May 20 - 21 2009 Bear Creek Park State Park, Va.

My wife and I spent a night here in our RV. This state park is another in the Piedmont section of Virginia. While the campsites were a little tight, the facilities were new and clean. Bear Creek feeds the lake here. We apparently missed the spring bird migration here; I saw and spooked the local great blue heron.

However, I did see a number of flying insects and bugs, along with a few flowers. This lake had circular path around it; I accomplished about 25% of it before I turned back. I had about 4 ticks on me when I got back to the campsite.

Bear Creek Lake

Another view of Bear Creek Lake


The state park hiking trails are exceptionally well marked--it is very difficult to get lost, unless you choose a trail leading away from your goal

Beautiful Mountain Laurel

A mono-colored salamander on a bridge

"Blue Beetle"

Common Whitetail Dragonfly

Bumble Bee

Common Water Strider

Another view of the Common Water Strider

The upper one was chasing the lower one (a female?)

Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Another Black Swallowtail

Boat Dock on lake

Monster fish in lake

Turtle Crawling along the trail
Pretty, but unable to identify

Another pretty flower, unable to identify

Daisy Fleabane

Marshy area where Great Blue Heron was found

Canoes ready to go into the water

Interesting tree growth



Shelf lichen

May 18 & 19 Twin Lakes State Park, Va.

We drove to this beautiful, bucolic state park from Smith Mountain Lake near Bedford. This park was a little unusual for a campground in that you could see and easily walk to the amenities from your camp site--instead of having to walk or bicycle or drive a long distance. The lake was quite visible from our very level campsite--no leveling required. Birds and insects were available for picture taking. For more information on this park:

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/twi.shtml#generalinfo

Goodwin Lake

Goodwin Lake again

Edge of Goodwin Lake

Interesting flowers

This salamander was very busy running along the warm surfaces

On a new warm surface

A nice daisy

One of many blue birds seen in park

Walk over this bridge from the campground

An experiment with my Canon T1i camera: ISO 12800 handheld [1+ sec] around 9:30pm--could still see some contrast between the sky and the lake

One of three hawks heard and seen flying above the trees

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Eastern Phoebe

Ruby Crowned Kinglet about to smash a caterpillar against the rail--then it can eat.

A warty frog discovered in the grass

Gorgeous white iris