May is American Wetlands Month, which I have written about a few times here. The way we like to celebrate is to find a wetland nearby and spend a couple hours exploring and learning about the area. Luckily there is a wetland a few miles from our house. Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve is a 54 acre, city-owned wetland and nature reserve that is open to the public. It features a series of trails designed for nature viewing and recreation. Along the way there is a series of interpretative signs with lots of information about wetlands and the flora and fauna that call them home.
One cloudy Sunday morning, Sierra and I ventured out to our neighborhood wetland. What follows is a photo diary of a few of the things we saw while we were there.
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One of the coolest features of the reserve is this bat house called HaBATat.
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Seed head of teasel (Dipsacus fullonum); behind it are a series of bird nests designed for various species of cavity nesters.
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Walkways like this one allow for a closer view of the wetlands and feature additional interpretive signage.
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The butt of a bumblebee on the flowers of yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), captured by Sierra.
What wetlands did you visit this May? Let us know in the comment section below.