Hush, Little Baby–July 4, 2013
With the peninsula closed today because of the planned 4th of July fireworks, I ventured over to the Dr. Ned and Fay Dudney Nature Center on the opposite side of the Clear Creek Channel.
Here’s a map of the area that might help orient you. Click here, and keep your fingers crossed. We are fortunate to have several wonderful areas dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the Bay Area like this nature center, the Nassau Peninsular, and nearby Armand Bayou.
The Nature Center, dedicated in 2008, is 148 acres, and includes coastal prairie, coastal wetland, and coastal flatwood. There are paths and bird blinds, and it is a very busy location for wildlife especially during spring and fall migration.
I enjoyed many delightful finds today including the baby mockingbird pictured above. The dense forested area is filled with tall trees draped in Spanish moss, and there are a multitude of vines, berries, flowers, and other vegetation beautifully interwoven. 
My hooray find of the day – a live cicada, pictured left. (Look close, it is resting on the underside of the leaf.) And, of course, no visit would be complete without a great blue heron stalking the waters of the saltmarsh. 
Oh, and yes, there were many fireworks, lighting the night sky.
Green Thought: In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. ~ John Muir