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Great Meadows

2007.08.10

cattails and loosestrife



a preening heron

some canadian geese in the background

this is water during the winter and spring

beyond one's reach

Nature is mythical and mystical always, and works with the license and extravagance of genius.
—Thoreau


Late this afternoon we walked around Great Meadows —

"Indians named the Concord River"Musketahquid," their word for grassy banks. Settlers named the grasslands left in summer by the river's retreat from its flood plain the "Great River Meadows."

The impoundments are two 100-acre manmade ponds filled with water diverted from the nearby Concord River and contained by dikes. At this time of year, very little water is kept in the impoundments and they look more like pools of vegetation than of water.
26 Comments
mybigbackyard #3 is fantastic, and I really love the heron pics - excellent post!
mybigbackyard · 2007-08-09: 21:20
Lindyart these are fairytale magic quality stunning shots.. just simply nature's beauty at it's best...:) you do such gorgeous work :)
Lindyart · 2007-08-09: 21:48
vollenda They are beautiful and a feast for the eyes! Your walk must have been spectacular. I love the last shot with the lone blade framed by the sky. Great composition!
vollenda · 2007-08-09: 22:41
youlookmahvelous I really like the last the sky is beautiful.
youlookmahvelous · 2007-08-09: 22:45
kangshung Beautifully composed landscapes! Cannot decide on a favourite.
kangshung · 2007-08-10: 00:08
rcharris What a fabulous eye you have for composition and viewpoint....these are breathtakingly beautiful!!!! Works of art!
rcharris · 2007-08-10: 00:17
lgvelazco Awesome pictures. I really like the first and last ones.
lgvelazco · 2007-08-10: 01:56
grupakliniczna beautiful set, my fav #2 - reminiscent of childhood.
grupakliniczna · 2007-08-10: 02:15
deleted090307 Gorgeous set! Simply beautiful...
deleted090307 · 2007-08-10: 02:33
mr9nth only in my dreams...
mr9nth · 2007-08-10: 04:18
SilkeHoltmann What a wonderful landscape for a relaxing weekend!
Enjoy yours!
;-)
SilkeHoltmann · 2007-08-10: 06:35
Helen Beautiful shots and colours!
Helen · 2007-08-10: 07:24
OC110481 Must feeling so fresh to be there, all green, little flowers and blue sky.
when you said "this is water during the winter and spring " I could imagine how it look in the winter but it would be wonderful to look like this(now) forever
OC110481 · 2007-08-10: 07:56
viralshah feel like running through them..
viralshah · 2007-08-10: 09:59
nadoune Extraordinary set !!
nadoune · 2007-08-10: 10:56
rockndoll I like so much your photos! Colors are so beautiful!! :)
rockndoll · 2007-08-10: 11:41
maharba Congratulations on the herrin...I've been stalking one for a while and haven't captured it yet. I came within 5 feet when I was fishing and didn't have a camera. It ate one of my fish.
maharba · 2007-08-10: 12:59
elkegrocholl I would say :"It`s an eye candy" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
elkegrocholl · 2007-08-10: 15:55
jendayee Wonderful set, love these leaves up to the sky and also the flowers, and the blue sky... the place looks really nice and good to rest, think, breeze and be inspired
jendayee · 2007-08-10: 18:09
Sevendipity Nice views although from a botanical point of view quite distressing to see the purple European Liatris invading your beautiful countryside. Makes great pictures but displaces so much indigenous life.
Sevendipity · 2007-08-10: 18:32
rolpa Lovley meadow shots. Ilike #3 and #7 best. I like the reaching for the sky too.
rolpa · 2007-08-10: 20:14
photopoet Sevendipity—you're quite right. The plant is invasive and has a depreciative effect on the refuge lands and waters to wildlife.

A recent report:" Great Meadows, though, has seen some success with one of the more unusual strategies for combatting the plants.

In recent years, officials have released thousands of a very specific species of beetle and weevil, insects which research shows have a taste for purple loosestrife.

"Most of the insects that we have released have been beetles," she said. "They're leaf-eating beetles, they eat the leaves of the purple loosestrife plants."

The weevils, by contrast, bore into the plant's roots, but have seen less success, Herland said.

"It takes a while, but they will build up their population, and if there's no loosestrife in this wetland, they will fly to (another location,)" she said."

I've been going to Great Meadows for several years and the invasive plants appear to be winning the battle. Fewer migrating birds are seen.

photopoet · 2007-08-10: 22:17
thepictureman I love the geese and heron. The blue sky in the last one is awesome.
thepictureman · 2007-08-11: 15:58
mugsycat I thought the third one was my fav until I saw the last one. Nice work.
mugsycat · 2007-08-11: 21:22
Carley I love meadows and the way you have shown these. I can't pick a fav!
Carley · 2007-08-11: 22:02
jwideman beautiful shots. i love the last shot
jwideman · 2007-08-12: 12:02
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