Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve, An Autumn Hike

It's been awhile since we've taken a hike at The Nature Conservancy's Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve but it's one of our favorite places of all time so we will have to increase our visitation! We actually refrain from making comparisons about natural areas because the wonder and complexity of nature makes each place infinitely unique. Our last hike was on an exquisite summer day awash with sun and butterflies. Today, with cool temps, a heavy sky and sparse flowers and foliage, things like animal signs and natural patterns made themselves prominent.

 We find joy and fascination in:

...an agricultural field transitioning to forest...

 ...the vacated home of a ground-nesting songbird...

...fresh (and we mean FRESH) White-Tailed Deer scat...

...a plant in a location that proves high is not always dry...

...Goldenrod, friend to many-a-butterfly...

...wonderfully beautiful seed dispersal...

Dogbane: check this out!

Now, into the woods!

Mixed media: Cedar Waxwing feather on Oak leaves:

Yep, White-Tailed Deer are excited that Autumn is here!

Jennifer is partial to Shagbark Hickory and notes that Brown Creepers (songbird) build nests under loose bark like this. Amazing...

Trees are more than lumber.

Osage-Orange fence posts being integrated into the forest. Kind of reminds us of the stone sculptures of Easter Island.

Deer hair-leaf mosaic:

We think that the American Robin invented wattle and daub home construction:

We took only photographs and left only footprints as we exited along the Coyote's path...

...enjoying the serenity of a sunset over our favorite mixed media.