Creepy Crawly BUGS!

Here's a collection of neat crawly critters that I've snapped photos of recently.  I believe all of these were taken in CONG.

Beetle(ish)

Mystery bug---and thoughts?

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Spider

Massive Wolf Spider---this sucker had a 5+ inch leg-span

Caterpillars 

Funny 'pillar 1

Funny 'pillar 2

Funny 'pillar 3

Tent caterpillar

This tent caterpillar LOVED the camera!

Moths & Butterflies

Zebra Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

"Geometric Moth"

Add caption

Red-spotted Purple

"Red-winged moth"-I think of this as the moth equivalent of the Red-winged Blackbird

 

Harry Hampton Bald Cypress

The first guided walk that I tagged along on as an official volunteer was a hike out to the Harry Hampton bald cypress.  Harry Hampton was one of the main initiators of the grassroots movement that saved the Congaree floodplain from the saws in the '50s.  This tree is the tallest cypress in the park and is the current state champion.  It's called the Harry Hampton tree because the most well-known photo of our dear Harry is of him posing by this tree :

Harry Hampton, All rights reserved by Southern Forest

The tree is located off trail a ways in the Harry Hampton gut, just a bit south of wise lake:

X marks the spot

We managed to stay pretty dry and clean on our way in to see the tree.  While there, our fearless leader, Ranger Corinne, gave her best "Harry Hampton pose". 

Ranger Fenner poses by the Harry Hampton tree

The trip back to the VC turned out to be quite sloppy (and very soppy), but everyone made it back in good spirits.  It was great to get to spend some time with one of the celebrated Giants of CONG!

More to Explore

Now let's take things back to the park.

I was spending much of my free time working the front desk in the Visitor Center at CONG during my first few weeks as a VIP, and, though I was learning a ton, it kept me from being able to get out and explore the park.  I didn't like not being able to provide first hand information when a visitor would ask about a particular trail.  So, one weekend I did my best to keep my camera and binocs in my pack and hiked the remaining 20 or so miles of trail that I had not yet seen.  My camera did make an appearance from time to time and the following images are from various hikes over the last few months.

First, a series of neat trees:

Before we hit the trail, right outside of the Visitor Center you will find this neat little plant.

This is Devil's Walking Stick, also known as the Toothache Tree.  I took this photo because I love the pattern of the leaves, but it's a really cool plant.  It's called Devil's Walking Stick because it has massive thorns that grow all along its trunk.  It's called the Toothache Tree because Native Americans used to chew on the leaves to relieve tooth pain.  It thrives in sunlight and is often found in a spot where a large tree had fallen years before leaving the canopy open and allowing the sun in.  It has compound leaves.  In the image below, the big circle marks a single leaf.

"A" marks a leaflet, and "B" marks a leaflet on a leaflet...a leafletlet???  I find that to be pretty fancy!

Now, a funky-looking Water Tupelo (aka, Tupelo Gum).  These trees have a neat hydro-adaptation.  We all know that the Bald Cypress shoots up knees from its root system.  Folks used to think that these served as a kind of snorkle for the tree, but Duke University debunked this idea a few years ago.  On September 21, 1989, hurricane Hugo tore through Congaree National Park and forever changed the floodplain.  They lost more than 1000 trees, but not a single Bald Cypress.  The knees shoot up through the root systems of other cypress trees, so they are all inner-locked.  Talk about community support! 

Water Tupelos, like the one above, have a similar adaptation...they form root-balls.  It is not uncommon to see a tangle of roots protruding from the ground around the Tupelos.   Rather than connecting via knees, the root systems of different trees interlock in a tangle of root knots.  You can see roots protruding from the ground just to the right of the base of this tree.  This photo was taken just off of the Oakridge Trail.


The tree pictured below is simply neat.

A rainy day in the floodplain:

 A few weeks ago (while I was out of town) we got a whole week of much needed rain.  It stopped right about the time I returned.  Having been away from Columbia for a couple of weeks, I was itching to get out to CONG.  It was late afternoon when I made it and Ranger Lindsay was just about to head out and "rove" the boardwalk, so I joined her.

It was neat to see the floodplain with some water in it!  Flood season runs from November through about March.  Typically the boardwalk should flood every year, but it has been 2 years since the last flood and 3 years since the last proper flood.

 I look forward to being able to kayak over the upper-boardwalk one of these years when the next flood coasts through!  But, this was the most I saw this year, and the water was just barely up to the bottom of the boards on the lower-boardwalk.  Weston Lake sure swelled over its banks though and Lindsay and I stopped for a few minutes to have a look before heading back to the Visitor Center.

Some general photos of the floodplain:

I think most of these were taken along Weston Lake Loop.

 The water is Cedar Creek, and the yellow flowers are Butterweed.  According to the USDA, Butterweed is non-toxic, but there are many livestock owners that will argue otherwise.  It is probably the most prevalent flower in the park, and this is because the feral hogs won't touch it.  I know I won't be adding any Butterweed to my salads any time soon!

 Speaking of feral hogs....

These guys are super destructive and we have an estimated population of 2500-5000 living (and multiplying) in the park.  The park superintendent is currently working with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and local hunters to develop a management plan.  The neat thing about it is that the park is surrounded by private hunt clubs and the wild pig roasts put on by folks that I've gotten to know through the park are legendary---and for good reason as I learned a few weeks ago!

So, how about other (non-bird) critters in the park?

 Just this morning I stopped on Sims trail to take a picture of a bird.  I herd someone walking up behind me and I turned around to see a white-tail doe and her young fawn following me up the trail!  They noticed me about the time that I noticed them, and we watched each other for a few seconds before the changed heading.  I was not able to get an unobstructed photo of them.  This is the best I got, but you can definitely see those precious spots!

Last weekend I was on Weston Lake Loop and I came upon (and nearly stepped upon) this Red-bellied Water Snake basking in the middle of the trail.

Red-bellied Water Snake basking

And an earlier paddling trip into the park put us up-close and personal with loads of snakes including a Brown Water Snake and another Red-bellied.  Lots of Cottonmouths as well, but most of those were on a trip when I didn't bother much with the camera.

Brown Water Snake in a tree over Cedar Creek

Red-bellied Water Snake

One more Red-bellied:

Turtles are a guaranteed sight at Weston Lake.

There is also a massive Common Snapping turtle that is often seen hanging out below the boardwalk overlook.  We call him Weston and we figure he's probably well over 100 years old. 

Speaking of massive, check out this Giant Lichen Orbweaver...its abdomen was an inch and a half in diameter.  Ranger Kathleen and I came across it on the West Boundary Rd.  One think I know for sure, had I walked into this web I would have been scared for life!

Giant Lichen Orbweaver

Some of the other reptiles I've run into...

Anoles:

Broad-headed Skinks:

Five-lined Skinks (often mistakenly called Blue-Tailed skinks when they are immature because the sport a bright blue tail):

And there is one more, but this post is already too long so I'll put it in another.

Return of the Green Heron

While I'm here, I might as well keep things at home for a few minutes...

The Green Herons have returned to Springwoods Lake! 

This is one of my early favorites, and I have missed seeing these critters over the winter---they winter down in Florida (as well as Mexico and S. America).

I was excited when I started seeing them again.  They roost near Otter Island.  Last summer every time I paddled down there I scared up a couple.  I even had one kukking at me when I was exploring Otter Island.

Here is one fishing from my next-door neighbor's dock.  This video also provides a little insight as to why people who leave fishing line lying about should be hanged.

One really awesome thing about these birds is that the will actually fish for their food.  They have been known to take a bug or a piece of bread and place it on the surface of the water then sit back and wait for the fish to come up to eat it...then they strike!  What fabulous creatures!  (You can find videos on YouTube of them doing this.)

You Otter See This!

I've reported in previous blogs that there is an otter that lives in my lake.  I've even provided photographic evidence!  But, the images have been less than satisfying---so much so that I've named the otter Nessy.  Well, I was out on the dock early one evening a while back and I managed to collect some evidence that even the most aggressive naysayer cannot deny!  It seems that as long as I don't make too much of a racket and don't bounce around a whole lot, Nessy could care less about my presence in his world.  In this video I had the camera zoomed in too close making for some pretty crummy videography, but Nessy swam right up to me then disappeared under the dock!

A few weeks later I was out in the kayak doing a little bit of fishing.  I was floating around in the little creek that drains into the lake when I looked up and saw Nessy rooting around on an island right in front of me.  As the boat floated to within just a few feet of him, I grouped around trying to get my camera out of the dry bag.  He had his back to me but realized I was there just as I was getting my hands on the camera, and he dove into a hole next to him, an entrance to his den I presume. 

I was going to leave things be at this point, I didn't want to stress out my new friend.  But then I noticed a huge blackberry bush right behind his entryway!

Blackberries!

Naturally, I pulled in to pick some berries and explore the little island.  Here's Ol' Blue on Otter Island.

Ol' Blue Pulled In on Otter Island

Now, I don't know if this is the location of the actual den, but it's definitely one of Nessy's favorite spots.  I usually paddle barefoot, and when I'm on the lake at home, I just leave my shoes on the dock.  As I walked around the island, especially near Nessy's escape route, I had to watch my step.  Nessy had left little landmines everywhere! 

Otter Watch Your Step Around Here!

The berries were small and tart, and I ended up not eating those that I bothered to pick, but it was a good excuse to get a look at the escape hatch.

Otter Escape Hatch & Suspected Den Entrance

 A few minutes later I saw Nessy leisurely swimming off toward the lake.  I don't think he was too disturbed by my visit, and I ran into him a few more times that evening as I paddled around the lake.  Satisfied by the experience, I got back in the 'yak and left Otter Island behind to continue my fishing venture.

Otter Island

Playing Catch-Up

It's been a long time since I've properly updated this blog...too long.  Now it's time to play catch-up.  I will try to organize all I have to share in the next few posts.

Before I get on with it, I should explain something about some of the photos that I will be posting.  As a volunteer with the NPS, one of the services I offer is taking photos.  As per NPS policies, any photos that I take while I'm officially "on the clock" belong to the park.  But, I don't want that to prevent me from sharing them with y'all.

To (half-heartedly) cover my bases, some of the images that will be on my blog from now on will be watermarked in the bottom left-hand corner with "Property of NPS".  So, don't steal those photos because they don't actually belong to me!  As far as any of the others, so long as you are not explicitly claiming to have taken them and you aren't making money off of them (without cutting me in, of course), I don't care what you do with them.

CONG Fever

I need to do a lot of updating here. I have tons of photos (I'll start a Flickr account), loads of new bird species, and plenty of neat experiences. But, I've been spending my spare time---and some not so spare time---playing in the forest rather than blogging.

A couple of months ago I officially became a VIP (Volunteers in Parks) with the NPS, and I have volunteered at CONG every weekend since with a few weekdays thrown in here and there. I usually work the front desk as this is where they need the most help. But, I also tag along on guided walks helping out and taking photos for the park, help with guided canoe tours (I ended up in the creek a couple of weeks ago trying to recover a canoe after some of our visitors capsized), and do any other little odd jobs that are needed.

It's been fun getting to know the park and the people who work there. I've learned a lot, but I didn't realize how much until today. Today is International Migration Day (I saw my first Overbird!) and a national bird count day, I went into the park early to help out with the event and start breaking in a new pair of Vibram FiveFinger shoes that I scored at yesterday's REI garage sale in Pineville, NC.

I hung around the visitor center chatting with staff and visitors and doing some copy machine troubleshooting for a while before starting out. A women's hiking group from Charlotte, NC came in and I spoke with them for a while about their trail options as they waited for everyone to arrive.

I ended up hitting the trail the same time the hiking group was setting out. I was planning to do the 4.4 mile Weston Lake Loop, and they were doing the 6.6 mile Oakridge Trail. I was trying to keep my mileage low as the new minimalist shoes alter one's foot-strike, providing a barefoot-type experience, and you are supposed to start out with short distances as your body becomes accustomed to the new stride. Weston Lake and Oakridge both start out on the Boardwalk Loop and share the same path for the first mile or so.

As we hiked along I spoke with the women about the park and pointed out some of its more distinctive features. I told them about the different trees and plants we encountered, pointed out various signs of the animals in the park, entertained them with stories of park history, identified many of the bird songs that we were listening to, and discussed the different ecosystems found in the park. When it came time for us to part ways, we were all having too much fun, so I continued on with them on Oakridge. I found and pointed out different birds, spotted snakes (two Red-bellied Water Snakes and a Black Rat Snake), and identified the flowers that we passed.

It was a great experience, and I'm thrilled to find that I was able to answer nearly all of the questions that they had about the park. They went on and on about how great CONG is and how it is now one of their top hiking choices because learning about the park made it that much more interesting. After we returned, several of the women sought me out (I'm not too hard to spot these days) to thank me and tell me again how much they enjoyed the impromptu guided-walk.

I had a blast and it felt really great to share the knowledge that I've learned over the last couple of months. I saw very clearly how much it enhanced their time in and appreciation for the park. I can't wait to do it again!