Wetlands and 'nip

Eggs

Yesterday, Dave and I walked down to the beaver pond along the Cherry Creek Trail to see if we could scare up a few frogs. We were successful in doing so. As we walked the verge of the pond he exclaimed "Eggs!" There they were, something I hadn't noticed in previous outings. What a mass!



Halfway back to the car he noticed a dragonfly on the path, on its back. He picked it up, and though it was still alive, it didn't fly away. I got this image before he put it into the grasses near the creek.



Two days ago

The creek flow is down to fairly normal levels now with a depth of a foot or less at the gauge stick. The water flowing over the west bridge apparently did some damage to its support structures, and it is now closed. I walked the upstream side; it seemed pretty solid to me. As I mounted it a frog began hopping across it. It finally held still for a portrait.

Leopard frog

Small cascade

I was able to check out the little cascade 100 feet downstream from the Starvation Trail bridge. The primary drop off has receded eight feet towards the bridge since the high water of 10 days ago. That's well over 60 feet since I first noticed it back in March. Between that, the back collapses and the beaver it has been an eventful season along a half mile stretch of the creek.

One last note -- the catnip harvest is nearly complete. All the big plants have been collected. A few small ones remain. I'll send some of to anyone who wants some. So far the mails haven't intercepted any, nor imprisoned either the addressee or me. You know how to get in touch.