I feel very lucky that every day on my way to and from the House In the Wood office and my home down the road I get to walk through the marsh, lake and forests at the center.
I see this bird all of the time now. On-ka-lee! I hear it loud and clear as I walk through the marsh on both sides. Flocks of male Red Winged Blackbirds arrived a few weeks ago to stake their claim to the BEST nesting spots. You know, just like you do--to get the best sale, the best tickets, the best seat--you arrive early. They spread their wings to show the red patches and shot it loud and proud--ON-KA-LEE--this is my territory!
Soon the brown streaked females will arrive and the males with the best nesting places will attract the most females. And then LOOK OUT! The males will protect the nest. Terry was walking along the road with me and he was dive-bombed by the male bird, I wasn't. He was wearing red and I was wearing blue!
Soon the brown of the Spring Marsh will be vibrant green. The cattail pictured here will burst and spread its seeds on the wind. Cattails will be growing as far as you can see in the marsh. They are an important source of food and shelter for the birds and animals in the marsh.
This is a poster of a wetland scene from my
favorite nature site EEK.
Wetland ecosystems are extremely valuable to
wildlife, supporting a greater number of animals than any other type of
habitat. Wetlands also absorb flood waters; filter chemicals,
sediments, and other impurities out of drinking water; recharge
groundwater; and provide a variety of recreational opportunities.
House In The Wood owns 13 acres of wetland! We are so lucky that we have a chance to watch this very special (and did I mention it is totally kool) HABITAT.
The center is on "well water" which means that we pump up the ground water from deep under the earth. We depend on wetlands to filter our water for us.
How many of these animals and plants are at House In The Wood?
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