Cosumnes River Preserve is located a little less than an hour drive from us. This last Saturday, I took the boys on a ‘photo walk’, hosted by the property. Volunteer naturalist Jim took us on a 2 mile walk, taking in a small part of the preserve…
Getting ready to take some pictures!
First bird spotted…a hummingbird!
Second animal spotted…a little bush rabbit!
Our host, Jim, showing us an oak gall.
Oak galls are very common in this area, but something I have never seen in Washington. The boys like to use them as “grenades”. The growths, called “galls,” are the result of a type of wasp. The wasp pierces a tree with its egg laying device and deposits an egg inside the plant tissue. Fluids deposited with the egg cause the plant cell multiplication process to begin. The larva develops within a cavity inside the gall, feeding on material produced. At maturity, the larva transforms into a pupa, and later becomes an adult that chews its way out of the gall. By causing the tree to form a gall, the wasp has provided food and shelter for its offspring.
The oak galls still on the tree…
A different kind of oak gall. It looks like a bright red chocolate chip!
Cattails…
The boys had toggled between cameras and binoculars…
While on the trail, we came across a small vertical trench that ran across both sides of the trail. Turns out this is an otter slide. Otters and beavers use this as a pathway…
Observing an egret feather…
A crawdad claw…
Wild grapes; apparently an invasive plant in this area…
One of many wood duck boxes. Ducks that actually nest in trees!
Some cool fungus…
Tracking birds in flight…
A huge turkey vulture…
Exploring the Visitors Center…
