It’s only 4:18 and it feels like it should be 8 PM already. Being that thunderstorms were forecast today (which, of course, have yet to materialize), we decided to delay our trip to Island Beach State Park and visit a local park close to sunrise. During our few hours in the park we encountered groundhogs, swallows, snakes, frogs, and other interesting creatures typcially absent from other local parks, and below are some pictures from our early-morning trip.
Morning in the forest. Not a bad photo, although the electricity-line tower in the background takes away from the mystique.
A Red Winged Blackbird, one of my favorite birds. Unfortunately, this was about as close as I could get being that I don’t have an especially powerful lens, but hopefully I’ll be able to get some better shots in the future.
One of the many bull frogs in the pond near the park entrance. I was able to get very close to this one; I couldn’t get behind most of the others and so they saw me coming.
It’s a little hard to make out, but I was also treated to an appearance by a small snake near the shore of the park lake. It disappeared before I could get closer.
After leaving the park, Tracey and I headed to the local farmer’s market to pick up some fresh vegetables, as well as some we could grow ourselves so we wouldn’t have to rely on A&P for greens. One of the herbs had a little hitchhiker, however, pictured above.
This one doesn’t fit in with the others because I took it a few weeks ago while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Still, I also find coiled-up ferns to be interesting subjects and couldn’t pass it by.
Next up, photos from Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo…
Laelaps 
Nice pics Brian.
I should get a camera. I bet I could find a bunch of photo-worthy critters out here in the backwoods of central Texas…
[…] Saturday, Pt. 2 2 06 2007 After returning home from the farmer’s market, my wife and I decided to take a trip up to Essex County to visit […]
If you’re hiking the Appalachian Trail in Maine and see coiled up ferns (Ostrich ferns), you might gather a few for supper. They’re also sold at roadside stands and grocery stores, a fiddleheads are a regional delicacy.
Nice pics.
Thanks for the tip Mark; I’ve always wanted to try fiddelheads, but most fine-dining establishments in my area are out of my price range. If I remember correctly, there’s even one place not far from me called “The Fiddlehead.” Thanks for the compliment as well; these are far from being my best shots, but I’m glad I came away with a few decent ones.
Oh,great!
yrqcbrexhphvvizfwell, hi admin adn people nice forum indeed. how’s life? hope it’s introduce branch 😉