The Douglas Center Revisited

Paid another visit to the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education. This time I hiked the Miller Woods Trail and the woods to the east of the main parking lot on Lake Street. Maybe a mile and a half in total.

          ( Click on any image to see an Enlarged Slide Show )

Covered Foot Bridge over Lake Street, from parking to the Douglas Center.

After parking in the main lot on Lake St. you walk over to the Douglas Center via the Covered Foot Bridge.

The Douglas Center for Environmental Education entrance.

The National Park Service sign greets you and the entry doors are straight ahead of you.

Interesting facts about Northwest Indiana.

A display in the foyer of the Douglas Center lists some amazing facts about Northwest Indiana that I did not know.

Douglas Center view from Lake Street West parking.

This is where the Miller Woods Trail starts, above on the dune is the Douglas Center. I'm standing in a three car parking lot on the west side of Lake Street

Distant view of Douglas Center from the Marsh Overlook Boardwalk.

About a third of the way along the Miller Woods Trail is the Marsh Overlook Boardwalk that crosses the marsh north to south. This is the view looking east, over the marsh. The Douglas Center can be seen in the distance.

Canine tracks and blood trail in snow.

The trail was covered with snow that was a few days old. The snow was more ice than snow, loud and crunchy. Tracks of some type of canine could be seen and blood drops about every ten feet. Probably a dog walkers pooch nipped his ear on a brier thorn.

Opening in snow that lead to a small mammal  snow tunnel.

 Field mice and voles tunnel under the snow and every here and there they poke through to the surface of the snow to check out their surroundings.

Western edge of  Miller Woods Marsh.

At the far west end of the trail is the edge of the marsh. Cattails are the dominate vegetation in the marsh.

Marsh Cattails

The seed head of the cattails, thousands of seeds attached to fur-like fibers that are dispersed by the wind if disturbed.

View of Miller Woods Marsh from a high dune.

A high dune rises above the marsh. Notice how the growth of the cattails encircle the water in the middle of the marsh. If the water level continues to drop over the years, eventually the cattails will die off and the marsh will become a wet meadow.

Deer tracks in snow, big Buck.

Wasn't ready to quit, so I walked the woods on the east side of Lake Street. There I ran across these deer tracks. This deer was big, my guess would be a large buck.

Mammal tracks in snow.

More tracks in the snow. I'll have to brush up on my tracking because I have no Idea as to what these my be from. A mystery, more than likely squirrel or rabbit.

Scene in woods east of Lake Street. 

I walked an old railroad track bed from Lake St. to Grand St. A nice little dune woods and swales to the south. heading back to the Douglas Center parking lot now.

Lake Michigan Fishing Spots

On a cold, January day, cabin fever kicked in. So I grabbed a fishing pole and a hand full of tackle and set my sights on the Lake Michigan shore line to scout places to fish. Its been years since I've fished Lake Michigan, so this would be a trip to see if the old places are still open and if there are any new places to be found. Besides, the temperature was 10 degrees with a 25 mph north wind, too cold to fish.

Indiana DNR shelter and parking area

My first stop was a Indiana Department of Natural Resources Restoration Area on the east branch of the Little Calumet River.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources Restoration Area
Little Calumet River East Branch

I was hoping to find a river access spot where I could launch my canoe. The parking here is a little to far from the river to drag a canoe. At the time the river was low and looking good. Lots of deadfalls along the shoreline, good places for the big ones to hide.

Little Calumet River facing East

This bridge and the road leading to the river are closed to vehicular traffic. To the left (south) of the bridge about a half mile is an undeveloped parking area. You can walk in from there. After a rain, the road leading to the unofficial parking area  would be a mud hole.  So, it would be best to park at the picnic shelter provided by the DNR and pictured above. The walk to the river is just a wee bit longer.

Old Bridge over Little  Calumet River facing West

The above photo is facing west. Two or so miles is a public marina. I've fished near the marina before, so it looks like the marina would be the best place to put in the canoe and paddle the river. By launching at the marina, I will be able to float, not only the east branch of the Little Cal, but also the west branch and paddle north to Portage Bay and Lake Michigan.  

Somebody's  watching me

Walking back to where I parked, I got the feeling I was being watched. There on the naturally overgrown Oak-Maple Forest floor was a young White-Tail Deer, a doe, watching my every move. 

White-Tail Deer

Yep, if you feel as though you are being watched, chances are, you are being watched. I moved forward a bit and found a clearing in the brush, for a less wild photo. The doe stared me down until I gave in and vacated her woods.

Fox Squirrel

At the DNR picnic shelter, I encountered a Fox Squirrel. The largest of the North America tree squirrels. He's hanging out at the shelter, looking for an easy meal, sorry, I'm a firm believer in "Do not feed the animals". Squirrels in particular, if they eat soft food instead of cutting hard shelled nuts, their upper and lower front teeth will not be worn down and will continue to grow, causing the squirrel to starve . 

Indiana DNR Public Fish Site, Port of Indiana

A few miles north of the Little Cal is the Port of Indiana. This is another Indiana DNR public fishing site. Don't let the sunshine and calm water fool you, this was a cold, windy day.   

Large flock of Common Mergansers

On the waters of the port, was a large flock of waterfowl. This photo was cropped, there are actually three times as many bird on the water. This is a flock of Common Mergansers aka Sawbills aka Fish Ducks. Mergansers dive under the water to catch fish. Every few minutes, the entire flock would dive, proving to me that the fish were in the harbor, but like I said before, it was too cold to fish.    

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore,  National Park Service

Due west of the Port is a section the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the Portage Riverwalk Park. Located where the Little Calumet River enters Lake Michigan.  

Wind pruned Pin Oak and Pine trees

The dunes meet the river where wind pruned pines and pin oak anchor the high banks of the river. About fifty feet below these stunted trees is the river. Shore decks are placed along the river bank from which you can fish or just watch the pleasure boats make there way to the lake from the marina.

Pine Cones

Old pine cones that dropped their seed long ago. The harsh conditions of the dunes environment causes the trees to be stunted. They may not be large trees but they are very old. (And you thought man 'invented' bonsai trees) 

Ice on the Rocks

Lake Michigan is at a low water stage. These rocks would be under water at normal water levels. Look at the ice on the rocks, another good reason not to fish. 

Black Mussel

A freshwater mussel in the sand. I wonder if there's a pearl inside of it? Mussels have a interesting life cycle. The female is fertilized by the male. She retains the eggs until they are hatched. the larvae are released into the water and actively search out fish. When a fish is found the larvae attach themselves to the fins or gills of the fish until they become juveniles. Then drop off onto the lake bottom and grow to adults.  

Western Grebe at Portage Harbor

What's this? The Loch Michigan Monster! No, just a bad photo of a Western Grebe in Portage Harbor. Another diving bird that will winter here as long as it can find open water and fish. This area is where the Little Calumet River meets Lake Michigan. 

Chicago Beyond the Horizon

Right about now, I'm at the point where I can't take this cold any more. A couple more shots and I'm out of here. So here's "Chicago Beyond the Horizon". 

Portage Dunes

After all is said and done, it was a good day. I found a few places to fish and float my canoe. Visited some new scenery and got a few pic to boot. When the Coho run in March, you know where I can be found. 

(Click on any photo to see an enlarged photo slideshow)

Red Admiral Butterfly and Collard Flower

A Red Admiral Butterfly visits a Collard Flower for a sip of spring nectar.

Red Admiral Butterfly pollinates Collard Flower.
Click on pic to make bigger.

In return, the butterfly deposits pollen, that was collected on its body, from another plant and pollinates the collard flower.

Snap Shots, January-February 2012

Stepping a couple months back for this post, here are a few of the snapshot made during the months of January and February 2012. Northwest Indiana had a mild winter, below average snow fall and above average temps. All in all a most pleasant winter.


Last summer I found an area with a large growth of Illinois Bundle weed (here is a photo of this plant in flower). I revisited the area and found the Bundle weed seed pods. The seed pods twist themselves about the flowerhead in a tight bundle. In the photo below you can see how the pods split open to release the seeds. I collected a few seeds and will try to grow them in my flower garden this spring.

Illinois Bundle Weed Seed Pods

The only birds seen in the field during this hike were a small flock of Chipping Sparrows. Flying from bush to bush, and close to the ground, looking for seeds and insects in the leaf litter.

Chipping Sparrow

The neighborhood in which I live is shared with a family of Cooper Hawks. They hunt and nest in Oaks and Maple trees. Skilled hunters, they fly through the trees taking any small animal that lets its guard down. 

Cooper Hawk

Many a time I have a Forest Gump moment, while standing in the yard, I'll see a feather drifting in the still air.  Sure enough a Cooper Hawk will be perched in a tree above, plucking it's lunch. 

Cooper Hawk with lunch

This is a photo of a Red-Tailed Hawk, high in a dead Cottonwood tree, overlooking Ranger's Marsh.

Red-Tailed Hawk

How mild was the winter of 2011-12.  I left the collard greens and cabbage in the ground last fall. We would go out and pick a hand full of greens when needed. Well, they grew all winter, these photos were taken February 27, 2012. I'll let them go to seed and maybe they'll be our greens for Easter dinner. 

Collard Greens in February 

Well, the winter was mild enough for this Blue Bot Fly to pay us a visit in February.

And the Maple trees are flowering in February.

(Left Click any Photo See the Slide Show)

Fall Photo Round-Up

Another year has passed me by, only got out a couple times to enjoy the call of the wild. No luck at all with my duck hunting and managed only a few photos from my limited outdoor adventures.  So I'll share what I have.

During this season of duck hunting, I saw more Pileated Woodpeckers than ducks. I've been hunting flooded timber for more than ten years and seeing this species of woodpecker but this is the first year that I have been able to get a photo of one. 

Sometimes the treasure you seek is not the treasure you find.

Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker 2

Pileated Woodpecker 3

Pileated Woodpecker 4

These Mallard dekes are two of several that I carved almost 15 years ago, made from light brown cork and basswood heads they have with-stood years of abuse.

Hand-Carved Cork Working Decoys

This morning the clouds moved in and made the sun look like the full moon.

Dark-Sun

I have a weakness for the morning sun 's reflection in still water.

Double-Sun

Each and every plants fight an on going battle for their place in the sun.

Allusion of Chaos

Magenta sky at the break of day.

Sun-Rise over the Decoys

The heavens bleed after a good day of duck hunting.

The Sky Turned a Blood-Red

 The moon appeared to rise so far to the north and early on this afternoon that I actually thought there was a problem with the Universe, LOL.

Bayou Moon