A Trail Rarely Taken 1

The next walk I took led me along a trail that I have only taken a couple of times. As I was focused on an area of trees, where twisted vines were hanging from limbs and draped around tree trunks, I heard some noise in the distance... People. Then right next to me, I heard the heavy "fwump, fwump" of an owl's wings as it took off and I watched it disappear into the distant trees. Seconds later, six bicyclists rode by on the trail. Had I been more observant, I might have had a picture of a large owl instead of this tree trunk with a vine. LOL

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A bit further along, I saw some Black-Throated Green Warblers high in the trees. I was excited - A life bird for me. There have been many "firsts" this spring! I wasn't able to get a close shot because I was shooting straight up into the tippity-top of this tall tree.
. As I walked along, I saw this delicate plant. I liked the "green on green" effect.
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I emerged from the forest to an area where ponds flanked the trail. On one side, it was marshy - the other side, a bit more open water
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A few lily pads were floating, but no flowers yet
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Violets grew along the edge of the water near the large leafy skunk cabbage
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A small green damselfly was camouflaged against a piece of grass
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There were a couple of very small nests in branches that were right along the path at eye level, but water in between the path and the nests prevented me from peeking into them
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I looked down into the water and it was teeming with tadpoles
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A white feathery spot on the water was probably dropped by the one of the many warblers I saw there. I wasn't able to get pictures of the birds. They hid well in the grasses, and I only saw them fleetingly.
. I continued walking along.
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I saw this Wild Geranium. Always happy to see these flowers. They signify the beginning of summer for me. Native Americans and early settlers used this plant for a wide variety of ailments.

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More to come