I took advantage of a temporary dip in temperature (high of 95!) to visit the Garrick Road tract. I had intended to make only a short visit to the longleaf pine forest there. But when I reached the muck swamp, it looked dry, so I struck out southward. Other than a couple small puddles, the swamp was dry. I heard, then saw, a Hairy Woodpecker during one stop, and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were near one of the puddles. Leaving the swamp behind, I passed some impressive loblolly pines, a couple big (but not huge) cypress trees with wide branching crowns, and a well-documented 16' swamp chestnut oak. Hiking was very pleasant through this open forest.
I had cheated to the west on the way south, so when I headed back north, I ran into the pine plantation that extends well into the floodplain on the west end of the tract. This area has changed alot since the last burn--it used be dense and dark, but it's opened up nicely.
On the last part of the hike, I flushed a few Chipping Sparrows--I'm still awaiting the day other longleaf savannah specialists return to this tract.
Birding List
- Turkey Vulture 1
- Mourning Dove 4
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
- Chimney Swift 1
- Red-headed Woodpecker 1
- Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
- Downy Woodpecker 1
- Hairy Woodpecker 1
- Pileated Woodpecker 6
- Eastern Wood-Pewee 7
- Acadian Flycatcher 2
- White-eyed Vireo 3
- Blue Jay 1
- American Crow 1
- Carolina Chickadee 1
- Tufted Titmouse 3
- White-breasted Nuthatch 1
- Carolina Wren 7
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
- Northern Parula 2
- Pine Warbler 2
- Eastern Towhee 4
- Chipping Sparrow 3
- Northern Cardinal 4
- Indigo Bunting 1
Carolina Satyrs were the most common butterfly on the floodplain
One of many Maryland Meadow Beauties in the longleaf pine forest
Meadow Beauties have attractive urn-shaped seed capsules
This Eastern Box Turtle was hung up on the pine cone (I removed the cone)
The large Swamp Chestnut Oak
Perennial Wild Bean