so many fungi throughout the park! We spotted the lovely Wood Thrush before it left for the winter, and a pair of Great Blue Heron visited the pond.

Of course the foliage in October was spectacular, and there were so many bird species, it prompted us to document all of our sightings (and historical sightings) on eBird… creating a Park Bird List!

I discovered that November is possibly my favorite month in the park, with the more muted beauty of late fall foliage, and the structure of the trees and landscape visible.  I was startled by a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and snapped my first White-tailed Deer photograph in the park.  The blooming American Witch Hazel and a positively luminous dragonfly added to the enchantment!

With all the leaves down in December, we discovered more old structures in the park, including an original drinking well with a hand pump.  Variations of fog and ice gave the park a new look with every visit.

January was magical with an encounter with a Red Fox, and I learned to pay attention to American Crows: their raucous calls led me to a magnificent Great Horned Owl they were pestering, and I watched them chase a Red-tailed Hawk. We learned how remarkable the park’s abundant Skunk Cabbage is as it melted its way through the frozen ground.

February brought a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, the tiny flowers of the Skunk Cabbage, and early buds on trees including the Silver Maple.

In March, the pond exploded with sound on first day of spring, as the comical American Toads started their startlingly loud mating call.  And with the warming weather the snakes and turtles emerged, along with the lovely ephemeral Bloodroot!

April was magnificent with so many flowering trees, and the ever-entertaining Common Muskrat re-emerged at the pond.  And there were oodles of American Toad tadpoles!

Right on cue on the first of May we heard the ethereal song of the Wood Thrush, returned from wintering in Central America- and later that month we saw it on its nest! Glen Providence Park was in bloom with elegant Waterlilies in the pond, Mountain Laurel on the eastern hill, and Jack in the Pulpit in the woods.

June brought gorgeous iridescent damselflies, dragonflies, and more muskrat antics.  The abundance of birds included a striking Scarlet Tanager, an especially blue Great Blue Heron, an endearing juvenile Eastern Phoebe, and a Canada Goose family.

In July we wound up our monthly photojournals with butterflies, fungi, a pair of White-tailed Deer, a Green Frog by the pond’s island, and a Skipper on the Echinacea in bloom from our Earth Day Plantings!

There is a photo for each month below, and you can click on any month above to see all of its photographs.  Enjoy the park- you just never know what you will see!