Observations by susanjohansen

The spiny softshell can be distinguished from the smooth softshell by the presence of two yellow, black-bordered lines along each side of the head, a row of spines along the front edge of the carapace, and a raised nasal septum, giving the nostrils a "C" shape. Young and males have olive-gray carapaces with small black markings often appearing like thin donuts. Adult females have dark olive or tan carapaces with brown and gray mottling.

In the spring and summer months, the coat of a white tailed deer is reddish-brown in color. In the fall and winter, the coat turns to a duller grayish-brown color. The coat of a young deer, fawn, is reddish in color with white spots. The spots normally disappear in 3-4 months, by winter time, as the winter coat begins to grow. As the name implies, the under side of the tail is white.

Common Loons are large, diving waterbirds with rounded heads and dagger-like bills. They have long bodies and short tails that are usually not visible. In flight, they look stretched out, with a long, flat body and long neck and bill. Their feet stick out beyond the tail (unlike ducks and cormorants), looking like wedges. In summer, adults have a black head and bill, a black-and-white spotted back, and a white breast. From September to March, adults are plain gray on the back and head with a white throat. The bill also fades to gray. Juveniles look similar, but with more pronounced scalloping on the back.

hese are tiny songbirds with a rounded body, short wings, and skinny tail. They have relatively large heads, and their bills are short and thin, perfect for gleaning small insects. Golden-crowned Kinglets are pale olive above and gray below, with a black-and-white striped face and bright yellow-orange crown patch. They have a thin white wingbar and yellow edges to their black flight feathers.

Breeding Plumage: Head iridescent greenish black. Neck white. Chest deep rusty speckled with black. Back dark with long white patch along wings. Tail gray. Outer part of wings black. Bill scarlet-orange. Eyes red.

Great Egrets are tall, long-legged wading birds with long, S-curved necks and long, dagger-like bills. In flight, the long neck is tucked in and the legs extend far beyond the tip of the short tail. All feathers on Great Egrets are white. Their bills are yellowish-orange, and the legs black.

The American Copper flies a foot or two off the ground in rather quick sorties from one nectar source or perch to another. Being only an inch in wingspan, the American Copper would seem to be a seldom-observed species, but its colorful coppery wings give away its position.

This member of the mint family grows to 3' tall and enjoys sandy conditions. The purple bracts of this plant are most noticeable but in all reality the flowers are a pale yellow with purple spots. It blooms midsummer to early fall and enjoys full sun to light shade in well drained sandy soils.

Green Darners are one of our largest dragonflies, and one of the easiest to recognize. Their bodies grow over three inches long, with a wingspan of 4 1/2 inches.

Green Darners are dimorphic, which means males and females look different. Both sexes have a green thorax (middle section of body), but males have a blue abdomen (long back part of body), while females' abdomens are purplish-gray.

Both males and females have a mark like a target on their faces. Green Darners' eyes are brown.

Large butterfly - 2 1/2 to 4 inches. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.