Saturday, May 9, 2009

Seen on today's hike in Rocky Point

Had a lovely three hour hike today through the Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area, a part of the Pine Barrens that is anything but barren. So many birdsongs, interesting plants and flowers including blueberries, fresh air, and evidence of old forest fires. We puzzled over these numerous little blue flowers along the path for a long while.







They looked like violets but the leaves were different. What were they? I looked them up when I got home. Birdfoot Violet (viola pedata)--of course! We saw only one or two of the regular blue violets (below).

Another puzzle...


Is this trailing arbutus (Mayflower)? Or wintergreen (partridge berry)? Or something else? What looked at first like orange flowers may be leftover bits of the part that held the flower (sepal).


Here is some bearberry in bloom.


Another plant with a leaf that looked like a bird's foot. Still unidentified (Birdsfoot Trefoil?)

Fellow hikers, Jane (Sierra Club leader) and Pat.

Pat and yours truly.

Four and a half miles was just about right on a cloudy day with temp around 70. Got my exercise today.

5 comments:

Kristen said...

That looks like fun ! Isn't it nice with all the green popping !!

Biddie said...

Good Morning! What a nice outing! You are really fortunate to have so many areas like that available in your area.

The little bird's foot violets are so delicate - what a treat to catch so many of them in bloom.

I have to mention, your hair looks really elegant BUT how do you keep it looking so neat? (( grin ))

Priscilla said...

Fresh time of the year, so invigorating. In the summer I stay out of the pine woods. There were ticks but we got them off.
B: a plain bob haircut, takes care of itself.

Cheryl said...

Why do you stay out of the pine woods in the summer?

We have had quite a few ticks already up here...it really tests my resolve sometimes to not spray pesticides in my yard...they give me the willies.

Priscilla said...

In hot weather pine barrens are really hot! And deer ticks carry Lyme disease. Pine barrens have deer; others woods don't. Anyway we have plenty of deciduous woods to walk in.