A Visit to the Swamp

 

The path is nearly non-existent with high weeds growing alongside of it, some shoulder high. Footsteps need to be placed carefully to avoid slips or tripping. There is also the need to be on the lookout for poison ivy. Ticks pose another threat, though you won’t see them until later.

Why would anyone want to walk down this path leading to, of all things, a swamp?

Even though rain has fallen a few days ago, the small ravine leading to the swamp is dry. The mud in it is thick, deer tracks show how deep it is.

The Swamp

The swamp is about 8 or 9 acres of flooded land in-between a set of railroad tracks and a road. Bushes grow out of the water and carcasses of trees lay in it, their roots sticking up in the air, giving birds a place to perch. Flowers cover the bushes and bubbles pop up in the water, breaking the mirror images on its surface.

Button Bush

Milkweed Plant

There is a large variety of flowers, bushes and plants growing here. Some of the most prevalent are button bushes with satellite looking flowers, their roots sunk into the watery mud. (Interestingly, these plants are a member of the coffee family!)  Near the edge of the swamp is a batch of cat tail bushes, their brown hotdog shaped spikes growing higher every day. Milkweed plants add some purple colors to the scene. Milkweed flowers are important because they are a food source for Monarch butterflies.  In the early spring, one of the first plants to break through the muck in the swamp is skunk cabbage, their brownish-purple and green shells reminding us that spring is coming, along with more flowering plants. Thistle grows on the edges near the road and the railroad tracks, their pale flowers and prickly leaves decorating the borders.

Brown Tailed Hawk

Birds are all over the place and evidence of animals abound. Squirrels can be seen in the trees around the edges and the “handprints” of raccoons can be seen in the mud beside the deer tracks. Flocks of birds fly from bush to bush and every so often a woodpecker can be seen tapping on a dead tree. Ducks visit the pond and if you’re lucky you can see a hawk sitting in one of the higher trees watching for prey. Herons also stop by to search for food. Frogs can be heard croaking and then quieting down when the heron appears.

During my last visit to this area, a heron flew past me. I don’t think either of us realized the other was there until we were side by side!

The edges of the swamp are mud, the water level changes almost daily. The mud is thick and brown. Little pools of water with an oily sheen lay in the hollows. Further out the water is clear and reflects the plants and sky above. Pools of water hidden behind the button bushes provide a protected spot for the birds and passing ducks.

Why wouldn’t anyone want to stop by and spend a few minutes? It’s relaxing and peaceful, it’s nature! It's just a swamp, but it has all sorts of wonders hidden in it, hidden in plain sight! It’s there, just waiting for someone to stop by and visit! Try it; you never know what you’ll see!

Go on, stop by...visit a swamp near you!