Versailles, Ohio (that's "ver-sails", not "Vair-sigh") is a quiet and tiny town on the western edge of the state. One hotel, one gas station, no Starbucks....you get the picture. Geoff talked me into the trip by telling me all about the "nature places" and his non-birding opinion that the place would be "birdy".
We arrived in the early morning on Monday and as Geoff headed off to do his job, the girls and I headed to a nearby reserve to kill time.
Stillwater Prairie Reserve:
It's 380 acres of prairie loveliness. Full of native Ohio wildflowers, it's a butterfly and dragonfly heaven. With two ponds and a wetland, it's a frog and bird paradise.
Let's go to the photos:
Milkweed was everywhere. More than I have ever seen in one place. Common, swamp, spider milkweed...all full of juicy milk and crawling with milkweed bugs and beetles. And earwigs. And other things I couldn't identify.
Dragonflies and damselflies were everywhere. Pond hawks, widow skimmers, Carolina saddlebags, halloween pennants.
Butterflies were everywhere. Monarchs too busy to land and pose, tiger swallowtails, small sulphurs, tiny blues, clouds of cabbage whites, and this red-spotted purple.
Two ponds in the reserve gave Isabelle many chances to catch frogs (one of her favorite past times).
This peeper landed on Lorelei's shirt, and tried to escape through the "portal."
I was in Native Paradise.
Yellow coneflower, purple coneflower, bee balm as far as the eye can see....adding that to the copious amounts of milkweed, and it was all I could do NOT to strip down and roll through it all naked.
Bird-wise, it was quiet, as expected in mid-summer.
But this kingbird was close enough for the girls to hear its beak "snap" as it zoomed back and forth from its branch to flycatch.
Non-sequiter:
We left the prairie to get some lunch (and returned back TO the prairie after eating) and while driving through the next town, Isabelle say this sign on the post office and MADE ME take a photo:
"Mommy....it's a Puh-Just Office!" (giggles ensue)
9 comments:
your blog is looking really spectacular, guess I haven't looked at it in a while (sorry!) And the prairie looks like a must-visit, great photos!
Dang, that's purty! And thanks for the visual (you rolling).
Sounds like a great family outing.
Love the pics of the "bugs"!
Nice shots. And sounds like fun.
(Next time go ahead and roll!)
Luscious meadow! What a fun day with the girls. Thanks for the giggle interaction image. On the other hand, last I visited a milkweed meadow, besides dragonflies and butterflies, all the flowers were covered with little iridescent stingy things. ouch!
Awesome photos Susan, esp. the dragonfly. I can never snap that camera quick enough to capture them sitting still.
Your dragonflies are superb - detail and clarity - I find they are very difficult to photograph. Great job.
Wow, perfect place for you guys! I've been close to kingbirds before, but not close enough to hear their bills snapping--awesome!
Love the photos, esp. the red-spotted purple. Ditto what Chris said about detail and clarity.
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