Behind many dams, you can often find a pool of water. Black Creek Lake is no exception. On the grasslands, many times this requires traversing a fence. In fact we did just that in order to reach the pool.
If you are standing on top the dam, this is the view. It was beautiful!
As we headed down, this small sapling had been used by the deer to rub on. As you can see here, the path to get to the edge of pool was thick! So we had to bushwhack our through the greenbriar.
Not forgetting to look up, we saw the Possumhaw’s (Ilex decidua) red berries! Moments later, Jeanne flushed a woodcock. She saw the brown and I recognized the wing sound.
Then we found the Possumhaws that were loaded! According to Foraging Texas by Eric Knight and Stacy Coplin, the Possumhaw does NOT have any edible parts. Unlike its cousin Yaupon (I. vomitoria) whose leaves are used to make tea. So if you decided to go foraging, be absolutely sure of the plant!
We found many horsetails!
As we came out in the open near the water, the vegetation were thick.
Among all the grasses and other plants, the ground was soaked and mushy. We decided to stick to dry land and work our way around to find the edge.
We made it! The color of water was cool. The channel was the darker blue-green water. On the opposite side, the horsetails were thick!
Next looking down stream, we saw the first beaver’s dam!
Finally, I will conclude here today with this orange almost translucent horsetail! Beautiful! Tomorrow’s post I will continue on down the creek.
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
That is beautiful. Why is the horsetail orange?
I don’t know for sure but I’m guessing it was dying?? Anyone else know?
I don’t know either. All looking very autumnal!
Wow, a woodcock! I haven’t seen one of those in years.