Mississippi Watersnake

To Inver Grove Heights. While Lida practiced beach volleyball, I explored the nearby Mississippi River, visiting the Rock Island Swing Bridge city park. What's left of the bridge for which the park is named resembles an ocean pier more than a bridge. It no longer spans the entire river but extends nearly to the center and provides an excellent view.

I'd hoped to see more clubtail dragonflies, perhaps even a species or two not found along the Cannon River. However, during the hour at the park, I found only two dragonflies: the first a teneral that flew from the water's edge and was immediately captured out of the air by a bird; the second was a Cobra Clubtail near the edge of the parking lot.

Unexpectedly, the most interesting encounters were with a snake and a frog. The snake was a young Northern Watersnake swimming in the water at the edge of the river. When I approached for a closer photo the snake dove to the bottom and entangled itself at the base of a weed. The frog, found at a safe distance down the shore from the snake, was a Blanchard's Cricket Frog. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources lists this species as endangered in Minnesota and mentions only two currently known breeding populations, so this was an exciting find.

Posted on 08 de junho de 2017, 02:17 AM by scottking scottking

Observações

Fotos / Sons

Observador

scottking

Data

Junho 7, 2017 09:01 AM CDT

Descrição

Musk Thistle
Swing Bridge Park
Inver Grove Park, Minnesota

Fotos / Sons

What

Cobra-d'Água-Do-Norte (Nerodia sipedon)

Observador

scottking

Data

Junho 7, 2017 09:15 AM CDT

Descrição

Northern Water Snake
Swing Bridge Park
Inver Grove Park, Minnesota

Fotos / Sons

What

Rã-Grilo-de-Blanchard (Acris blanchardi)

Observador

scottking

Data

Junho 7, 2017 09:18 AM CDT

Descrição

Cricket Frog
Dakota County
Minnesota

Etiquetas

Fotos / Sons

Observador

scottking

Data

Junho 7, 2017 09:49 AM CDT

Descrição

Cobra Clubtail, female
Swing Bridge Park
Inver Grove Park, Minnesota

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