On Sunday, September 4, 2016, members of the Young Naturalist Club met at Brookside County Park for a spectacular late summer day outdoors. Asked what visions come to mind when you think of Nature, Cassie was very decisive, “Flowers”, she stated. As a student currently studying biology, she was very keen to learn of the variety of plant species that dominate the park. Our group of three young teens and three adults hiked the trails throughout Brookside, identifying the many vines, trees and ground covers we encountered. Few birds were present, other than a hairy woodpecker, Carolina wren and several robins and mourning doves. We were amazed at the massive size of the Snapping turtle sunning itself on the fallen log in the west pond. Several small painted turtles glistened at the tip of the log, dwarfed in the shadow of the giant nearby. The effects from the diminished rainfall of this past season were observed as most of the waterways had receded from their nearby embankments. The shallow streams revealed more muck than water and exposed broken tree limbs submerged long, long, ago. Ending the day, our group took with them dozens of beautiful photos of insects, plants and flowers, new experiences and many visions of what comes to mind when you think of Nature!

Click to enlarge photos – Photos and Recap Courtesy of Janet Gremli

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