An early July trip to Wanakena for a walk on the Dead Creek Flow trail yielded some great encounters! This very mellow trail, with mostly imperceptible elevation change, cuts through deciduous woods and grasses past swamps and beaver ponds. Conifers mix in to some stretches of trail. Accordingly, there was a nice diversity of flora and fauna, including deer, birds, and more dragonflies than I have ever seen in one place.

I’m including a handful of photos I took on my walk. The White-throated Sparrows were the most vocal and abundant of all the bird species present, though there were many a Cedar Waxwing. Other bird sightings included a handful of warbler species (Magnolia, Canada, Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Blue, and numerous Nashville), Swainson’s Thrush, and Blue-Headed Vireo. Also pictured are a Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly, a moth (Bicyclus sp.? uncertain of species), and Sundew plants. These remarkable little plants found in wetland areas are carnivorous – the red hair-like projections and droplets look like a tasty treat to insects. But when the insects stop to sample, they find themselves caught in the sticky secretions and unable to fly away. The insects then die, break down, and get consumed by the Sundew.

I can recommend the Dead Creek Flow trail to other North Country explorers!