Terry & Diana's Photography and More

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Michigan 2021

September 6

Diana and I left Camp Wood at 9:45 AM. We got to the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, at 6:30 PM. Set up camp at #54 camp site in Doris Camp Ground. We were on our way to Lansing, Michigan to visit our grand- daughter, Cheyenne and her husband, Arin. Before it got too dark, I hiked around to see what I could photograph in the dim afternoon light. I found a few interesting subjects.

Doris Camp ground site number 54.

White Tail Deer

Wild Turkey

Tarantula

Large Grassland Tiger Beetle

Halloween Pennant

Widow Skimmer

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

September 7

We left the campground early, about 8:30 AM. First, we ckecked the Wichita Mountains NWR before leaving the area. We headed for Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in eastern Kansas.

Stopped at one of the lakes.

Viewed the hills in the refuge.

And the nice looking grasslands in the refuge.

Longhorn Bull

Longhorn cow.

We arrived at the Tallgrass Prairie at 3:30 PM. We went through the old ranch house, barn, and a short trail. For more information check out website at (Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

Prairie from the old ranch house and barn.

Rock fencing around the barn.

The barn.

The ranch house.

The above photos are from the ranch house.

Out house. In later years they added in house toilets.

We arrivied at Richie Cove Campground on Council Grove Lake, Kansa at 5:30 PM. I walked around alittle before dark.

Relaxing before supper and game night.

Blue-fronted Dancer

Blue-tipped Dancer

September 8

A long drive today. We stopped briefly at a roadside rest area on I-35 in Iowa. The park connects to Slip Bluff County Park to the east and the Grand River to the north. I hiked around some to stretch my legs and to photograph.

The Grand River

Blue-fronted Dancer

Variable Dancer

Powdered Dancer

Flag-tailed Spinylegs

Common Whitetail

We arrived at Govenor Dodge State Park in eastern Wisconsin after dark.

September 9

I got up early to do some bird watching while Diana slept. Seems to be a nice park that I would like to check out again when I have more time. We then headed for the southern part of the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. Stopped briefly at a road side park at Watersmeet Lake near the junction of MI 17 and 70. Our next campground was on Michigamme Lake at Van Riper State Park. We got there around 7:15 PM.

Autumn Meadowhawk at roadside park at boat ramp to Watersmeet Lake.

Sunset on Lake Michigamme and Van Riper State Park

September 10

Again while Diana stayed in bed, I went out bird watching and photographed a few things.

Michigamme Lake at Van Riper State Park

Chrysanthemum Flower at Van Riper State Park

Composite Flower (Aster) at Van Riper State Park

Maple leaves turning at Van Riper State Park

Red-eyed Vireo at Van Riper State Park

Red Squirrel at Van Riper State Park

We stopped at several sites on the way to Cheyenne and Arin's in Bath near Lansing. Deer Lake, Moccasin Lake, the Sturgeon River, and Naubinway roadside park on Lake Michigan.

Green Frog, Deer Lake

Variable Dancer, Deer Lake

Bronzed Tiger Beetle, Deer Lake

Moccasin Lake

Autumn Meadowhawk, Moccasin Lake

Sturgeon River

Naubinway Public beach on Lake Michigan

Bronzed Tiger Beetle, Naubinway Beach

We got to Cheyenne and Arin's at just after dark in Bath, Michigan.

September 11

We spent the day with Cheyenne and Arin. I transferred our slide-in pop-up camper into their backyard as we were "gifting" it to them. We went to look over the Michigan State campus and eat out. We checked out a nature park west of Bath just before dark. Back at the house I did get a photo of a Green Darner in their yard.

Their living room and Lapis, their dog.

Cheyenne's Office

Nature Center Pond near Bath

Halloween Pennant at nature pond

Common Green Darner at their house.

September 12

After breakfast and more visiting, Diana and I headed south, left around noon. We had plans to stop at two sites on the way south, NcNamara canoe landing and Bunker Road landing on the Grand River in Michigan. A few Arrow Clubtail dragonfly had been seen at these sites in late August. Only found one dragonfly at a nearby pond. I got a few photos of turtles and plants.

McNamara Canoe Landing on the Grand River

Bunker Road Landing on the Grand River

Chicory, McNamara Canoe Landing, Grande River

Cutleaf Coneflower, McNamara Canoe Landing, Grande River

Common Map Turtle, McNamara Canoe Landing, Grande River

Gray Treefrog, McNamara Canoe Landing, Grande River

Autumn Meadowhawk, McNamara Canoe Landing pond, Grande River

We stopped at one more site before getting to our motel. Homer city park in Calhoun County Michigan.

Homer City Park

Homer City Park

Midland Painted Turtles, Homer City Park

Common Soapwort, Homer City Park

Epargyreus clarus, Homer City Park

Autumn Meadowhawk, Homer City Park

September 13

Headed out from the motel at 8:30 AM. Stopped at interesting sites along our way south through Indiana and Illinois. Our stops are labeled with each photo from the various sites. We finally made it to eastern Missouri (Cape Girardeau, Quality Inn) for the night.

Interesting roadside decorations in Logansport, Indiana.

Delphi Historic parking area.

Catbird, Delphi Historic site

Downy Woodpecker, Delphi Historic site

Palm Warbler, Delphi Historic site

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Delphi Historic site

Red-eyed Vireo, Delphi Historic site

Eastern Blue, Attica Ravine Park

Hermit Thrush, Attica Ravine Park

Wabash River, Quabache Park, Indiana

Blue-fronted Dancer, Wabash River, Quabache Park

Rambur's Forktail, Wabash River, Quabache Park

flower, Union, IL. roadside Park on 57.

Scorpionfly, Union, IL. roadside Park on 57.

Great Egrets, Alexander County, HWY 14, Illinois.

September 14

We got up fairly early, ate breakfast at McDonald's and headed southwest to Arkansas. We stopped at a roadside park off of MO 25 in Cape Girardeau County. We then stopped at Duck Creek Conservation Area in Stoddard County, MO. Baltz Lake roadside park in Randolph County plus the Black River in Pocahoutas in Arkansas.

At pond Roadside park off of MO 25 in Cape Girardeau County

American Redstart. Roadside park off of MO 25 in Cape Girardeau County

Epargyreus clarus. Roadside park off of MO 25 in Cape Girardeau County

Blue Dasher. Roadside park off of MO 25 in Cape Girardeau County

Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Hibiscus lasiocarpes. Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Red-eared Slider. Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Slaty Skimmer. Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Halloween Pennant. Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Great Blue Skimmer. Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Great Blue Heron. Duck Creek Conservation Area, Missouri

Rambur's Forktail. Baltz Lake Roadside Park, Randolph County, Arkansas

Slaty Skimmer. Baltz Lake Roadside Park, Randolph County

Bronze Tiger Beetle. Black River Overlook park, Pocahonas, Arkansas.

Viceroy Butterfly. Black River Overlook park, Pocahonas, Arkansas.

September 15

We headed for home. I decided to stop at CC Bridge road in Marion County Texas. The road is famous for a few interesting dragonflies, especially emeralds. Of course this was way too late to see very much. I did find a few at the creek crossing. After checking the area out, we headed for Waco to visit my brother and his wife.

CC Bridge road in Marion County

CC Bridge road in Marion County

Slaty Skimmer. CC Bridge road in Marion County

Blue Dasher. CC Bridge road in Marion County

Great Blue Skimmer. CC Bridge road in Marion County

Black-shouldered Spinyleg. CC Bridge road in Marion County

September 16

Diana and I visited Max and Betty until noon. We left and headed south toward home. I decided to stop at Lady Bird Johnson City Park south of Fredericksburg to see what I could find. No odes of interest, but did see an air show north of the park. Very interesting.

I almost got home and realized I left my cell phone in the rest room. I called them and asked if they found it to hold it until tomorrow and I would go back and get it. They found it!