Kayaking at Dundee Creek

Master Naturalist Anita Tyler led us through one of her favorite paddling sites at Dundee Creek.  We had a perfect morning on calm waters with like-minded Audubon members.

Beautiful Seashore Mallow

Anita Tyler in her sleek sit-on-top kayak.

It was nice to see a lot of Wild Celery.  This is an important SAV species for its food value for waterfowl.

Pickerelweed blooms from June-October and attracts a wide variety of pollinators like this skipper.  It also provides shelter and food for other types of wildlife.

More Pickerelweed.  Leaves are heart-shaped, and as Anita mentioned, the veins look like they are painted on.

Hi Anita!

An ensemble of Swamp Rose Mallow, Wild Rice, and Pickerelweed.  There was Cardinal Flower and Swamp Milkweed in this grouping also but they didn't make it into the picture.

My only shot of one of the many Ospreys we spotted.

Bird list:

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Forster's Tern
Caspian Tern
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Carolina Wren
American Robin
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackley
Red-winged Blackbird

Ultimate Watersports is located at Dundee Creek and rents kayaks and paddleboards for those of us who don't own a boat yet.  http://www.ultimatewatersports.com/

Thanks all for a fine day.  Hugh Simmons has a BYO Boat event scheduled for next week - I hope you can join him.

Ruth Bergstrom