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IMAGES
From
Nostalgiaville |
NOTE: A Click of your Mouse on most of the pictures will enlarge them for better viewing
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THE MARSH A marsh is a type of wetland where non-woody plants such as cattails grow. Trees and shrubs are usually found on the perimeter of marshes. Marshes support a diverse ecosystem of plants and animals. Many kinds of birds make their homes in marshes. |
| POND LIFE A pond is a small, quiet body of water. When the pond is shallow enough for sunlight to reach the bottom, rooted plants grow across it from shore to shore. In many regions, ponds have a great variety of animal and plant life. Wind and streams carry in eggs, seeds, and organisms that develop into various forms of life. Animals found in ponds include crayfish, fish, frogs, snails, insects, and turtles. Many ponds have rooted plants that either grow entirely underwater or have parts that extend above the surface. Leafy plants float on the surface. Microscopic organisms also thrive in most ponds. The plant and animal life found in a pond are determined largely by the pond's soil, quality of water, and location. Tropical ponds have different species of plants and animals than ponds in the Artic, in mountains, or in prairies. Ponds constantly undergo annual and long-term changes. Water levels normally rise and fall because of rainfall. As water levels change, the type and amount of plant growth also change. As the numbers and types of plants change, some animals may become numerous while others may decline in numbers. Ponds may be formed by natural conditions or by human beings. The chief kinds of natural ponds include alpine ponds, bog ponds, ice formed ponds, meadow stream ponds, riverine ponds, sinkhole ponds, and tundra ponds. |
| POND DWELLERS |
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This common turtle lives in ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving rivers with soft muddy bottoms. They spend most of their time in the water, but will often sun themselves while lying on a log or rock. The painted turtle is omnivorous, eating both plants and animals. |
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A large turtle with strong jaws and a large tail. The snapping turtle has a "lure" on the tip of its tongue that aids in catching fish. |
| PAINTED TURTLE | SNAPPING TURTLE |
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A semi aquatic salamander with rows of red spots along its sides. These small amphibians are found as orange juveniles in moist woods and as olive-colored adults in ponds and swamps. |
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A freshwater crustacean closely related to lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. Crayfish are found in streams, rivers, lakes and ponds. |
| RED-SPOTTED NEWT | CRAYFISH OR CRAWFISH |
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The largest frog in North America, varying in color, from dark olive to pale green above and from white to cream beneath. They will eat an animal they can swallow, including insects, crayfish, worms, minnows, other frogs, small turtles, snakes, baby birds, and small mammals. |
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A common minnow found in lakes, ponds, marshes, and quiet streams. Golden Shiners eat tiny microscopic creatures, water fleas, snails, insects, small fish, and algae. |
| BULLFROG | GOLDEN SHINER |
| PLANTS |
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A native water lily that grows in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. Yellow pond lilies provide great cover for wildlife, especially fish, aquatic insects, snakes, turtles, frogs, crayfish, salamanders, and other water creatures. |
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A plant usually seen in marshes, edges of ponds, and streams. Lizard's tail gets its name from its flower stalk, which somewhat resembles a lizard's tail |
| YELLOW POND LILY | LIZARD'S TAIL |
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Green algae are primarily aquatic and manufacture their food through photosynthesis like plants. Animals that eat green algae include frogs, salamanders, tadpoles, crayfish, aquatic insects, snails, etc. |
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A water plant that grows in shallow fresh water. Pickerelweed has large spikes with clusters of violet-blue flowers with nectar that attracts flying insects. |
| GREEN ALGAE | PICKERELWEED |
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A tall-growing panic grass found in marshes, lakeshores, and meadows. Providing excellent cover, many birds and small animals also eat switchgrass seeds. |
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Tall, stiff plants, found along the shore of any marsh, pond, lake, or river. Many birds nest on or around them. In early fall, the brown flower head pops open, and the fluffy seeds are carried away by wind or water. |
| SWITCHGRASS | CATTAILS |
| INSECTS |
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This beautiful flying insect has four large wings, a long slender body, and large compound eyes, covering most of the head. Dragonflies use their six legs to form a basket to catch insects while flying. They have been known to fly 50 to 60 miles per hour. |
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A flying insect that can hover in mid-air. Most dragonflies are found near water. Dragonflies eat other insects, catching them while flying. |
| DRAGONFLY | DRAGONFLY |
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A true bug that can skate across the surface of water. It lives on ponds and slow-running streams. |
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Flying insects with long straight bodies, damselflies have large compound eyes, and straight wings. The damselfly rests with its wings upright rather than parallel to the body like the dragonfly. |
| POND SKATER OF WATER STRIDER | DAMSELFLY |
| ANIMALS |
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This is the largest rodent in North America. Beavers have brown fur and a large, flat tail. Beavers are found anywhere there is water. They are known for their construction of dams and lodges using sticks, branches, saplings, reeds, rocks, and mud. Beavers eat the bark of certain trees. They also eat shrubs and aquatic plants. |
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Raccoons are easily identified by the black "bandit" mask on their faces and black ringed bushy tails. They den in hollow trees, fissures in rocks, caves or burrows near water. Raccoons are usually nocturnal and eat almost anything, including nuts, berries, acorns, leaves, insects, worms, salamanders, frogs, crayfish, snakes, turtles and eggs. |
| BEAVER | RACCOON |
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A member of the rodent family, the gray squirrel spends most of its life in trees. It will live anywhere there are large deciduous trees. This common squirrel builds a nest out of leaves in trees. Gray squirrels use their bushy tails for balance, shade from the sun, an umbrella, a blanket, and as a rudder when swimming. Their diet includes seeds, nuts, buds, leaves and flowers. |
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Nocturnal mammals, opossums have adapted to living in almost any habitat. They build leaf nests in hollow trees, logs, rock piles, or abandoned burrows. Opossums eat fruits, berries, insects, crayfish, small mammals, bird eggs, worms, snakes, lizards, mussels, etc. |
| GRAY SQUIRREL | OPOSSUM |
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This small, dog-like mammal has a sharp pointed face and ears, an agile body, lustrous long fur, and a bushy tail. Shy and intelligent, red foxes are skillful hunters that eat whatever is available. Their diet includes voles, mice, squirrels, and rabbits as well as birds, turtles, frogs, snakes, insects and plants. |
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This rodent often lives in mounds built of dried plant materials in marshes. Muskrats also live in burrows on the banks of waterways. Except for its feet and tail, they are covered with a rich, waterproof layer of fur. Muskrats eat water plants and occasionally frogs, fish and shellfish. |
| RED FOX | MUSKRAT |
| BIRDS |
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The great blue heron is about 4 feet tall and has a wingspan of up to 6 feet. It eats fish, lizards, frog, snakes, crayfish, rodents, and insects. Once threatened by loss of habitat and the effect of DDT, this majestic bird is now a common sight on Tennessee waterways. |
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Also called fish hawk, the osprey is a fish-eating bird that plunges into water from heights of 50 to 100 feet to snare their prey. They build large nests usually in dead trees. Some nest measure up to 6 feet in diameter. |
| GREAT BLUE HERON | OSPREY |
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Found near water, kingfishers eat fish, crayfish, salamanders, lizards, mice, insects, mollusks, and sometimes berries. They catch fish by hovering over the water and then diving straight down. They nest in tunnels, up to 8 feet long, dug into banks of waterways. |
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This large wading bird in the heron family lives in mud flats, tidal shallows, and marshes. Their diet includes fish, lizards, frogs, crayfish, small rodents, and insects. |
| BELTED KINGFISHER | SNOWY EGRET |
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The most common wild duck, mallards live near ponds, lakes, or marshes. During early summer their diet consists of small water animals, such as insects, snails, and crustaceans. The rest of the year, they eat mainly seeds and plants. |
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Lowland forests provide excellent habitats for the colorful wood duck. They also frequent ponds, swamps, and other wetlands near woods. The wood duck feeds in shallow water on acorns, seeds, and insects. Unlike most ducks, they nest in trees. |
| MALLARD DUCK | WOOD DUCK |
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One of the most recognizable birds, the male red-winged blackbird has bright red shoulder patches. The female is very plain brown with streaks. Red-winged blackbirds are common in wetlands and nearby fields and meadows. Their nests are cup-shaped, made of marsh grasses and reeds attached to cattails or rushes. Red-winged blackbirds eat insects. |
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This majestic wading bird lives in swamps, marshes, shores, and tide flats. The great blue heron is nearly 4 feet tall and has a wingspan of up to 6 feet. It eats fish, lizards, frogs, crayfish, rodents, and insects. Unlike cranes, all herons fly with their necks folded back to their shoulders. |
| RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD | GREAT BLUE HERON |
OK... enough of this "Marsh Stuff"... TAKE ME BACK TO THE TRAIL
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