"What a thousand acres of Silphiums looked like when they tickled the bellies of the buffalo is a question never again to be answered, and perhaps not even asked." -Aldo Leopold
Located mere feet from the Meramec River in Crawford County, I came across this natural bridge – named “Steelville NB” in Beveridge’s “Geologic Wonders and Natural Curiosities of Missouri” while visiting Zahorsky Woods. An adjoining lot’s owner invited me to hike his trails and gave me directions to it’s location. I’d love to go back following a heavy rain.
Often heard, but difficult to find, the Black-billed Cuckoo specializes in eating caterpillars. I fortunately stumbled onto this guy this spring.
A bird with a song more reminiscent of a hiccup, the Henslow’s Sparrow is a secretive little guy, except while singing. Due to habitat loss, this species has dropped in numbers in recent decades and is currently listed as “near-threatened”.
These guys were seen for several days this spring taking advantage of our pond. Listed as threatened on the IUCN red list, the Rusty Blackbird population has dropped by more than 85% since their numbers were recorded. Poisoning and habitat loss are the suspected reasons.
During migration in the StL area, Swainson’s Thrush are by far the most common Catharus Thrush to come across. They do not, however, nest in Missouri.
These guys are a challenge to photograph as they are rarely seen anywhere except in dimly lit tree cover.
No, I do not mean catching a bird on the wing or some split second sports action in camera. Sometimes the landscape photograph has equal timing requirements and this one will serve to remind me of what could have been and to be ready and prepared whenever in setting. I hiked to the top of Hughes one early spring evening with the full kit. Arriving at the top, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of clouds for a potential sunset shot, but I can never be in the dumps at this location no matter what nature is presenting. So I just decided to sit and enjoy the silence and see what may come my way. Not paying much attention I suddenly noticed a fairly small, beautifully pastel-colored cloud popped out of nowhere and was positioned in the perfect place, just in a perfect frame along with blooming Service Berry in the foreground. Of course the gear was where it was nice and safe – all wrapped up in the camera bag. I could tell this cloud was ephemeral and sprang into action.
Pulled the tripod off and extend the legs, unzip, pick lens, attach lens to camera, attach polarizing filter, attach shutter release cord, attach camera to tripod, shoot, I forgot the graduated neutral density filter, which one do I need, OK, how to compose? Compose? Just hurry up! By the time I had everything ready and was hitting the shutter the cloud has diminished by more than three fold and lost all of that wonderful color. I then identified that irritating high pitch noise I was hearing. I was screaming.
I don’t know why Acadian Flycatchers are always screaming for a pizza. Have you ever watched one of these try and bite a piece off? Not a fun sight.
So those photographers who use Flickr, what is your final opinion on those changes they sprang on us? It has turned my world upside down. I can’t stand the damn thing now and I am looking into alternatives. I never thought I’d be saying that.
Twenty years from now…
“…you want me to tell you that story that happened that night at Falling Spring? You sure? Alright, it’ll be your sleepless night.
Me and my cuz were giggin’ frogs down in that beaver pond one spring night when out of the blue we saw a fella wearin’ a strange hat walkin’ alone. We asked him what he was doing out here all alone and where he came from. He answered he came from a place with tall buildin’s and he was searching for answers that nobody had.
He stood there, the palest, most pathetic creature you’d ever seen. Paler than the moon standin’ above us, when all of a sudden eery red lights started comin’ from inside that old mill shack! Now, we had been standin’ outside there fer hours and hadn’t seen a soul inside or out. Before we could think, a sound that was louder and more fierce than a 10′ tall hoot-owl started and the trees began moving back and forth, even though there tweren’t a bit a breeze on the air to be had!
My cuz and I had grabbed our poles and slowly backed ourselves out to the road and the safety of the truck. We looked over to where the stranger had been and noticed he was walkin’ towards the old shack! We shouted something to the effect of what the Sam Hill are you doing? He replied that he was going to see if the agnostics were right. I couldn’t get at what he was sayin’, and we couldn’t get him to stop movin’ towards that obvious poltergeist.
The last question I asked was what his name was. He said something like Beelzebub, Bufford, Ozark Bill, or somethin’ like that. The last time I saw him he was walkin’ inside and stripping down to the suit he was born in. The lights got brighter and hotter. So hot and bright I had to turn away. We heard a screech worse than a Tom cat trying to mate with a pot belly stove and all of a sudden everything went back to normal.
As we were making dust away from that place I heard a really sweet, low and soft voice singing…
‘Way down in Missouri where I heard this melody
When I was a little feller on my mommie’s knee
The old folks were humming the banjos were strumming so sweet and low‘
Early this May, Steve and I had the good fortune to visit a couple spots along our St. Francois Mountains the day after a front brought about three inches of rain to the area. One of these spots was the Einstein Dam at Silvermines Recreation Area (St. Francis N.A.). The power of the water surging through the breaks in the dam was mesmerizing. A sense of near vertigo became apparent as I stared into the sheet of water that dropped nearly ten feet downstream. I knew Steve would have almost no chance if he slipped into this torrent, but my photo needed some scale! So I asked him to have a seat on the edge.
We arrived with little light left, but tried to take it all in while I made a few images. We had visited the previous autumn when the water was much lower
Imagine dropping into this in your kayak? We pondered if this would be advisable or not. If you think it doesn’t look all that bad from this photo, be sure to watch this.
Water moving in every conceivable direction!
In a land of dolomite and granite, the chert-based rocks of Cowards Hollow Natural Area really stand out to the experienced Ozark traveler. I first read about Cowards Hollow more than five years ago and had two previous and unsuccessful attempts at finding it. Recently I had acquired some resources that helped me get a firm idea where to look and during our Big Spring break this spring Sarah and I went out to finally find it. Literally within minutes of parking the car and heading down the trail the sky opened up and began raining. Half-soaked, I retreated to the car and decided to try again later. It would be about 18 hours and near five inches of rain later before I got back there the next morning. I knew the area would be full of water and that the efforts would be worthwhile. Here is the first look upon reaching the hollow named for the refuge it provided civil war draft dodgers. I sure couldn’t blame anyone for preferring this place over the hell that awaited them on the battlefield or the chaos that was most of Missouri during that time.
“An Ozark Shangri-La″
At only 56 acres, this relatively small NA has so much to offer. Seeps, a plant-fen community, a series of shut-ins, a shelter cave and lots of nooks and crannies to discover what plants and animals are waiting where are plenty to keep one busy for a full day’s visit. That’s not to mention these fantastic waterfalls!
“Flint Falls″
I did not have too much time to spend here, unfortunately. In the three hours I visited, the falls took much of my attention. The birds and plants were screaming for my attention and I regret I could not give them more. The Waterthrush songs were constantly ringing off the chert walls of the hollow and were pretty much the only thing I could hear over the roaring water.
“Behind the Veil″
Once again, mother nature did not let me down. A perfect overcast morning allowed for great exposure settings for running water and allowed for that glorious limon-colored new spring green from mosses and trees to pop. Anything lacking from these images is my own fault completely.
“Cowards Hollow″
Well, that was Cowards Hollow. It is only about a 30 minute drive from Big Spring and is so secluded it seems to be a day’s travel from any sign of civilization. I wish I had the opportunity to explore this area more, but the vegetation was not yet doing much during this April visit. I can’t wait to make another visit in the near future.
I realized I had presented nothing but these masculine vertical compositions, so here is a landscape orientation…
“Cowards Hollow II″
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 