Another photo essay by Warren M Gray: Sourland Mountain Preserve photographed August 15th 2007, around midday. This essay consists of 5 parts, each part consists of 10 photographs. Part 1 - Walked over to the pond and found the place jumping with dragonflies, frogs, insects, and one curious looking bird (Green-backed Heron). Was able to get close enough to watch it hunt and consume a frog. Photo 1: footprints of Green-backed Heron, Photos 2-4 are of different poses, Photo 5 shows its head feathers are raised (on the hunt), Photos 6-8 shows the catch and consumption of the frog, Photo 9 shows it taking flight to the opposite shore, and Photo 10 a group of Swallowtails. (picture 6).
Part 2: Dragonfly by the pond photographs 1 and 2. Green-backed Heron's hairdo. Next 3 photographs are pose, pose, and its long neck. I now leave the pond area and make my way to the grass field that leads up the mountain. Photograph 7 is a clump of Black-eyed Susans. Photograph 8 is of a dragonfly, then a frog, and then possibly water cress. (picture 6).
Part 3: Photographs 1-3 are Dragonflies. Photographs 4-6 are of the Great Fritillaries. At first glance I thought photograph 7 to be red raspberries, but later changed my mind and will call them blackberries. Photographs 8 and 9 are of Swallowtails on thistle. (picture 6).
Part 4: I've made it to the first level and will enter the mountain here, GPS marker in boulder. Looks like changing seasons in photograph 1. Next is some sort of insect which I have no idea of what it is. Photographs 3-6 are of a White-tailed Deer (buck) checking me out and then had enough and took off. Photograph 7 looks like a deer or horsefly. Photograph 8 is of a Gray Squirrel enjoying an afternoon snack. Next is a large boulder covered with lichen and moss. Photograph 10 is a closer look at the buck. (picture 6).
Part 5: Photographs 1-10 are different sections of the path coming down the mountain. (picture 6).
November 27th 2005 Sunday morning: It was clear somewhat cold morning when I started my extremely slow accent to the top of the mountain (extreme hill) on foot. Picture 1 (pictures run from top left to bottom right) was a patch of early ice on the pond (picture 2). In front of the pond was a low growing thorny bush possibly wild rose with berries (picture 3). I made my way to the open field and looked up the mountain (picture 4). During the Fall the leaves are breathe taking, and sometimes in early winter too. Even though the field did not yield a lot of vibrant colors there is still a lot of moderate colors to still take some great pictures (picture 5) withered wild flower with seed heads. I did get lucky to find what looks like a member of the bramble family (picture 6). Along the accent up I talked to a bicyclist who was also making the trek. Picture 7 and 8 were taken early on November 18th, which depict colors taken from within the mountain's woods. Picture 8 is of an American Beech with Fall leaves, highlighted by the sun?s rays. Making my way to the top of the first summit, which overlooks the valley below (November 27th 2005) are pictures 9, 10, and 11. Just beyond the first summit there is a small incline down to a little run off from a stream with a lot of tall grass and seed heads, this makes a great picture with the blue sky background (picture 12). Pictures 13 and 14 were taken at the next summit where there was still some excellent color. In that area there are a lot of turkey vultures and other birds flying about, pictures 15, 16, and 17 depict this. Picture 18 is another glimpse of winter (trio of oaks). Picture 19 is walking down the second summit (towards the grass it is very wet). Making a slight detour through the woods (picture 20) I came upon a rocky stream. Finally out of the woods I was getting closer to the end of the trail and found lots of birds (picture 21 a sparrow) and (picture 22 a woodpecker, I enhanced the woodpecker of that picture towards the bottom left). What is beyond the trail? It is for those who want to seek and explore.
