Finally, you are probably saying, will they ever make it to the fourth goal. See below 😉
We almost out in the open again. Taking a close look at this foliose lichen, I noted the little brown marks.
Getting the loupe out, it was a brown colored leafy liverwort.
We still had ditches to navigate!
Splitbeard Bluestem clump looked like it has a perm!
This old Post Oak is one the knobby-est we have seen!
Viewing upwards!
A squirrel leaves behind traces of its meal on down log!
A new moss to collect!
A close view!
A turkey vultures sails overhead as we make our way to the fourth goal.
As you can see we are in the open. This area the Garnett Preserve was was restored by Hugh Garnett. He had told me this side of the preserve had been plowed by previous landowners. And he planted the Switchgrass. While the upper mesa area was left untouched from the plow. Almost to the fourth goal at this point.
Now this may be a let down, but this plant was my fourth goal. We had made it! Full disclosure: I could have parked on the road, clambered over the gate, and walked twenty feet to the plant. But what fun would that have been?
Wild Blue-indigo (Baptisia australis var minor)! Now the question, why did I want to see this dead plant. I have seen it when it is in bloom and it is very pretty with it blueish flowers. This is also a plant that Hugh had planted.
The reason is simple. I wanted to see the dead plant which I had never really paid attention to before. Furthermore, I have a project this spring that will be closely related to this genus.
Half of a seedpod and seeds!
Both halves!
A leaf of the Wild Blue-indigo! So all parts of knowing this genus will help me find the Frosted Elfin (Callophyrs irus) butterfly! Since there are few Baptisia in this part of North Texas, I will with a small team of volunteers, head to the Caddo National Grasslands to survey and hopefully find the Frosted Elfins this spring.
Going to the Caddo National Grasslands has been on my to-do list for sometime. And here is my great opportunity to explore it more closely than I have done before. I have only been there less than half dozen times with the Wildlife Biologist for the Caddo/LBJ NG a long time ago. The fourth goal will lead to a very fun adventure this spring!
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
2 Comments
Beautiful seed pod. New project sounds like fun. Enjoy
Beautiful seed pod. New project sounds like fun. Enjoy
Very cool post! The suspense is over!